From the January 2, 2020 article from The Hill entitled, Local Infrastructure Projects Must Embrace Open Competition,” Architects and engineers certainly know better than big government when it comes to selecting and procuring construction materials.”
Well….Show that you mean it!
Under 3 months ago on October 15, 2019 during the U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations field hearing, the Honorable Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., County Executive, Essex County, New Jersey responded to a question from Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) relating to DiVincenzo’s testimony that the “only permanent solution is to replace lead service lines with copper lines.” Congressman Beyer asked, “Have you looked at filters, epoxy lining, threading, slip lining, some of the other methods of doing it?”
DiVincenzo replied, “Congressman, we are open to anything. I have not heard of that right now. The only thing that I got from my people is replace the lead line. That would be the most effective at this time. But I’m willing to learn and I know my people are willing to learn to see if that could be done and be done quicker and save money, we’re all for it.”
In the same field hearing Dr. Eric Roy, Founder, Hydroviv testified, “I’ve learned that companies working on water quality problems face barriers getting their technology in the field that are not encountered by companies that develop solutions for other interests of the Federal Government like defense and homeland security.” Roy continued, when it comes to providing safe, affordable drinking water to U.S. homes, schools and businesses to prevent lead exposure and illness, from water technology development standpoint, “It’s more about having access to the problem!”
From these recent, high-profile exchanges it is clear that new drinking water technologies have experienced difficulties with water system acceptance. This occurs even with such technologies having undergone extensive studies by EPA, academia and have been certified by the best scientists and engineers in the world.
New drinking water conveyance technologies are proven to reduce contaminants and the overall capital improvement costs that are eventually passed on to consumers in the form of water rate increases. Moreover, these technologies provide solutions to many water system challenges acknowledged by EPA, including but not limited to;
- significant costs of full LSLR,
- time requirements of full LSLR,
- digging construction,
- impacting surrounding property,
- and reducing chemical treatments.
It is incumbent upon architectural and engineering officials at Water Systems across the U.S. to fully explain why new, innovative, certified, cost-effective technologies for improving drinking water conveyances were not used and why the additional costs for 1990’s dig-n-replace methodologies are warranted.
Water Ratepayers deserve to know why!
- Is Your Government Relations Team #SmartWorking? - April 14, 2020
- President Trump Challenges to Use Better Infrastructure Techniques - April 6, 2020
- COVID-19: U.S. Stimulus Package #3 - April 1, 2020
