The Value of Water Coalition has announced it will play a leading role in Infrastructure Week 2016, which will be May 16-23, and will allow local, state and federal leaders to communicate the importance of water to the economy, jobs and public health.

Beginning today, the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management (DWM) will recognize National Drinking Water Week in an effort to promote water conservation and to encourage residents to drink tap water. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) has celebrated National Drinking Water Week for more than 35 years.

Last week, water groups praised the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee on passing the Water Resources Development Act of 2016 (WRDA) by a strong, bipartisan vote of 19-1.

The Southern Delivery System (SDS), one of the largest water infrastructure projects completed in the United States this century, has begun delivering water to homes and businesses in Colorado Springs, Colo. The commencement of water delivery culminates decades of planning and nearly six years of construction.

McKim & Creed, Inc. has won a Grand Award of Engineering Excellence from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) for its engineering work on the WaterHub at Emory, an ecological water reclamation treatment facility at Emory University.

Aegion Corp. has announced that Frank Firsching has been named president of its Infrastructure Solutions platform and will have direct responsibility for the overall growth and profitability of the North America and European Insituform business, Underground Solutions, Inc. and Fyfe/Fibrwrap North and South America.

On Wednesday, three Michigan officials – one who ran Flint’s water treatment plant and two from the state Department of Environmental Quality (Michigan DEQ) – were charged with allegedly mishandling information related to the Flint water crisis.

In February, Sens. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) introduced legislation, S. 2606, the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act to spur capital investment and to ensure the reliability and safety of the nation’s water infrastructure. Reps. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) and Jimmy Duncan (R-Tenn.) have also introduced the same bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

This is not an article about why water and wastewater utilities should consider a public-private partnership (P3) to deliver urban stormwater infrastructure projects. As you surely know, a P3 appeals to many municipalities for their ability to leverage private sector expertise and efficiencies — and shoulder financial risk — for delivery of what would traditionally be a public sector project.

The American Water Works Association recently announced that Steve Via has been promoted to Director of Federal Relations of the association. Via was formerly AWWA’s Regulatory Affairs Manager.