Commentary

By John Matthews Traditionally, research conducted at many universities falls under the category of fundamental research, which is primarily conducted to enhance our basic knowledge in a certain area. In the trenchless technology industry, and regarding the university researchers active in the field, the focusRead More

By Tony Hyde One unifying factor for both the general public, but also for many of us who vote for, manage and design infrastructure projects, is that water and wastewater projects can feel as though they are out of sight, out of mind. Buried pipeRead More

By Mike Russin The jobs report may show the unemployment rate at a rare low, but one industry has been struggling to hire for several years now. Municipalities are facing a workforce gap as Baby Boomers continue to enter retirement — and the jobs availableRead More

Asset management can be a gradual process, but condition assessment requires more than a superficial scan of system components. News media report the big infrastructure failures. Whether we manage water systems or tap into them, we hear about major water main breaks, tunnel collapses andRead More

By Steven Folkman Most water professionals are well aware that in 2009, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) issued its Infrastructure Report Card and gave a D- to drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. In a small sign of improvement, the 2013 ASCE Report CardRead More

| By Will Jernigan I often get asked the question, “How do leaks inform the decision to repair or replace pipeline infrastructure?” You may encounter this very question embedded in your asset management program. How does the break history factor into prioritization of line replacementRead More

By Julius Ciaccia, Jr. Over the last 40 years serving in top-level management for water/wastewater public utilities, I’ve been witness to a steady conversation about the broadening infrastructure investment gap in the drinking water and sewer industry. We continue to strike the mallet to bringRead More

By Michael Warady It is a common missive in today’s water industry that we have let our water infrastructure decay to a point of imminent failure. Nearly every article in industry magazines today features some allusion to the $250 billion to $1 trillion investment neededRead More

By Michael Warady The water industry has long been considered one of the least innovative, most lethargic industries in the world. The reasons given for this particular reputation vary based upon who you are speaking with, but range from: a lack of innovative thinking byRead More

By Luis Casado & Eric Rensel Leaders in the water sector are all too familiar with the numbers. The average age of our country’s dams is 56 years old. The demands on wastewater treatment plants will grow nearly 25 percent in the next 15 years.Read More