Water industry visits to Washington, D.C., continue to educate, but gain little traction in procuring new funding.

As more municipalities mandate environmental purchasing policies, how are managers to distinguish between brazen greenwashing and the legitimate claims of environmentally responsible manufacturers?

In 2008, General Electric (GE) released a white paper providing a menu of policy options for addressing water scarcity through recycling and reuse. In that paper, the company discussed how governments in water scarce regions are looking for ways to expand water recycling and reuse, but they often have difficulty finding information on the policy options from which they might choose.

While no one knows precisely at what rate and by how much the climate will ultimately change, there is no doubt that the Earth?s average surface temperature is on the rise ? the result of a significant increase in the concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Many utilities are suffering the triple pressures of fiscal austerity, water scarcity and aging infrastructure. In the fight to save water and replace or upgrade infrastructure, utilities are at the proverbial intersection of Rock Street and Hard Place Avenue.

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in November launched a new program, Operational Excellence ? or OpX ? to help make DEP the safest, most effective, cost-efficient and transparent water utility in the nation.

Merrick & Company?s Peter Binney, P.E., National Director of Sustainable Infrastructure, recently received the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) national President?s Medal for his dedicated leadership and influence in developing the national sustainable infrastructure project rating system and its accreditation program. Binney was a lead contributor in the development of the sustainable infrastructure rating systems that will further promote sustainable infrastructure design and construction practices.

Andy Shea has been named the Water business group?s vice president and new market sector director for industrial/private client based in HDR?s King of Prussia office near Philadelphia, Pa.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the State of Illinois on Dec. 14 announced a Clean Water Act (CWA) settlement with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) to resolve claims that untreated sewer discharges were released into Chicago area waterways during flood and wet weather events.

Nashville is home to the historic Grand Ole Opry and all things country music, all the way down to the 10-gallon hats and cowboy boots.