Goals A water utility plant or system tour should have a goal or primary reason in mind. It can be to educate others about our industry. It may be to obtain support for a planned …
50 years of the Clean Water Act
By Dennis White Jan. 2022 On October 18, 1972, Public Law 92-500, better known as the Clean Water Act (CWA), was approved and passed by the 92nd Congress. The approval only occurred after bill S-2770 …
Considering Shared Services? Some Things to Think About
For over a decade, communities have considered and implemented shared municipal services. Those who have benefited from this arrangement shared common goals and philosophies of running their cities, took a lot of time to lay …
STRAIGHT ANSWERS with Chris McMillen
It’s our pleasure to be a resource answering questions that come to us. What I’ve found is that often the questions asked are similar so it led to this idea to share the questions and …
How Do We Find the Right People
Here is a question I’m often asked related to a common problem in our industry. “We have had turnover in our water/wastewater departments. One was due to retirement and the other was because our guy …
Five Key Questions to Ask a Potential Partner
Not all proposals are the same when it comes to water and wastewater management, operation and maintenance. So, what are the key questions a city looking to partner for those services should be asking? Here …
Accidental Scientific Breakthrough Develops Plastic Consuming Enzyme
The discovery of plastic-eating bugs at a dump in Japan in 2016 could hold the answer to solving the international plastic pollution problem and allow for the first time the full recycling of plastic bottles. …
Researching the Long-Term Existence of Antibiotics in Minnesota Waterways
In a recent study, a group of scientists examined decades of sediment they had extracted from the bottoms of Minnesota lakes. They discovered while examining the sediment layers that antibiotics used in pharmaceuticals are accumulating …
El Paso Takes Major Step On “The Path” to Water Sustainability
The city of El Paso, Texas, has announced plans to be the first major American city to embrace direct potable reuse, which is often referred to as “Toilet-to-Tap.” El Paso will lead the nation in …
Ballast Water Bill Passed Through Congress and Signed by the President
To understand the importance of this legislation, let’s first define the term “ballast water.” Ballast water is the water carried in ships’ ballast tanks to optimize a vessel’s stability, trim and balance. Ballast water is …