Water Management

In 1597, when Sir Francis Bacon penned the concept “Knowledge is Power” he proposed an entirely new system based on empirical and inductive principles and the active development of new arts and inventions. This knight and intellectual reformer developed a system whose ultimate goal would be the production of practical knowledge for “the use and benefit of men.” He defined the “scientific method” which is at the foundation for infrastructure asset management.

Money – or the lack of it – dominates discussions in Washington these days, and the water sector is no exception. Thanks to the stern taskmaster of deficit reduction, it is a given that cuts in government spending will be made; the only remaining question is which programs will be cut and by how much. On March 13, a House Appropriations Subcommittee held an oversight hearing to look at implications of these funding limitations on water infrastructure.

Michael Drennan has joined Black & Veatch, a leading global engineering, consulting and construction company, as the company’s Watershed Management Practice Leader for the West Region. He will be based in Southern California.

The NASTT No-Dig Show, the annual conference and exhibition of the North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT), traveled to Sacramento and brought with it more than 1,600 attendees who successfully mixed business, education and the warmth of the West Coast.

Xylem Inc. announced last month that it has acquired MultiTrode Pty Ltd., a privately held Australia-based water and wastewater technology and services company, for approximately $26 million. The actual terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Itron, Inc. has announced that Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD), a not-for-profit agency that provides water to more than 1 million residents and 35 million annual visitors in Southern Nevada, has selected Itron?s automated metering solution to improve operational efficiency and streamline meter reading.

In the coming months, the City of Garretson, S.D. will be will be implementing exciting upgrades to its utility meter reading infrastructure. The city will be the first in the country to deploy a combined water and natural gas advanced metering analytics (AMA) solution from Badger Meter.

Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the results of the first comprehensive survey looking at the health of thousands of stream and river miles across the country, finding that more than half – 55 percent – are in poor condition for aquatic life.

The U.S. Water Alliance has announced the 2013 winners of the coveted U.S. Water Prize. The winners are: Onondaga County, N.Y., for its program to “Save the Rain” and embrace green infrastructure solutions to wet weather problems; The Freshwater Trust for its collaborative market-based solutions to restore and protect rivers and streams; and, MillerCoors for their innovative and comprehensive strategies to protect and conserve water throughout its life cycle.

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has released its 2013 Report Card for America?s Infrastructure, a comprehensive assessment of the nation’s infrastructure across 16 sectors. Updated once every four years, this year’s Report Card found that America’s cumulative GPA for infrastructure rose slightly to a D+ from a D in 2009.