The following is a transcript for the WaterWorld Weekly Newscast for the week of March 12, 2018.
Hi, I'm Angela Godwin for WaterWorld magazine, bringing you water and wastewater news headlines for the week of March 12. Coming up...
Aluminum, steel tariffs could delay water projects
Study shows spike in water main breaks
New challenge fosters adoption of smart water technologies
Bonnet Carre spillway opened to divert rising river
Competition seeks solution for detecting leaks in large-diameter pipes
Aluminum, steel tariffs could delay water projects
Last week, President Trump announced he's imposing stiff tariffs of 25% on imported steel and 10% on imported aluminum. The new tariffs will take effect March 23. At this point, only Mexico and Canada are exempt.
The news was met with sharp criticism from many fearing a trade war, including members of his own party.
The tariffs could have far-reaching implications for the water industry, not only driving up costs for manufacturers of treatment equipment but also possibly delaying projects.
I spoke with representatives of the Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association who expressed concern over the confusion that will likely ensue as all parties involved try to understand the implications for projects that have already gone to bid but may not be implemented for the next 12-18 months.
WWEMA Executive Director Vanessa Leiby also noted general concern about the ripple effect these tariffs could have on any sort of national infrastructure plan.
Some sources indicate that, currently, the U.S. doesn't have sufficient steel and aluminum manufacturing capacity to meet the possible increased demand, which could delay infrastructure projects as mills are reopened and the workforce is mobilized.
Study shows spike in water main breaks
A new study from Utah State University's Buried Structures Laboratory indicates that water main break rates have increased 27% in the past six years, since it published its first water main break report in 2012.
The new report noted that break rates for cast iron and asbestos cement pipes, in particular, have increased 46% and 43%, respectively. These types of pipe -- which are no longer made -- represent almost half of the installed water mains in North America and are reaching the end of their expected lives.
The authors suggested that water main failure rates for cast iron and asbestos cement pipes could increase exponentially over time. Utilities across the country, they said, would need to rapidly accelerate their pipe replacement schedules to avoid potentially serious economic and social impacts.
You can access "Water Main Break Rates In the USA and Canada: A Comprehensive Study" at digitalcommons.usu.edu.
New challenge fosters adoption of smart water technologies
The Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology (LIFT), a joint effort of the Water Environment Federation and the Water Research Foundation, has launched a competition challenging participants to use innovation and data to help solve some of the most difficult issues facing water and wastewater utilities.
The Intelligent Water Systems Challenge will comprise teams of students, professionals and technology experts that will be given descriptions of example scenarios along with datasets.
The goal: to help utilities better understand the dynamics of complex systems and make better decisions.
Any utilities that would like to submit a challenge to be solved are invited to do so by March 23.
The challenge will run from April 9 to September 3, and the deadline for teams to register is April 6.
Final judging will take place at WEFTEC 2018 in New Orleans, and the winning teams will receive cash awards, including a $25,000 top prize sponsored by Xylem.
For more information or to register for the challenge, visit werf.org/lift/IWSChallenge2018.
Bonnet Carre spillway opened to divert rising river
Last Thursday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began opening part of a 1930s flood control structure northwest of New Orleans to divert water from a rising Mississippi River into nearby Lake Pontchartrain.
The decision to open the Bonnet Carre spillway was part of an effort to ease pressure on the city's levees after heavy rainfall in the upper Mississippi Valley caused the levels and the velocity of the river to rise.
This was only the 12th time the spillway was opened since it was completed in 1931.
Competition seeks solution for detecting leaks in large-diameter pipes
The Bureau of Reclamation has launched a new prize competition seeking innovative methods and technologies to detect leaks and flaws in large buried pipelines that deliver water for municipal, industrial, and agricultural uses.
The competition is focused on steel pipe and prestressed concrete cylinder pipe with diameters greater than 48 inches. But, solutions that could be applied to all sizes and types of pipelines will be considered.
Proposed solutions must be cost-effective and scalable to pipelines with lengths of approximately 100 miles.
Up to five winners will be selected and will share in a total prize purse of $75,000.
Submissions will be accepted until May 8, 2018. Visit usbr.gov/research/challenges/leakypipes.html for more information.
For WaterWorld magazine, I'm Angela Godwin. Thanks for watching.
