A 55-year-old motorist inadvertently started a large fire at the Maynard C. Stiles Wastewater Treatment Plant in Memphis, Tennessee, on Thanksgiving evening.
After accidentally backing his Chevrolet Express onto a tarp and getting stuck in a wastewater pit while trying to turn around, the driver attempted to light a cigarette. This action ignited fumes from the truck and methane gas from the pit, resulting in a blaze that firefighters were eventually able to contain.
According to the crash report, bystanders — rather than first responders — waded into the waste to rescue the man, who was later hospitalized with non-critical burns on his hands.
Reuse Beer Launches in Several US States
Epic Cleantec recently launched a commercial beer made with highly purified recycled water from showers and laundry, and it's now available to consumers in several U.S. states.
Shower Hour IPA and Laundry Club Kölsch, Epic’s two beer styles, are category-defining brews made with a uniquely sustainable ingredient: recycled water. Crafted in partnership with the award-winning team at Devil’s Canyon Brewing Company in San Carlos, California, the beers use water from buildings where Epic operates advanced onsite reuse systems. The water is cleaned with modern, state-of-the-art technology to ensure it’s exceptionally pure.
This launch marks the first time Epic’s beers will be sold in select markets nationwide. They’re now available in stores at major retailers in California, including BevMo!, Total Wine & More and Bianchini’s Market, as well as select San Francisco Bay Area stores. Distribution will begin in California, Virginia, Oregon, Ohio, Kentucky, Vermont, New Hampshire, Nebraska, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Alaska and Washington, D.C. Customers in eligible states can also purchase the beers online at the Devil’s Canyon Brewing Company website.
Construction Halted at Wichita Water Plant
Construction has come to a standstill at Wichita, Kansas' new $557 million water treatment facility due to persistent mechanical failures. The project, which broke ground in 2020 to replace an 80-year-old plant, was originally scheduled for completion in late 2024, according to Kansas Public Radio. However, issues with the site's massive clarifiers have forced work to cease indefinitely, leaving city officials without a clear timeline.
A local contracting group has accepted responsibility for the delays and is retaining a third-party expert to diagnose the failures discovered after the tanks were drained.
