As has been the case for years, water and wastewater utilities throughout the United States start the New Year with capital improvement needs that exceed available financing resources, and they do so in an ever changing legal, regulatory and financial environment.

After a two-year study conducted by MWH Global and Hawksley Consulting, Castle Pines North Metropolitan District in Colorado has decided on a long-range water plan that ensures the future of enduring water supplies to the District.

SplashLink.com and AccelerateH20 have announced a partnership that will launch an unprecedented view of Texas-specific contracting, bidding and funding opportunities, as well as projects from throughout North America.

Among the proposals highlighted by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo last week was $250 million for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects around the state. Also last week, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton unveiled a plan to spend $220 million to modernize the state?s aging water system.

On Saturday, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Board of Directors elected Brenda Lennox of Beaverton, Ore., as the association?s next president-elect. Four new vice presidents and one new director-at-large were also selected.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a survey showing that $271 billion is needed to maintain and improve the nation?s wastewater infrastructure.

President Barack Obama, on Saturday, declared that an emergency exists in the State of Michigan and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts in the area affected by contaminated water in the City of Flint.

State officials in Michigan last week warned Flint residents not to drink their tap water without using a filter to strain out lead. Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said it could end up costing the city as much as $1.5 billion to fix the damaged water distribution system.

Bipartisan legislation signed into law by President Obama just before the New Year will protect water supplies by outlawing tiny plastic microbeads that are increasingly found in the environment.

Hawksley Consulting, a business consulting firm and subsidiary of MWH Global, announced today the acquisition of Burton & Associates, a St. Augustine, Fla.-based financial management services firm.