Top Stories

National: Today, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) and Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Chairman Bob Gibbs (R-OH) announced plans for the Committee to consider the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) of 2013 when Congress returns in September.

Florida: In his speech today from Jacksonville, FL, President Obama called again for an increase in infrastructure investment in order to modernize our ports, roads and rail and create jobs. The choice of Jacksonville to give this speech allowed the president to highlight the potential of public-private partnerships in infrastructure investment.

Maryland: Baltimore City has experienced several water main breaks and power outages this summer. It is a problem shared by many cities across the country – aging infrastructure. “Major cities around the country have an old infrastructure,” Councilman James Kraft said. “It’s a national problem.”

Aging Infrastructure

Colorado: A ruptured 12-inch water main on Sheridan Boulevard between Fourth and Fifth Avenues is representative of the problem. The pipe was installed in 1952. The pipe ruptured and created a sink hole approximately 27 feet long, 15 feet wide and 10 feet deep on Sheridan Boulevard.

Georgia: Almost eight million gallons of raw sewage flooded here at the plant and made it’s way directly into the Withlacoochee River. Which is about a half mile away. Which makes the city’s plans to relocate this plant all the more relevant. Since the beginning of this year more than twenty million gallons of raw sewage has spilled into the the Withlachoochee river, according to the city of Valdosta.

Virginia: Every year, Alexandria dumps 10 million gallons of raw sewage into Hunting Creek. Now regulatory officials at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality are pressing city leaders to figure out how to clean up the mess. About twice a month, during heavy rain events, hundreds of thousands of gallons of raw sewage are dumped into Hunting Creek at three separate “outfall” points.

Maryland: The South River Federation set its inaugural Swimmable Action Day to start at 11 a.m. Sunday with a dash into the water off Mayo Beach Park. “We just celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, which gives Americans the right — which we should not take for granted — to have swimmable, fishable waters at all times,” Riverkeeper Diana Muller said.

New Jersey: A 16-inch pipe burst around 9:30 a.m. on River Road between Hooper and Berdan Avenue. This follows a water main break that happened on Tuesday on Plaza Road at Madelyne Place around 5 a.m. A 12-inch main broke, and a 13-foot section of piping needed to be replaced.