Infrastructure
The beauty of … bacteria?
August 13, 2018This is a beautiful photo — but what’s even more beautiful is what you can’t see: The water purification process taking place. The water that’s being sprayed into the air is wastewater, and it’s landing on rocks that are coated with a film of specialized, microscopic organisms. As the wastewater trickles down through the…
Allentown not alone in need for water infrastructure upgrades
June 12, 2018There’s no getting around the fact that costly upgrades are needed for Allentown’s more than 600 miles of aging water and sewer lines. Over the next 45 years, LCA expects to spend $1.3 billion on infrastructure improvements in the city. But Allentown and LCA aren’t alone in this struggle: Communities across the country face the same…
The High Cost of Solving Difficult Problems in Allentown
May 30, 2018Twenty years ago, I was drawn to apply for a job at Lehigh County Authority. Until then I had taken my tap water for granted, but it was the team’s dedication and the opportunity to serve my community that made it seem like a cool place to work. Over the next two decades, I learned…
Study: Water main breaks up 27% across United States
March 15, 2018Although we’ve seen a few water main breaks this winter, overall, we’ve been lucky — especially when compared with other places around the country. A study by Utah State University’s Buried Structures Laboratory (yes, there’s a lab dedicated to buried structures!) found that break rates in the U.S. and Canada “have increased 27% in the…
On Oct. 12, Imagine a Day Without Water
October 11, 2017Can you even begin to imagine a day without water? That’s what we’d like you to do on Oct. 12: “Imagine a Day Without Water.” Not just your personal use of water – brushing your teeth, flushing your toilet, taking a shower – though those rituals are vital. Water is also essential to a functioning economy….