Author: artefact_admin

Canaan Gets $4.8 Million for Water Upgrades from USDA

Originally published in Caledonian Record, May 29, 2015
By Robin Smith, Staff Writer

USDA Rural DevelopmentCANAAN, VT, May 29, 2015 — The federal government has awarded $2.6 million grant to Canaan to address chronic drinking water problems that especially plagued this northeasternmost Vermont community this winter. The grant is part of a major package, including a $1.9 million loan, given by U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Wednesday to the Canaan Fire District Number One for a major water quality upgrade.

Funds will be used to purchase and install a 150,000-gallon water storage tank and construct a new water filtration and treatment facility, as well as upgrade the existing water distribution system serving the people of Canaan and West Stewartstown, N.H. The upgrades will eliminate the use of springs located in Canada as a source and replace them with an existing groundwater well located within the district. A new storage tank will be constructed along with a new treatment/ filter facility for the removal of manganese and arsenic. Portions of the distribution system will also be replaced as part of the funded project. This winter, residents of Canaan experienced multiple incidents of water discoloration and low water pressure because of current water distribution system and treatment inefficiencies.

“This assistance from USDA Rural Development will help some of the most rural and remote communities of Northern Vermont and Northern New Hampshire ensure their residents have clean, healthy and safe water for decades to come,” said Ted Brady, director of USDA Rural Development for Vermont and New Hampshire. “USDA Rural Development has not only invested in essential water infrastructure with this project, but also in the health of Canaan’s people and our region’s economy. This project will put people to work in the Kingdom.”

Engineering for the improvements will be provided by Tata & Howard Engineering of St. Johnsbury. It is estimated the project will commence construction in May 2015 with completion of summer 2016. Canaan was able to access a portion of the $2.6 million in grant funds due to the Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) Zone designation accorded to three counties of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont – Caledonia, Essex and Orleans counties. The designation provides five regions of the country additional grant resources through USDA Rural Development. Sen. Patrick Leahy spearheaded the effort to designate the Northeast Kingdom as a REAP Zone in 2000, and led in renewing the NEK REAP Zone in the newly enacted 2014 Farm Bill.

“By improving water quality, these investments will tangibly improve the quality of life in these Vermont communities,” said Leahy, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Peter Welch in a joint statement. “With the passage of the Farm Bill earlier this year, the REAP Zone program will continue to bring millions of investment dollars to the Northeast Kingdom. Partnering federal agencies and their resources with rural communities in ways like this is a catalyst for economic growth and quality of life improvements in the NEK and other rural areas.”

WEP loans and grants may be made to develop, extend or improve water and wastewater systems, including solid waste disposal and storm drainage systems, in rural communities with a population of 10,000 or less.

60 Minutes Water Episode Sparks Some Debate

drought_californiaOn May 31, 2015, 60 Minutes aired an episode on water that discussed the depletion of our nation’s groundwater. 60 Minutes reporter Leslie Stahl met with Jay Famiglietti, a leading groundwater expert and Earth sciences professor at the University of California, Irvine, in an effort to shed some light on the drought affecting California. The report was alarming, noting that we are pumping out our nation’s groundwater faster than it can replenish itself. And while reclaimed water was discussed as a possible solution, with Ms. Stahl dramatically drinking water that had been wastewater just 45 minutes earlier, at least one reporter thinks the 60 Minutes water report fell somewhat flat.

Clark Wolf, a contributor for Forbes Magazine, accused the popular Sunday evening news show of only showing half the story. While 60 Minutes successfully explained the realities of groundwater and aquifers, Wolf notes, the popular news program failed to illustrate the greater implications or, beyond reclaimed water, provide any type of long-term, viable solution. In addition, Wolf notes that California’s agricultural sector needs to look towards more sustainable growing methods.

So who is right? You can find the 60 Minutes video and transcript here and Wolf’s article here in order to form your own opinion. But no matter which news piece is perceived as more accurate, one thing is certain: people are finally talking about water, its scarcity, and how we can protect it for future generations. And we can all agree that that is a good thing.

EPA Announces 2015 MSGP Available Soon, Advises Preparation

Photo by Roger Winstead
Photo by Roger Winstead

On May 27, 2015, the EPA announced that the new Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP), originally proposed in 2013 and referred to as the 2015 MSGP, will be available soon for operators seeking permit coverage to discharge stormwater associated with industrial activity. Filing to renew coverage under the 2015 MSGP must be done electronically using EPA’s new NPDES eReporting Tool (NeT), and, once covered by the new permit, all monitoring data will be submitted electronically using NetDMR.

To prepare for the new 2015 MSGP, EPA recommends taking the following steps:

  1. Visit EPA’s MSGP webpage (https://water.epa.gov/polwaste/npdes/stormwater/EPA-Multi-Sector-General-Permit-MSGP.cfm) to learn about the status of the 2015 MSGP, your eligibility, NeT and NetDMR training, and to obtain guidance on complying with the new permit.
  2. Determine if your facility qualifies for a conditional “no exposure” permit exclusion.
  3. Review your Notice of Intent (“NOI”) submitted for coverge under the 2008 MSGP for information that will help you file a new NOI for the 2015 MSGP.
  4. Discuss internally who will prepare and certify the documents submitted through the NeT and NetDMR tools for your facility.
  5. Review your existing Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) to identify the revisions necessary to make it current and consistent with the 2015 MSGP requirements. Your SWPPP must be prepared and ready to implement prior to filing an NOI for the 2015 MSGP.

If you need assistance with your 2015 MSGP, please contact us at contact@tataandhoward.com or 800-366-5760.

White House Finalizes Clean Water Act Rule

clean water infographic
An infographic created by the EPA aims to clarify the rule

On May 27, 2015, the White House finalized the EPA’s “Waters of the United States” rule amid both praise and protest. According to the EPA, the rule is intended to strengthen the Clean Water Act by clarifying which bodies of water fall under the control of the Clean Water Act of 1972.

Gina McCarthy, Administrator of the U.S. EPA, praised the rule by saying, “The Clean Water Act has protected our health for more than 40 years – and helped our nation clean up hundreds of thousands of miles of polluted waterways…Using the latest science, this rule clears up the confusion, providing greater certainty for the first time in more than a decade about which waters are important to protect.”

And White House Senior Advisor Brian Deese, who announced the rule with EPA and Army Corps officials, had very strong words in favor of the rule: “There is a lot of misinformation about what this rule does and doesn’t do. But what becomes clear…is that the only people with reason to oppose the rule are polluters who knowingly threaten our clean water.”

However, the rule does have some strong opposition. Republicans and developers, along with the agricultural and oil industries, have vehemently opposed the ruling since its initial draft, saying that it is a massive power grab by Washington.

“The administration’s cavalier attitude toward expanding the federal government’s authority into our backyards is absolutely outrageous,” said Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) in a statement. “Not only were small businesses – who will be dramatically impacted by expanding of the definition of ‘waters of the United States’ – inappropriately excluded from the rule-making process, but the federal government shouldn’t be regulating puddles on private property in the first place.”

Although this is a final rule, there is legislation to block it that has passed the House and is waiting in the Senate.

Water Storage Tanks: Hydraulic Modeling and Water Quality Considerations

Abstract: A hydraulic model can be used for extended period simulations (EPS) and the EPS models can be used to determine water age in the distribution system. The Town of Paxton, Massachusetts was having some issues maintaining a chlorine residual so Tata & Howard completed a study looking at water age and chlorine residual, and developed recommendations to help them improve system water quality.

We are growing!

Tata & Howard's Jack O'Connell, P.E., Senior Vice President, who is overseeing construction, speaks with Seaver Construction's Mark Pelland, Superintendent of Construction
Jack O’Connell, P.E., Senior Vice President, who is overseeing construction, speaks with Seaver Construction’s Mark Pelland, Superintendent of Construction, in the new space.

Tata & Howard continues to grow at a pace where we have now outgrown our offices! Therefore, we have begun construction on an additional 4,645 square feet of space in our Marlborough, MA corporate headquarters. The additional square footage will add workspace for 18 employees as well as an additional conference room, modeling room, and printing/plotting room. ACTWO Architects from Wayland, MA designed the space, and Seaver Construction from Woburn, MA is handling the construction. Construction is expected to be completed in June.

Water and Wastewater Energy Audits — A Case Study

Tata & Howard, Inc. conducted an energy audit of the City of Flagstaff’s Water System. The purpose of this energy audit was to identify energy conservation opportunities that would provide annual and life cycle power cost savings for the City of 66,600 people.  Tata & Howard provided upgrades that would raise efficiency, resulting in significant annual savings. In addition, the upgrades qualified for a rebate through APS, resulting in an average payback of less than three years.

U.S. Government Recommends Lower Level of Fluoride in Drinking Water

The United States government has recommended a lower level of fluoride in drinking water for the first time in 50 years.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has suggested that public water supplies contain between 0.7 and 1.2 milligrams of fluoride per liter since 1962. However, on Monday, DHHS made an announcement that they now recommend that fluoride not exceed 0.7 milligrams per liter. The new recommendation has been in the works since 2011.

fluorosis
Degrees of fluorosis

Two-thirds of American water utilities add fluoride to drinking water in an effort to reduce cavities. However, because fluoride is now found in so many other sources, including toothpastes and fluoride rinses, many people are receiving too much fluoride, which can result in fluorosis. Fluorosis causes tooth staining, from mild cases which produce white spots, to severe cases which produce brown spots and mottled teeth. Today, 41% of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 have some degree of fluorosis, and the number is rising. When the initial fluoride recommendation was made in 1962, fluoride was found in far fewer sources.

Fluoridation of water has come under fire recently, with experts weighing in on both sides of the argument. Deputy Surgeon General Rear Admiral Dr. Boris Lushniak supports fluoridation. “Community water fluoridation continues to reduce tooth decay in children and adults beyond that provided by using only toothpaste and other fluoride-containing products,” he commented.

Fluoride is now found in almost all toothpastes and rinses
Fluoride is now found in almost all toothpastes and rinses

But Dr. Philippe Grandjean, an environmental health researcher and physician at Harvard University, disagrees, stating that there has been insufficient research in recent years to support the benefits of widespread fluoridation. “We need to revisit those benefits to make sure that the old reports are still valid for the current fluoride exposure situation,” Grandjean stated.

Dr. Grandjean is one of a growing group who advocates only using fluoride topically, and to avoid swallowing it. He notes that fluoride produces the bulk of its benefits topically, and that ingestion exposes the internal organs to unnecessary chemical burden. Recent studies have suggested a possible link between drinking water fluoridation and ADHD, as well as hypothyroidism. Some Chinese studies have even suggested a link between high fluoride levels in drinking water and reduced IQ.

“I’d say it’s a reasonable concern that fluoride can affect brain development,” Grandjean says. “Lowering the recommended fluoridation level to 0.7 mg per liter is very well-justified. I would in fact recommend that the level be reduced even further,” stated Dr. Grandjean, adding that cavities have declined at similar rates in countries with and without public drinking water fluoridation.

Tata & Howard, Inc. participates in Rally for the Jimmy Fund

Tata & Howard, Inc. participates in Rally for the Jimmy Fund

Charitable event celebrates over $4 million in donations to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute since its 2006 inception

Tata & Howard team members at the Marlborough, MA corporate office participated in the Rally for the Jimmy Fund on April 13, 2015
Tata & Howard team members at the Marlborough, MA corporate office participated in the Rally for the Jimmy Fund on April 13, 2015

MARLBOROUGH, MA, April 14, 2015 – Tata & Howard, Inc., a leading innovator in water, wastewater, stormwater, and hazardous waste engineering solutions, participated in the Rally for the Jimmy Fund yesterday. The Rally encourages people to wear Red Sox gear on Opening Day at Fenway Park, which fell on Monday, April 13 this year, in exchange for a donation to the Jimmy Fund. Tata & Howard team members were happy to donate to the Jimmy Fund while enjoying a casual Red Sox day at the office.

The Rally and the Jimmy Fund

The Red Sox organization has partnered with the Jimmy Fund since 1953, and the Rally for the Jimmy Fund is just one of many Red Sox/Jimmy Fund initiatives. Monies raised through the Rally help ease the patient experience and allow future discoveries to revolutionize cancer treatments around the world. Eighty-nine cents of every dollar raised by the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber goes directly to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which received the highest possible ranking of four stars by Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent evaluation of non-profit organizations. Since its inception in 2006, Rally for the Jimmy Fund has raised over $4 million.

“We are thrilled to be part of such a worthwhile charity,” stated Donald J. Tata, P.E., President of Tata & Howard.” Through participation in other local events such as the PanMass Challenge and the Mass Dash for the Jimmy Fund, Tata & Howard team members raise funds for the Jimmy Fund throughout the year. The Rally for the Jimmy Fund was yet another way for us to support Dana-Farber and cancer research.”

CMRSWC Wins Stormwater Award

CMRSWC Wins Stormwater Award

New England Stormwater Collaborative Announces 2014 Stormy Awards
by Janice Moran, NEWEA

April 8, 2015, Worcester, MA—The 2014 Stormy Award winners were announced during New England Water Works Association’s (NEWWA) Annual Meeting on April 1, 2015 in Worcester, MA. Five (5) awards were given to those highlighted ideas or simple, effective ways to boost funding, staff capacity, or political support for stormwater programs.

Stormy Award logo2014 STORMY AWARD WINNERS:

  • Developing Municipal IDDE Partnerships
    —Lexington, MA (Department of Public Works – Engineering Division)
  • Unique Stormwater Program Funding for Proactive Operations
    —City of Bristol, CT

The New England Stormwater Collaborative was formed in the Fall of 2013 by the New England Water Works Association, New England Water Environment Association and the New England Chapter – American Public Works Association. The Collaborative was developed to engage the stormwater community, provide a forum for information and education exchange, and advocate sound stormwater management practices.

*Tata & Howard has provided engineering services to the Central Massachusetts Regional Stormwater Coalition since 2009, and the project has been funded by Community Innovation Challenge (CIC) Grants. Of more than 120 applications received in the initial round, this stormwater project was one of few that was fully funded, which demonstrates the importance of the work and the value to the region. This project, which is supported by MassDEP, DCR, Blackstone River Coalition, and many others, is highly regarded in the industry.