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Both FEMA and the U.S. military have invested in hygroscopic
technology
Produces pure water by capturing air molecules
http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/15544.html

Water Infrastructure Financing Faces More Cuts
One of the decisions left for the Congressional lame duck session later
this month will be a key local infrastructure finance issue, funding for the
clean water state revolving fund, slated for major cuts by Congress
http://tinyurl.com/yahrwp

System may help Colorado Department of Transportation melt icy
roads more quickly
New technology that tells maintenance crews what chemical to use to
best clear the roads, depending on weather and road conditions
http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/15181.html

Polluters will be able to pay farmers to clean up their act
Sewage plants and factories have a new avenue for meeting pollution-
reduction requirements - small, family farms
http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/15269.html

State-of-the-Art Plant Makes Trash Vanish into Thin Air
In a move that would create the first facility of its kind in the United States,
St. Lucie County, FL, is planning to construct a plant that would vaporize
trash at temperatures nearly as hot as the surface of the sun and create
energy through technology called plasma gasification
http://www.naco.org/CountyNewsTemplate.cfm?
template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=21442

Stormwater Outreach Materials Available from EPA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a set of
materials that state or local governments can customize and use in their
own stormwater outreach campaigns
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwatermonth.cfm

Getting the drift
In planning for winter weather, public works directors must prepare three
primary elements: policies, operations and education. Department heads
need each element to be strong, or they might find themselves buried in
complaints and overloaded with work following the first winter storm
http://americancityandcounty.com/mag/government_getting_drift/

Turning up the pressure
Sometimes the cure for one problem leaves another in its wake. For
example, combating common microorganisms using disinfectants in
water sometimes creates excessive levels of certain unhealthy
byproductshttp://americancityandcounty.
com/finances/government_turning_pressure/
Water Security Handbook
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has produced A Water
Security Handbook: “Planning for and Responding to Drinking Water
Contamination Threats and Incident”s, which will help drinking water
systems understand the basics of planning for and responding to
threatened or actual incidents
http://www.epa.
gov/safewater/watersecurity/pubs/water_security_handbook_rptb.pdf

EPA has posted a draft of the Agency Strategic Plan for 2006 - 2011 for
public review and comment
http://www.epa.gov/ocfopage/plan/plan.htm

New, Simplified Handbook for Drinking Water Security Systems and
First Responders
A Water Security Handbook: Planning for and Responding to Drinking
Water Contamination Threats and Incidents will help drinking water
systems understand the basics of planning for and responding to
threatened or actual incidents
http://cfpub.epa.gov/safewater/watersecurity/index.cfm

Tools Will Help Small Drinking Water Utilities Monitor Drinking Water
EPA has released a set of user-friendly multimedia products to help
small drinking-water utilities determine federal monitoring requirements
and prepare water compliance samples under the Safe Drinking Water
Act
http://www.rulewizard.org/

Sophisticated computer technology is helping measure and manage
winter-weathered roads
An RWIS is a network of embedded roadway sensors with
communications links to a central storm command center
http://americancityandcounty.com/mag/government_chipping_away/

House panel approves $200 million cut to CWSRF
USEPA's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) would get a $4
million boost (to $841.5 million) over this year's level while the Clean
Water SRF would be slashed by $200 million (to $688 million) under
FY2007 spending legislation approved by the House Appropriations
Committee May 10.
http://www.awwa.org/Communications/news/

Federal SDWA Rule Wizard
EPA has released a set of user-friendly multimedia products to help
small drinking-water utilities determine federal monitoring requirements
and prepare water compliance samples under the Safe Drinking Water
Act
http://www.rulewizard.org/

Sewer systems decimated; Storm damage said close to $1 billion
Hurricane Katrina caused an estimated $1.4 billion in damage to 118
municipal sewer systems in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, with
nearly $1 billion of the damage to treatment plants and collection pipes in
Louisiana alone, according to a report by an industry group
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-
5/1146207 055171040.xml

Truck emissions set to tighten in 2007
By next year, emission level requirements for new diesel trucks are going
to tighten substantially, raising sticker prices and operation costs
http://americancityandcounty.com/mag/government_truck_emissions_set/

Series of Webcasts on Stormwater Management and Low Impact
Development Techniques
The Izaak Walton League is hosting a free, four-part webcast series on
the latest techniques available to help transportation agencies save
money, comply with water regulations, and improve water quality with
context-sensitive stormwater management and low impact development
techniques
http://www.lgean.org/html/whatsnew.cfm?id=1046

EPA Guide Identifies Criteria Used by Inspectors to Evaluate CMOM
Activities
EPA's Office of Compliance has published the "Guide for Evaluating
Capacity, Management, Operation, and Maintenance (CMOM) Programs
at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems"
http://www.lgean.org/html/whatsnew.cfm?id=1044

Inspection and assessment of every levee in the nation
Pointing to the levee failures in Hurricane Katrina, the House
Subcommittee on Water and Resources called for the inventory,
inspection and assessment of every levee in the nation
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/2594056.html

Technology trends and their implications for water utilities
http://www.awwa.
org/communications/journal/2006/January/ES01Means0 106.
cfm#TopOfPage

Prioritizing capital improvement projects to mitigate risk
http://www.awwa.
org/communications/journal/2006/January/ES02Nagel0 106.
cfm#TopOfPage

Asset management planning and reporting options for water utilities
http://www.awwa.
org/communications/journal/2006/January/ES03Matichic h0106.
cfm#TopOfPage

Beyond SRF: Loans, grants, and technical assistance for small water
systems
http://www.awwa.
org/communications/journal/2006/January/ES04Bickel0 106.
cfm#TopOfPage

Public Works