Austin (Texas) Water Director Greg Meszaros has resigned and three employees have been placed on leave following a citywide boil-water notice resulting from employee error.

In a resignation letter to the city manager, Meszaros wrote that he took full responsibility for any shortcomings at the utility.

Meanwhile, the city’s mayor is moving forward with a call for an independent external audit of Austin Water.

EPA Administrator Visits WWTP Impacted by Climate Change

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan recently visited a wastewater treatment plant in Saco, Maine, to promote $68 million allocated to the state for infrastructure funding.

Climate change has caused flooding issues for the plant, which is near the tidal Saco River. “If we have a high tide and a heavy rain event or snowmelt, we get to the point that there’s more water coming into the facility than can actually leave. You would just have raw sewage running through the facility,” Howard Carter, director of the Saco Water Resource Recovery Department, told News Center Maine.

New Jersey Embarks on Its Large-Scale Lead Pipe Replacement Project

New Jersey water utilities have taken the first steps towards identifying and removing the state’s lead-containing service lines, in accordance with New Jersey’s legislation aimed to reduce lead in drinking water to improve public health.

As reported by the American Water Works Association New Jersey Section, within the next few weeks, certified letters will be sent to all customers who have a known lead-containing service line, informing them of their potential lead exposure and options for decreasing their exposure. Utilities will be offering to replace lead and galvanized steel service lines by 2031, including the portion owned by the utility and the portion owned by the private property-owner.

The State of New Jersey passed legislation in July 2021 mandating removal of all service lines made of lead or galvanized steel and all lead connectors within 10 years.