Our website got a new look this year, and we’re packing it full of extra content you can’t get anywhere else. In addition to everything you see on these pages, the site features a wealth of product and industry information, as well as original features you won’t find in print. The following are just a few of the items you’re missing if you’re not visiting mswmag.com.
Sewer cleaning demo videos from 2013 Pumper & Cleaner Expo
For the first time at the Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo in Indianapolis this year, five companies performed live equipment demonstrations outside the Indiana Convention Center. Videos of the demonstrations, showcasing everything from pipe cutting to combination units, have all recently been posted online.
Editor’s Blog:
Death sends a message: Don’t take chances with hydrogen sulfide
Workers face many dangers in the underground world of wastewater. Sadly, the life of one young worker was taken recently after he was overcome by fumes in a large sewer pipe in Tampa, Fla. According to the Tampa Port Authority, seven workers were involved, and all were taken to the hospital after being overcome by fumes inside the pipe. Unfortunately, 33-year-old Jesus Jimenez died from inhalation of the hydrogen sulfide fumes.
Burbank Water and Power uses water for power
California’s Burbank Water and Power (BWP) has provided water and electricity to the city’s citizens and businesses since 1913. Having responsibility for both water and power allowed BWP to install two hydrogenerators at its Valley Pumping Plant in 2002. The high-pressure water is used to power two turbine generators, producing enough renewable electricity to run up to 200 homes. That same year, BWP also inaugurated an industry-first program for reclaimed water by installing a reclaimed water treatment system for its on-site power plants. The system displaces the need for any potable water to be used in BWP’s power plants.
How much is excavation safety worth?
A Philadelphia plumbing company got hit with a $40,000 fine in April for excavation violations while installing a residential sewer line. The OSHA violations included the lack of a protective system, no barrier for the spoil pile, inadequate training and failure to have a hazard communication program. That’s an expensive bill for shaving a few minutes off a job.
Revamped public education campaign spurs watershed awareness in Southern California
By relaunching a new website and reinventing the face of its public education campaign, the Ventura (Calif.) Countywide Stormwater Quality Management Program has transformed the way residents understand stormwater management and watershed protection. Representatives from the 10 cities that comprise Ventura County and the Ventura County Watershed Protection District coordinate the program to inform residents. Information on Ventura County’s four watersheds is included on the website, www.cleanwatershed.org. The site also features outreach materials for residents, businesses, teachers and students to take learning into their own hands.
Check out all these stories at www.mswmag.com/ec/2013/June
