It seems likely that water will become increasingly recognized as one of the key ?factors of production? in industry ? a key criterion in the development of public policy and in both economic and personal decision making.

The Clean Water America Alliance is one of three civil society members joining the Global Environmental & Technology Foundation, the U.S. Department of State and others in a public-private partnership.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) have recently worked together to develop the WATERiD project (WATER Infrastructure Database), an online record of information to help bring attention to failing water infrastructures and aid planning and funding.

Xylem Inc., a leading global water technology company focused on addressing the world?s most challenging water issues, has broken ground on a 10,000-sq ft extension of its manufacturing facility in Bridgeport, N.J., to support continuing growth in the dewatering segment.

Two design-build projects were awarded to RJN Group, Inc. (RJN) in late 2011. The two projects are both contractor-led sewer relocation projects, driven by redevelopment efforts in St. Louis, Mo., and Southwestern Illinois.

More than 160 water utility leaders took to Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. last week, to show their support for draft legislation that would create a federal Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Authority (WIFIA).

The massive investment needed for buried drinking water infrastructure in the United States totals more than $1 trillion between now and 2035.

The American Public Works Association (APWA) announced that APWA member Philip Guerin of Worcester, Mass., was recently honored by the White House as a ?Champion of Change? Innovator in Infrastructure for creating jobs in his community and using innovative techniques to develop valuable projects that help improve America?s infrastructure.

American Water Works Company, Inc., recently announced the financial close of its sale of regulated operations in Arizona and New Mexico to EPCOR USA at a purchase price of $470 million.

Itron, Inc. recently announced that Water Utility of Madison, Wis., will implement Itron?s advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) for Project H20, the city?s program to automate the collection and analysis of water meter reads.