Showing posts with label technical organization. Show all posts

Monday, February 1, 2016

Transportation and Engineering News

Missouri Governor Proposes Funding Increase for Amtrak

The budget proposal submitted by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon included an additional $500,000 for Amtrak, for a total of $10.2 million. Amtrak claims it will need $18 million from the state to install positive train control, as mandated by Congress, on the Missouri River Runner line, with a total cost of $30 million. You can find more about this issue here.

Missouri Legislator Suggests Punt to Counties

Missouri State Representative Bryan Spencer proposed to make counties responsible for the upkeep of certain roads that are currently maintained by the state (these are generally rural, two-lane highways). This would reduce the amount of state-maintained roads by 19,000 miles. The roads in question have been state-maintained since 1952, when they were shifted away from county maintenance. To implement the proposal, the state constitution must be amended. You can find more about this proposal here and here. Most proposals to improve Missouri’s road funding problem involve raising the fuel tax.

WOMEN IN STEM

Women Take Lead at Engineering Organization

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has nominated two women to the ballot for its president-elect. Robin Kemper and Kristina Swallow are both professional engineers, and one will be ASCE’s president-elect and eventually president. Kemper provides expertise on construction and professional liability issues at Zurich Services Corporation. Swallow leads a team of public works engineers in Las Vegas. ASCE’s current president-elect, Norma Jean Mattei, will step up to the office of president, meaning the top two offices in the organization will be held by women for the first time in the 164 years it has existed. You can find more here.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Funding Infrastructure

Crowdfunding

The American Institute of Architects released Crowdfunding Architecture, a report that explored the potential of raising private funds from many people investing, loaning, or donating small sums. Crowdfunding is a growing trend in other areas, especially in the arts and product development.

Of course, public civil infrastructure requires a lot of money. The investors who might be able to put substantial sums into a project will expect a return. This is an issue for other forms of private investment in public infrastructure, often there is no revenue generated by the infrastructure to pay back investors.

What do you think? Does crowdfunding have the potential to be a serious source of funding for public infrastructure?

Friday, February 22, 2013

Cool Stuff, Old and New

London Underground Turns 150

The first train traveled the London Underground 150 years ago last month. It has grown to 249 miles of track that carry 3 million passengers daily. The Institute of Civil Engineers is observing the anniversary with events throughout the year.

Moon Water

When I was in high school, I enjoyed The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein. The title inspired my friends to tease me by saying it with dramatic flair. We all read science fiction, but I tended to read more hard sci-fi and older books (The Moon is a Harsh Mistress was 20 years old back then).

Anyway, in this book Heinlein anticipated that there would be water on the moon in the form of underground ice, which would be mined by settlers. Recent studies suggest that there is water ice on the moon, though we are obviously a long way from using it to quench the thirst of moon settlers. By the way, Heinlein also anticipated the Internet in this book, which I read when home dial-up Internet service was a relatively new thing and few people had computers in their homes.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Infrastructure & Engineering News Roundup

Engineering Week

We’re in the middle of Engineers Week 2013. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for IW to miss taking not of this week. We encourage you to visit the Web site of the National Engineers Week Foundation. We’ve been tweeting about Engineers Week, and if you use Twitter you can also promote the profession this week with an #EWeek2013 hashtag.

Mayors Support Texas Water Resources Development Plan

The Texas Legislature is considering a proposal to spend $2 billion from the state rainy day fund to pay for projects in the state water resources plan. The mayors of Dallas, Mesquite, Midland, and San Antonio expressed support for the bill (find about this in the Dallas Morning News and the Houston Chronicle).

NAE Honors Engineers

The National Academy of Engineering recognized several engineers with prizes for their contributions to the profession, engineering achievements, and advancements in engineering education. The Draper Prize is especially prestigious, and is sometimes called the “Nobel Prize of engineering.” The Washington Post web site has a very good blog post about the prizes and winners.

National Infrastructure Bank Proposed

Another infrastructure bank proposal has been introduced. This one comes from Rep. John Delaney (MD). His bill would create an Office of Infrastructure Investment in the Department of Treasury. The office would oversee an American Infrastructure Fund and act something like a bank, loaning money to states and guaranteeing state and local bonds. The new release from Rep. Delaney’s office suggests that public-private partnerships will be encouraged by the office, but provides no specifics about how this would work.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Draper Prize Awarded to Cell Phone Pioneers

Martin Cooper, Joel S. Engel, Richard H. Frenkiel, Thomas Haug, and Yoshihisa Okumura will receive the Charles Stark Draper Prize — a $500,000 annual award given to engineers whose accomplishments have significantly benefited society — “for their pioneering contributions to the world’s first cellular telephone networks, systems, and standards.” The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) will present the award in Washington, DC, on February 19.

Cellular telephony is an exceptional technological achievement that has enabled us to communicate from virtually any location and access a myriad of information at the touch of a button. The device connects people, provides security, and bridges informational gaps in modern society. Cooper, Engel, Frenkiel, Haug, and Okumura each made substantial contributions to its creation.

The first limited form of mobile telephone service was provided by AT&T in 1946, and the initial ideas for cellular systems emerged at Bell Labs a year later. A lack of channels inhibited further exploration of these ideas until the late 1960s, when Bell Labs began planning activities for a "high capacity" mobile telephone system. Engel and Frenkiel, with the late Phil Porter, were the earliest engineers involved in this work. They developed a plan for a network of low-power transmitters and receivers spread throughout a region in small coverage areas that came to be called cells, which allowed service to be expanded to millions of users with a limited number of channels. This plan resulted in technical report that was filed with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission in 1971 presenting the design for what would become the Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), the first cellular telephone system in the U.S.

At the same time while working at Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) Research Laboratories, Okumura was laying the groundwork for a network system for simultaneous cell phone use by the masses in Japan. Through the investigation of precise propagation of radio waves in a high frequency range, Okumura found data that provided the foundation for a mobile model that could be used over wide areas that included urban cities, hills, and mountains. In 1979, the NTT’s network became the world’s first fully integrated commercial cell phone system and had the most advanced electronic switching.

Shortly after the cellular network was developed, Cooper, who was working at Motorola at the time, unveiled the first portable hand-held cellular phone. After conducting in-depth research and filing several patents on technologies needed for the device, Cooper and his team produced a fully functional phone that utilized radio waves and frequency reuse to enable mobility and operability over a wide area. In 1973, Cooper made the first mobile telephone call on his cell phone prototype from a New York City street to a landline phone at Bell Laboratories. The phone call was answered by Engel.

By 1960 several Nordic countries had their own local mobile systems, however, cell phone users were not able to transfer calls between towers. From 1970 to 1982, Haug worked to develop the Nordic Mobile Telephony (NMT) system, which provided analog service across the various countries. In 1982, inspired by the successful Nordic example, Haug formed a research group to create a system that would allow users to place and receive calls anywhere in the world. By 1992 Haug and his colleagues had successfully developed the new digital high-quality and high-security mobile communication system called Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), which permitted users to freely move in and between any countries where the system was installed while setting up and receiving calls automatically.

Cooper worked as a division manager and head of R&D for Motorola during a 29-year tenure. After leaving Motorola in 1983, he co-founded several business ventures including ArrayComm LLC, GreatCall Inc., and Dyna LLC, where he now serves as president. Cooper is also a member of the Technology Advisory Council of the FCC and serves on the U.S. Department of Commerce Spectrum Advisory Committee. Cooper is a member of the NAE.

Joel Engel joined Bell Laboratories in 1959 where he held a number of systems engineering and development management positions through 1983. Engel is recognized for leading the original team of architects of the first cellular telephone system at Bell. After Bell, he went on to become vice president at Satellite Business Systems, which later became MCI, and then Ameritech in 1987. In 1994 Engel received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the highest honor for technological achievement, bestowed by the president of the United States. He is now the president of JSE Consulting. Engel is a member of the NAE.

Richard Frenkiel began his work on cellular systems at Bell Labs in 1966. In 1969, at a conference in Boulder, Colorado, he presented the first public description of what would become the AMPS system, and working with Engel, he went on to author sections of AT&T’s 1971 cellular proposal to the FCC. Continuing with work on the development of the AMPS system in the 1970s, he invented a method for cell-splitting that greatly simplified the logistics of cellular growth and reduced system cost by more than half. He became head of mobile systems engineering at Bell Labs in 1977, and served on the EIA committee that prepared the first standard for cellular operation in the U.S. In 1983 he left cellular to become head of R&D for AT&T’s cordless telephone business unit. Following his retirement from Bell Labs in 1993, he joined WINLAB, the Wireless Information Networks Laboratory at Rutgers, where he teaches a course in wireless business strategy. Frenkiel received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation with Engel in 1994 and is a member of the NAE.

Thomas Haug joined the Swedish Board of Telecommunications in 1966, after working with the Ericsson group in Stockholm and Westinghouse in Baltimore, Md. In 1970 he was appointed Secretary of the joint Nordic Mobile Telephony project for cellular communication called NMT and later became its Chairman. From 1982 onwards he headed the team that created the GSM cellular network and served as the chairman of the European GSM committee. He was awarded the Gold Medal of the Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences in 1987, the Philipp Reiss Medal (Germany) in 1993 and the Eduard Rhein Prize in 1997. Haug retired in 1992, but continued to serve as a mobile telephony consultant in developing countries.

Yoshihisa Okumura joined the NTT in 1950 where he began to study wave propagation, non-line-of-sight propagation and mobile communication propagation. During this time Okumura led the Mobile Radio Research Group that formulated and developed the plan for the "High-Capacity Wide-Area Cellular Automobile Telephone System,” which resulted in the first high-capacity wide-area cellular automobile service in Japan. In 1975 Okumura left NTT and started working on digital beepers for Toshiba. He then went on to teach a masters program in the graduate school of electrical engineering at the Kanazawa Institute of Technology. The research and data that Okumura discovered while at NTT is known worldwide as the “Okumura Curve”.

You can read the original NAE news release here→.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Drink Tap Blog Wins Award

Infrastructure Watch is far from the only blog about infrastructure or environmental issues. The American Water Works Association’s Drink Tap blog was recently recognized as a top 50 nonprofit water blogs. Congratulations.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

4.3. BEHAVIOR

GUIDE TO WATER CONSERVATION

4.3. Behavior

Water use is an essential human behavior. Our habits an practices, especially in cultures where water use is high, offer many occasions for conservation.

Around the home, common water conservation practices include

Running the dishwasher only when it is full (can save 10 to 20 gpd).
Adjusting the washing machine to the size of the load, or only washing laundry when the machine can be fully loaded.
Water landscapes early in the morning when there will be less evaporative loss (1).

In multi-unit residences, washing behavior an architecture can work together to save water. One study found that residences with in-unit washing machines used 3.3 times as much water for laundry and residences with common-are, coin-operated washers (2).

(1) EPA (1995).

(2) Multihousing common laundry facilities are a significant source of water conservation. (2004, April). Journal AWWA, pp. 37-38

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4.1.1. FIXTURES

GUIDE TO WATER CONSERVATION

4.1.1. Fixtures

Plumbing fixtures that use less water have been a solution for water conservation for decades, and some have become standards. When Washington, DC, was one of the first to require low-flow toilets, 3.5 gpf was considered low flow (1).

Toilet have traditionally been a target for replacement because of the low flows associated with flushing. Even though low-flow (1.6 gpf) toilets have been the standard for some time, some places may still have older toilets and new technologies, such as dual-flush toilets that permit the user to select from two flush volumes depending on need, may lead to continued opportunities for improvements. A program began in 1992 to replace toilets in public buildings in San Diego, CA, was estimate to reduce water use by 8.5 MG/yr by the end of a decade.

(1) Maddaus, W. O. (1990). Integrating water conservation into total water management. Journal AWWA. 82(_): 12-13.

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Wednesday, July 18, 2012

SECTION 3: BENEFITS OF CONSERVATION

GUIDE TO WATER CONSERVATION

Section 3: Benefits of Conservation

The benefits of conservation may be seen as the avoidance, mitigation, or reversal of the problems associated with overuse of water. As alternatives to present practices, they may be framed has positive advantages. Some of the benefits of water conservation are

Lower water use and bills for residential customers. A study of plumbing retrofits in selected houses in Seattle found water savings averaging 37 percent (1).
Reduce labor, fertilizer use, runoff and pollution in landscapes (2).
Lower water use and bills for industrial and commercial customers. A pilot project at a Motorola facility in Phoenix, AZ, resulting in an annual reduction of 35 million gallons of water and $112,000 in water and sewer fees. A second pilot project paid for itself in one year with water use reductions of 10.5 million gallons and savings of $280,000 (3).
Lower cost associated with water treatment and operations. A national water services company found that water use declined 1.4 percent per year from 2001 to 2010 in its largest subsidiaries. Various conservation programs implemented by the Phoenix (AZ) Water and Wastewater Utility resulted in a 25 percent drop in average monthly used from 1975 to 1994. Seattle, WA, reduced water used by almost 40 MGD from 1990 to 1998. A leak detection and repair program in Gallitzen, PA, cut water production needs in half. Irvine Ranch (CA) Water District reduce water use by about 25 billion gallons from 1991 to 1997 and saved $28 million (4).
Decrease energy use (5).
Increased revenues from conservation rates. Conservation rates implemented by the Spalding County (GA) Water Authority resulted in a 21 percent increase in revenues and a 5 percent drop in customer water use (6).
Avoid, delay, or reduce capital outlays to develop new water treatment or distribution capacity. Extended infrastructure life also reduces costs to taxpayers and ratepayers. Cary, NC, was able to delay plant expansion by 10 years because of reduction in water demand associated with its conservation program (7).
Protect natural features and wildlife habitat (8).
Improve drought management (9).
Prevent saltwater intrusion (10).

(1) DeOreo, W. B., Dietteman, A., Skeel, T., Mayer, P. W., Lewis, D. M., & Smith, J. (2001). Retrofit realities. Journal AWWA. 93(3): 58-72.

Grisham, A., & Fleming, W. W. (1989). Long-term options for municipal water conservation. Journal AWWA. 81(3): 34-42.

(2) Grisham & Fleming (1989).

USEPA. (2003). Irrigation Controllers: Timers for the Homeowner: Recommended Water Saving Features. EPA 832-K-03-001. Washington, DC: USEPA

(3) Shah, A. R., & Ploeser, J. H. (1999). Reusing rinse water at a semiconductor plant. Journal AWWA. 91(8): 16-20.

(4) Hunter, M., Donmoyer, K., Chelius, J., & Naumick, G. (2011, May). Declining residential water use presents challenges, opportunities. Opflow, pp. 18-20.

Cuthbert, J., & Lemoine, P. R. (1996). Conservation-oriented water rates. Journal AWWA. 88(11): 68-78.

USEPA (2002b).

(5) USEPA (2003).

(6) Jordan, J. L. (2000, June). Rates—consider conservation pricing. Opflow, pp. 13, 16.

(7) Platt, J. L., & Delforge, M. C. (2001). The cost-effectiveness of water conservation. Journal AWWA. 93(3): 73-83.

USEPA (2002b).

USEPA (2003).

(8) Grisham & Fleming (1989).

USEPA (2002b).

USEPA (2003).

(9) USEPA (2002b).

(10) USEPA (2002b).

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Monday, July 16, 2012

1.2.1. VIRTUAL WATER

1.2.1. Virtual Water

Virtual water is an concept developed by British scientist Tony Alan to account of our indirect uses of water in goods and services (1).

(1) Maxwell, S. (2010). The concept of virtual water: Understanding our real water use. Journal AWWA. 102(12): 88-90.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

GUIDE TO WATER CONSERVATION

bibliography

Baird, G. M. (2010). The pendulum swing of revenue stability and conservation. Journal AWWA. 102(8): 24-28.

Beecher, J. A., & Flowers, J. E. (1999, May). Water accounting for management and conservation. Opflow, pp. 6-11.

Crook, J., MacDonald, J. A., & Rhodes, R. R. (1999). Potable use of reclaimed water. Journal AWWA. 91(8): 40-49.

Cuthbert, R. W. (1989). Effectiveness of conservation-oriented water rates in Tucson. Journal AWWA. 81(3): 65-73.

Cuthbert, R. W., & Lemoine, P. R. (1996). Conservation-oriented water rates. Journal AWWA. 88(11): 68-78.

DeOreo, W. B., Dietteman, A., Skeel, T., Mayer, P. W., Lewis, D. M., & Smith, J. (2001). Retrofit realities. Journal AWWA. 93(3): 58-72.

Depperschmidt, A. (2010). Denver Water uses laughs for serious conservation. Journal AWWA. 102(2): 81-83.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (1995). A Guide to Clean Water Through Conservation. EPA 841-B-95-002. Washington, DC: EPA

-----. (2002a). Cases in Water Conservation: How Efficiency Programs Help Water Utilities Save Water and Avoid Cost. Washington, DC: EPA.

-----. (1999). Funding Water Conservation and Reuse with the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. EPA 832-F-99-050. Washington, DC: EPA

-----. (2002b). Funding Water Efficiency Through State Revolving Fund Programs. Washington, DC: EPA.

-----. (2003). Irrigation Controllers: Timers for the Homeowner: Recommended Water Saving Features. EPA 832-K-03-001. Washington, DC: EPA.

-----. (1992). Manual: Guidelines for Water Reuse. Washington, DC: EPA.

-----. (2000). Using Water Efficiently: Ideas for Communities. EPA 832-F-99-083. Washington, DC: EPA.

Gregg, T. T., Strub, D., & Gross, D. (2007). Water efficiency in Austin, Texas, 1983-2005: A historical perspective. Journal AWWA. 99(2): 76-86.

Grisham, A., & Fleming, W. M. (1989). Long-term options for municipal water conservation. Journal AWWA. 81(3): 43-47.

Hunter, M., Donmoyer, K., Chelius, J., & Naumick, G. (2011, May). Declining residential water use presents challenges, opportunities. Opflow, pp. 18-20.

Jordan, J. L. (2002, June). Rates—consider conservation pricing. Opflow, pp. 13, 16.

Levin, E. R., Maddaus, W. O., Sandkulla, N. M., & Pohl, H. (2006). Forecasting wholesale water demand and conservation savings. Journal AWWA. 98(2): 102-111.

Luo, S. (2010). Achieving water conservation and energy efficiency with tankless water heaters. Journal AWWA. 102(2): 84-85.

Macy, P. P., & Maddaus, W. O. (1989). Cost-benefit analysis of conservation program. Journal AWWA. 81(3): 48-51.

Maddaus, W. O. (1990). Integrating Water conservation into total water management. Journal AWWA. 82(#): 12-13.

Manzione, M., Jordan, B., & Maddaus, W. O. (1991). California industries cut water use. Journal AWWA. 83(10): 65-73.

Maxwell, S. (2010). The concept of virtual water: Understanding our real water use. Journal AWWA. 102(12): 88-90.

Multihousing common laundry facilities are a significant source of water conservation. (2004). Journal AWWA. 96(4): 37-38.

Platt, J. L., & Delforge, M. C. (2001). The cost-effectiveness of water conservation. Journal AWWA. 93(3): 73-83.

Ploeser, J. H., Pike, C. W., Kobrick, J. D. (1992). Nonresidential water conservation: A good investment. Journal AWWA. 83(10): 65-73.

Nero, W. (1995, Mar.). Seven steps to successful water savings. Opflow, pp. 8-10.

Pape, T. E. (2010). New codes are making it easier to get green. Journal AWWA. 102(2): 57-60.

Rashid, M. M., Maddaus, W. O., & Maddaus, M. L. (2010). Progress in U.S. water conservation planning and implementation—1999-2009. Journal AWWA. 102(6): 86-99.

Richard, G. L., Johnson, J. C., & Barfuss, S. L. (2008). Metering secondary water in residential irrigation systems. Journal AWWA. 100(6): 112-121.

Rose, B., & Katz, S. (2010). Conservation: A way of life in San Diego County. Journal AWWA. 102(2): 70-73.

Shah, A. R., & Ploeser, J. H. (1999). Reusing rinse water at a semiconductor plant. Journal AWWA. 91(8): 58-65.

Silva, T., et al. (2011). New study looks at conservation, customers, and communications. Journal AWWA. 103(2): 16-20.

Solley, W. B., Pierce, R. R., & Perlman, H. A. (1993). Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 1990. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Circular 1081. Washington, DC: USGS.

Sovocool, K. A., Morgan, M., & Bennett, D. (2006). An in-depth investigation of Xeriscape as a water conservation measure. Journal AWWA. 98(2): 82-93.

Teodoro, M. (2010). The institutional politics of water conservation. Journal AWWA. 102(2): 98-111.

Vicker, A. (1989). New Massachusetts toilet standard sets water conservation precedent. Journal AWWA. 81(3): 48-51.

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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

WEF Makes Selected Papers Available Free Online, Other Free Online Publications

The Water Environment Federation announced it will allow public access to one article in each issue of Water Environment Research. You can access the free article here.

You can also get free access to the first issue of the Journal of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene for Development. Check it out here.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Civil Engineers Give American Infrastructure a Low Grade

The American Society of Civil Engineers released its 2009 Report Card for American Infrastructure today. Overall, the organization gave infrastructure a D on an A to F scale like that used in school, i.e. it is seriously deficient. The full report discusses 15 areas of infrastructure, of which the best grade was C+ for solid waste.

Additional articles and posts:
America’s infrastructure “in crisis”
Engineers give roads, other public works a 'D'
Engineers Give U.S. Infrastructure A 'D'
Engineers seek stimulus add-on for crumbling infrastructure
Poor infrastructure fails America, civil engineers report
U.S. Infrastructure Is in Dire Straits, Report Says
US roads, water and basic systems earn 'D' grade

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Drinking Water Not Getting as Much of Stimulus Package as Advocates Hoped

Advocates for drinking water, like the American Water Works Association, had hoped the proposed economic stimulus package would include $10 billion for improvements to drinking water systems. The present bill includes $2 billion for that purpose through the drinking water state revolving fund. Conceivably drinking water projects could be funded under some of the other parts of the parts of the bill, but this would still fall short of the $10 billion hoped for.

Related posts and articles:
Congress to Consider Recovery Bill
Drinking Water Investment Could Create 400,000 Jobs
Economic Stimulus Package Would Increase Environmental Funding
Stimulus package slights drinking water (AWWA)
Wanted: $10B for drinking water infrastructure (AWWA)

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

New Infrastructure Report Card to be Released January 28

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) will be releasing an updated report on the condition of infrastructure in the United States. The last report by the organization was issued in 2005. We’ll post a link to the new report when ASCE has posted it.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Drinking Water Investment Could Create 400,000 Jobs

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) has been encouraging Congress to include investment in drinking water infrastructure in its economic stimulus package. AWWA claims that a $10 billion investment in drinking water infrastructure would result in the creation of over 400,000 jobs. This includes about 90,000 directly created construction jobs.

Related articles and posts:
AWWA Encourages Members to Contact Congress about Drinking Water in Stimulus Bill
Civil Engineering Organization Calls for Members to Weigh In on Economic Stimulus Package
Drinking Water Utilities Ready to Create 400,000+ Jobs (AWWA)

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Civil Engineering Organization Calls for Members to Weigh In on Economic Stimulus Package

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is calling on its members to contact legislators about the content of the economic stimulus package working its way through Congress. They are encouraging an investment in infrastructure. You can find supporting material from ASCE here.

Related articles and posts:
ASCE’s Principles for Infrastructure Stimulus Investment
AWWA Encourages Members to Contact Congress about Drinking Water in Stimulus Bill
Economic Stimulus Package Would Increase Transportation Funding
Economic Stimulus Package Would Increase Water Resources Funding
Urgent! Congress needs to hear from water utilities (AWWA)
Water Infrastructure News

Friday, December 19, 2008

Drinking Water News

AWWA Encourages Members to Contact Congress about Drinking Water in Stimulus Bill

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is encouraging its members to contact their Senators and Representatives. Congress is considering an enormous economic stimulus package, including money for a variety of infrastructure projects. AWWA want to make sure drinking water infrastructure is supported.

Related articles and posts:
Urgent! Congress needs to hear from water utilities (AWWA)
Water Infrastructure News

AwwaRF Changing Name to Water Research Foundation

The Awwa Research Foundation is changing its name to the Water Research Foundation. The name change reflects the organization’s independence from AWWA and its association with other water associations.

Related articles and posts:
Name change Q&A News release

Thursday, October 30, 2008

100 Years of Water Chlorination in America

September marked a century of water chlorination in U.S. water supplies. Chlorine is used to disinfect drinking water and had contributed to reducing, and in some cases practically eliminating, water-borne diseases.

The first American drinking water supply to be disinfected with chlorine is in Jersey City, NJ. They’ve chlorinated drinking water since September 26, 1908. Today, most public water systems in the U.S. are chlorinated.

You can find more about the history of water chlorination here.

Other articles:
ACC Celebrates 100th Anniversary of Clean Drinking Water (American Chemistry Counci)
Marking a century of disinfection (American Water Works Association’s E-Mainstream)