Gannett Fleming’s Post

Thank you to the Water Environment Federation for the opportunity to author the construction feature article in the April 2024 edition of WE&T! The article, "Turbulent Waters: Navigating COVID-19-era project delivery challenges", describes many drivers of and solutions to water infrastructure capital project challenges over the past several years. For both utility managers and consultants, I'm hopeful the article can spark a few thoughts regarding delivering your capital projects under challenging conditions and pursuing the ultimate goal that many of us share: clean water.

🌿 The Orphaned Wells Program : Understanding the Funding Allocation, Challenges & Environmental Impact with Kimbra Davis, Director of the Orphaned Wells Program Office at the U.S. Department of the Interior. 🌱For more than 100 years, millions of wells have been drilled across the United States to extract oil and gas. These wells have now led to an inordinate number of “abandoned” or “orphaned” wells, posing a significant risk to the environment and the health of neighbouring communities, while contributing uncontrolled greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. 🌍 Read as she discusses 'Establishing the Orphaned Wells Program', and addresses environmental risks, funding allocation, and more. ➡️ Read Here: https://lnkd.in/ehfH2nyk   #OrphanedWells #EnvironmentalProtection #EnergyPolicy #MethaneMitigation #Sustainability 

🚨 Update Alert! 🚨 Yesterday, the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works (DHLGPPW) released the updated State Code 23: Wind farm development and associated planning guideline in SDAP version 3.1. Here are the key highlights: 🌿 Enhanced Protection: Safeguarding areas of high ecological and biodiversity value.  🌊 Great Barrier Reef: Measures to protect water quality and control erosion. 🔊 Acoustic Criteria: Implementation of best practice standards.  👥 Social Impacts: Focus on local workforce and accommodation.  🚛 Transport Networks: Identification and assessment of viable haulage routes.  🔧 Decommissioning: Clear expectations on rehabilitation requirements. The updated code and guideline aligns closely with the 2023 draft, with some notable changes: 🍃 Clearer definitions of protected ecological values, referencing MSES as per the Queensland Environmental Offsets Regulation 2014. 🍃 Requirements for progressive stabilisation of areas during construction. 🍃 Broader safety requirements in proximity in addition to on-site. 🍃 Staged decommissioning and rehabilitation post-construction and operational phases. 🍃 Detailed commentary on decommissioning expectations. 🍃 Additional stakeholder engagement recommendations, including DTMR, QFES, railway managers, and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. 🍃 New section outlining reporting requirements for lodgement and post-approval. These updates reflect recent pre-lodgement advice from SARA and conditions on recent wind farm decisions. Got questions about the updated State code 23? Need help navigating this process? Feel free to reach out to see how Umwelt can support your next Project. #WindFarm #SustainableDevelopment #StateCode23 #PlanningGuideline #RenewableEnergy #Umwelt

We are delighted to share that we’re working with Greater Western Water (GWW) to launch our wastewater pilot projects. This collaboration is a pivotal step in addressing the challenges faced by rapidly urbanising areas under GWW’s management. Through this project, we aim to achieve the following: System Vulnerability Analysis: Utilize our AssetAdvanced software to gain insights into the network's vulnerability to blockages and failures. Future Growth Preparedness: Assess and enhance the system's capability to accommodate future growth without jeopardising performance. We are excited to bring our expertise to this crucial project, helping Greater Western Water ensure a resilient and efficient wastewater system for the growing population. Stay tuned for more updates on our journey to drive impactful solutions and sustainable water management! #Optimatics #GreatWesternWater #Water #Wastewater #AssetAdvanced

“There is a massive focus on the water industry, particularly on the environment and the cleanliness and health of waterways. We must move from traditional civil engineering and conventional thinking to a new OneWater way of working.  Integrated catchment management is a critical part of the solution,” says Jacobs Director of Water and Environment for Europe, Lee Pitcher. Catchments, creativity and communities: Lee has a three-part solution to viewing all water as OneWater and developing integrated, holistic solutions that provide comprehensive benefits. He is championing a transformation in the U.K.’s water industry.   Integrated catchment management is a catalyst in this transformation. It empowers us to look at entire catchments and work with key partners upstream to find a solution that benefits the communities and the environment. Read the full Q&A ⬇ #BoldlyMovingForward #CriticalInfrastructure #OneWater #water

“There is a massive focus on the water industry, particularly on the environment and the cleanliness and health of waterways. We must move from traditional civil engineering and conventional thinking to a new OneWater way of working.  Integrated catchment management is a critical part of the solution,” says Jacobs Director of Water and Environment for Europe, Lee Pitcher. Catchments, creativity and communities: Lee has a three-part solution to viewing all water as OneWater and developing integrated, holistic solutions that provide comprehensive benefits. He is championing a transformation in the U.K.’s water industry.   Integrated catchment management is a catalyst in this transformation. It empowers us to look at entire catchments and work with key partners upstream to find a solution that benefits the communities and the environment. Read the full Q&A ⬇ #BoldlyMovingForward #CriticalInfrastructure #OneWater #water

Last week, EVMWD’s Principal Water Resources Planner/Engineer, Jesus Gastelum, had the opportunity to present at the Seventh Annual Western Groundwater Congress (WGC) in Lake Tahoe. Jesus’ presentation, “How to Comply With Non-Existent Objectives? The Need For and Development of a Salt and Nutrient Management Plan in the Upper Temescal Valley”, discussed the development of a salt and nutrient management plan (SNMP) in the Upper Temescal Valley groundwater management zone. The plan resulted in setting antidegradation objectives and management actions to address regulatory issues that may arise because of current and future recycled water plans of the agencies discharging and reusing recycled water. 💦 Thank you Jesus for providing invaluable insight and showcasing how EVMWD is tackling compliance! #Groundwater #RegulatoryCompliance #WaterResources #Engineering

Check out this Case Study documenting the Energy Conservation Measures we implemented for our customer, The Argosy Casino! For more information, check us out at https://lnkd.in/evztBSj7 #RichEnergySolutions #EnergyEfficency #ECM

If you're interested in learning more about the exciting world of water reuse and ZLD in industrial applications, check out this session from Behrang Pakzadeh, Ph.D., P.E. at WEFTEC this year!

Why Ofwat's interim determination and plans for Thames Water are a messy compromise, rather than a serious solution to the problems of the industry. Prof Dieter Helm CBE dieter_Helm Read my latest paper here: https://lnkd.in/duQfTBzu