Water Finance & Management

The treatment system upgrades included constructing new buildings, deepening existing treatment lagoons, rerouting the lagoon outfall and renovating existing facilities. The City of Claremore, Oklahoma, in coordination with the Claremore Public Works Authority, recently announced the completion of $28 million in water quality improvements at its water treatment plant. Claremore is a growing community of more than 20,000 residents in Rogers County, Oklahoma.

A new analysis from global water market data firm Bluefield Research said U.S. federal water infrastructure funding is set to plummet roughly 63% between fiscal year 2026 and fiscal year 2027, dropping from $23.4 billion to an estimated $8.6 billion. But Bluefield said there’s more to the story behind the anticipated decline.

The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) recently concluded its annual Board of Directors election, with the association’s members voting to add two new directors, while four others were re-elected. The newly elected board members are Randy Conner, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Water Management, and Doa Ross, Deputy General Manager – Engineering and Operations, at the Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD).

Damage to the utility lines beneath America’s feet costs the U.S. economy an estimated $83.2 billion every year — more than $227 million every day — according to a landmark report released Aug. 13 by Common Ground Alliance (CGA). The new estimate is nearly three times the widely cited $30 billion benchmark established in 2019.

On Aug. 31, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $11.75 million in grant funding for 10 midsize and large drinking water systems to boost resiliency against cybersecurity threats and extreme weather events. This funding will support 10 projects and will come from the Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability grant program.

In response to prolonged drought conditions across the western United States, the federal government on Aug. 21 announced mandatory water cuts to the Colorado River for the Lower Basin states of California, Nevada and Arizona. The mandatory cuts require the Lower Basin states to implement reductions of 1.25 million acre-feet in each year of the next two years.

Photo courtesy of Stantec. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released two new guidance documents to help drinking water systems that are working to keep their communities safe from lead. The two documents, Access Tips and Service Line Inventory Tips, provide practical information to help water systems and states implement the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI).

The City of Toronto has selected Stantec to provide design and construction administration services for its new High Rate Treatment Facility (HRTF). The project will help reduce combined sewer overflows and improve water quality in the Lower Don River, Taylor-Massey Creek and along Toronto’s Inner Harbor. The new facility, to be located on the new landform at the Ashbridges Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant, will be a key component of Toronto’s broader wet weather flow management program.

Garney recently named Anastasia Austin its vice president of financial planning, analysis and treasury. Bringing more than two decades of progressive leadership experience in finance, Austin will continue growing Garney’s core functions in forecasting, corporate budgeting, and cash flow planning, reporting directly to Garney’s chief financial officer.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the availability of $10.8 million in grant funding to support training for the water sector workforce. The agency said enhancing recruitment and training for workers in the water sector is more important than ever in light of anticipated retirements, aging water infrastructure, evolving technologies used in the sector and emerging risks like cyberattacks.