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Posts for Water Utilities

Local Water Systems Grapple with 'Forever Chemicals'

March 14, 2024  by  Leah LaCivita
Category:  Water Resources ,  Water Utilities

Forever chemicals, or PFAS, have been detected in water systems across the state thanks to mandatory testing requirements that began in 2023. What are local agencies doing on both a short-term and long-term basis to address the problem?

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Court Upholds King County Ordinance Requiring Franchise Compensation for Use of Right-of-Way

January 7, 2020  by  Jill Dvorkin
Category:  Court Decisions and AGO Opinions ,  Utilities ,  Water Utilities

Can a county charge a fee for allowing a utility to use the county’s right-of-way for placement of utility infrastructure? The Washington Supreme Court ruled recently that it can. 

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Can You Keep Yourself in Ice Cubes? – Water and Sewer Affordability

February 23, 2017  by  John W. Carpita, PE
Category:  Water Utilities

Water and sewer utility bills are increasing statewide as cities, counties, and water/sewer districts replace aging infrastructure, increase their resiliency, and comply with new rules. This post considers the impact this may have on utility bills across the state.

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Rural Demand for Municipal Water Or How a Drought Emergency Can Make You Popular

July 6, 2015  by  Andy Lane
Category:  Guest Author ,  Water Utilities

Planning Advisor Andrew Lane explains how to handle municipal water service requests from homes outside your city or town limits.

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What’s in Your Water Mains?

July 23, 2014  by  John W. Carpita, PE
Category:  Water Utilities

An article in the April 2014 AWWA Opflow magazine caught my eye, particularly as the City of Longview is featured. The article is entitled: “The New Ice Age: Pigging Effectively Cleans Water and Wastewater Pipelines." First of all, what is a “pig”? For eons, it seems, utilities of all sort have been cleaning the insides of their pipelines with rubber and metal tools of varying degrees of...

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