Ben McManus IEng MICE’s Post

How does extreme weather affect our water infrastructure, and how can we mitigate these impacts? In his latest article, Phillip Clisham, Specialist adviser to the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) on water and sanitation, examines the broader implications of climate change on water infrastructure across the UK. https://lnkd.in/er29BsGE #watermagazine #waterinfrastructure #wastewaterinfrastructure #infrastructure #waterindustry

The #UKweather has always been unpredictable but recent extreme #climatechange presents a range of challenges, particularly when it comes to #watersupply and infrastructure. With the universal need to decarbonise and reach net zero, as well as the necessity to fix important issues such as #sewageoverflow, the UK water companies, Ofwat and the government must come up with new and innovative solutions ...

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is urging a major overhaul of how clean water funding is distributed across the states! "Congress must rethink the decades-old 1987 allocation formula and create a new system based on needs, population, and affordability." This shift is crucial for addressing the $630 billion investment needed in our nation's water infrastructure, especially in California, Florida, and New York. Let's push for a funding system that meets the demands of our growing communities and the challenges of climate change. https://lnkd.in/gUVzaYin American Water Works Association American Society of Civil Engineers CWEA (California Water Environment Association) #WaterInfrastructure #Sustainability #CleanWaterAct

Join T&M’s Michael R. Thomas, PE, PMP, LEED AP ND for his presentation, “Tackling Stormwater Volume Under the New Regulations” at the New Jersey Water Environment Association’s (NJWEA) annual conference. Attendees will learn about stormwater volume mitigation design for land development projects under the latest NJDEP Stormwater Management and Flood Hazard Area regulations, how to consider green infrastructure recharge BMPs that reduce project disturbances and environmental impacts, and how to identify critical design constraints that need to be evaluated up front. Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/e6edP-Ji 

Quick update, this bill was passed by the house local government committee yesterday. Yes, the folks who are supposed to represent the local governments in Iowa, despite all major local governments coming out against this bill? That means the bill now goes to the Full House of Representatives for a vote, please contact your representative as soon as possible and remind them we don't want to privatize short term profits while socializing the long term risks. Yep, they want you to pay more taxes forever to pay for the flooding problems created by a few builders to get a little more profit once. They're also selling almost all of the topsoil from your land before you buy a new home - a few communities tried to stop them, this bill makes it illegal to stop them?? Some representation huh? Here is their contact info: https://lnkd.in/gKXtqjwR

There are lessons to be learned from the failures of Thames Water, when it comes to public/private partnerships. Privatization unlocks funding that is otherwise unavailable offering a pathway to necessary upgrades and investments. But it also requires a true partnership with the public sector to ensure the right safeguards are in place to protect against incompetence or maleficence. In my upcoming book, Build: Investing in America’s Infrastructure (Georgetown University Press, 2024), I examine in detail the UK move toward water privatization including the problems caused by two (of 10) water providers, Ofwat’s role as a regulator, the overall success of privatization in terms of water safety, and what we can learn in the US. https://lnkd.in/eksr3fxR

Wright-Pierce President and CEO Paul Birkel has rung in the new year with a reflection on 2023 and contemplation on the future of water, wastewater, and civil infrastructure in the coming year. To learn more about Wright-Pierce’s 2023 accomplishments and our 2024 expectations, please follow the link >> https://ow.ly/LanW50QpFUb

In Public Private Partnership, the Parties (Public and Private) must have a clear formulation as to why they are in Partnership since day one. Private Partner certainly comes with many advantages that public sector often unable to provide, namely agility toward operational improvement, funding, and expertise. Often, public sector needs to access private fund, but forgot that private parties are not just a honeypot of money. They have their own set of objective and comply to risk management principles, which can not be played against political objective. Failing to understand this will bring disaster to both side.

🛠️ As #InfrastructureWeek comes to an end we want to highlight some accomplishments that have been made possible through innovative policies like the Judicial Streamlining Program (SB 149) — signed into law on July 10, 2023, by Governor Newsom — aimed at ensuring that qualifying infrastructure projects receive an expedited judicial review to be heard within 270 days of being challenged in court. The Sites Reservoir is a project that has benefitted from the Judicial Streamlining Program. When completed Sites will provide water for up to 3 million homes for one year, increase the needed water storage capacity for the state and create reliable water supplies for environmental, agriculture, and municipal uses, and will pave the way for a more climate resilient #CaliforniaForAll. The groundbreaking will take place in 2026 with construction finished by 2032.

How climate change is hitting highways Resilience is a key consideration for road builders amid a slew of new environmental conditions, said a Federal Highway Administration official at the recent 2024 NIBS conference in Washington, D.C. Read more: https://postly.app/3XXn #construction #constructionjobs #constructiontrends #highwayconstruction #engineering #engineeringjobs #civilengineering