A 2020 Yale Environment Review article calls attention to declining drinking water distribution systems across the United States and notes leaking pipes lose up to 6 billion gallons of water daily. Because most U.S. water infrastructure was developed in the 1900s with an estimated lifespan of 100 years, malfunctions like leaking pipes, pump breakdo...
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) 2021 Annual Drinking Report, more than 98% of the state's public water systems comply with all health-based standards. The Wisconsin DNR implements the state's drinking water program, which includes municipal community water systems, other-than-municipal community water systems, nontr...
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a grant program yesterday to create a Lead Service Line Inventory that will help communities meet requirements outlined in the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act. Because Illinois has more lead water pipes than any state in the U.S., this is another step toward helping mun...
With more than 2,800 contaminated sites in 50 states, public concern about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination has grown, yet a great deal about these so-called "forever chemicals" remains unknown. Faced with such uncertainty, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set no formal limits on a moving target like PFAS d...
Earlier this year, the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) approved state drinking water standards for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perflourooctane sulfonate (PFOS) — the two most common chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The state NRB standards precede federal PFAS standards the U.S. Environmental Protection Ag...
Although lead pipes are often thought of as relics of a bygone era, they are still a common component of water systems. Recent estimates indicate that up to 12.8 million homes in the U.S. are served by water systems with lead service lines, which are most common in older homes and infrastructure. In the past, lead was a common water service line ma...
Lead service lines are common throughout the United States. For centuries, lead was the preferred element for plumbing. The word "plumber" even comes from the Latin word for lead. Lead pipes were popular because they resist pinhole leaks and can be easily bent to conform to the contours of buildings. Because of these advantages, water infrastructur...
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shared information on the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, which comprises the water and wastewater provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Senate approved the Act in August 2021, and the House passed it Nov. 5. We eagerly wait to see the difference addit...
If you live in a community and use or drink city water, most likely you've heard of boil orders, advisories, notices or something similar. Even though it might sound self-explanatory, it's important to learn the why and the what to do when it happens. How did the idea begin?When John Snow, an English physician and leader in the development of anest...
By now most have heard about the American Jobs Plan announced by President Joe Biden at the end of March where he unveiled an investment in $2 trillion of infrastructure improvements. Many might correlate infrastructure funding with fixing roads and bridges, but what garnered my attention most is that in addition to creating jobs and improvin...
As communities across the country struggle with the ability and funding to update their water infrastructure, there are times when innovative ideas, partnering with the right firm and thinking outside the box is all it takes to put them ahead of the curve. The Village of Ludlow in north-central Champaign County, Illinois, with a population of fewer...
Developing a Watershed Plan for a community can have a ripple effect. Improving and protecting our most important natural resource is important, and Watershed Plans do both. At Fehr Graham, we believe everyone should have access to clean and safe water. As a new engineer at Fehr Graham, I’m helping develop a Watershed Plan for the City of Loves Par...
In a previous post, I explained how communities are funding stormwater utility programs through user fees, like water and sewer utilities. Regardless of your funding method, reviewing flooding problems and planning improvements in your community can be a complicated exercise. Water has a habit of showing up in unwelcome places during heavy rain, an...
Communities in Illinois have increasingly turned to a user fee system for funding stormwater programs. But why now? The history of this funding tool and the factors that drove its popularity have taken shape over the last 20 years. Stormwater as User FeesTypically, the stormwater program is paid for with local taxes. Stormwater is the only ma...
Present in every stream and lake is something invisible, necessary and good. That something is nutrients – chemical compounds that are essential for sustaining aquatic life. However, too much of a good thing can be bad. When nutrient removal isn't considered, treated wastewater discharge into streams and lakes can cause elevated nutrient levels in ...
