There are many variables threatening America’s water from pollution issues and aging infrastructure to raising costs and droughts and rainfall patterns as the climate changes. The U.S. used to be a leader when it came to water infrastructure and management. Now, the U.S. is lagging behind receiving D ratings for dams, drinking water and wastewater. It’s time to...

The University of Pennsylvania has been both resourceful and innovative in the creation of sustainable “green” projects. Within the last decade, collaborators formed an outstretched area of land intended for use by the Penn community, named Shoemaker Green. This 2.75-acre park on the campus, resembles a large bathtub in design and is multi-faceted in...

Testing the pond and lake water in Pittsburgh is an important step for assessing the city’s water quality and help prevent problems, proactively. For ponds or lakes with an existing quality program, testing is an essential tool for diagnosing the cause of the problem and determining suitable treatment options. The city offers test packages to determine the levels...

The nonprofit organization 3 Rivers Wet Weather helped Allegheny County Sanitary Authority conduct a study on the feasibility of using green infrastructure as a cost-effective, long-term sustainable solution for Pittsburgh’s wet weather problems. Water resources engineers from the organization turned to an EPA tool for help identifying specific “best management...

Pittsburgh, did you know the 17th annual sewer conference is coming up in October?  The Monroeville Convention Center is hosting this year’s event on Oct.7th and 8th. It’ll be all things educational on how to deal with our ongoing sewer issues when the rain sets in. Plan for a plethora of information on this topic.  Our region does have its challenges...

Many of us are experiencing a rainy season now that summer is in full swing.  Along with the sunny delights and fanfare this time of year brings, there is also a need to think about the proper functioning of our drainage systems where we live.  It is important to know to what extent a drainage issue is prevalent.  In order to do this, a qualified fully licensed...