Underground Infrastructure - August 2023 - 9

Tennessee to Allocate
$300 Million for Statewide
Water Infrastructure Statewide
Improvements
The Tennessee Department of Environment
and Conservation (TDEC) is issuing 131 grants
worth nearly $300 million to cities across the
state for various water infrastructure repairs
and upgrades, with funding to come from
Tennessee's American Rescue Plan.
Collaborative grants were issued to areas
such as Blount County, which, in a partnership
with the South Blount County Utility District,
will use more than $7 million of plan funds to
improve water mains and sewer line extensions,
among other water infrastructure projects
to increase water security and decrease
contamination, according to WVLT.
Non-collaborative grants will be issued to
areas like Hamblen County, who will use over $5
million in funding to create asset management
plans to improve the county's drinking water
and stormwater systems.
Supreme Court Rules Against
Navajo Nation in Colorado River
Water Rights Case
The Supreme Court has ruled against the Navajo
Nation in a dispute involving water from the
drought-stricken Colorado River.
States that draw water from the river -
Arizona, Nevada and Colorado - and water
districts in California that are also involved in the
case had urged the court to decide for them,
which the justices did in a 5-4 ruling. Colorado
had argued that siding with the Navajo Nation
would undermine existing agreements and
disrupt the management of the river.
Writing for a majority made up of
Bore_Spacer-Ad_UC_2020.pdf 1 2/24/2020 10:40:27 AM
conservative justices, Justice Brett Kavanaugh
explained that " the Navajos contend that
the treaty requires the United States to take
affirmative steps to secure water for the Navajos
- for example, by assessing the Tribe's water
needs, developing a plan to secure the needed
water, and potentially building pipelines, pumps,
wells, or other water infrastructure. "
But, Kavanaugh said, " In light of the treaty's
text and history, we conclude that the treaty
does not require the United States to take those
affirmative steps. "
St. Louis-Area Sinkhole Traced
to Collapsed Sewer Pipe
The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District
has determined that the large sinkhole in
the city's Dogtown area was caused by a
collapsed sewer pipe, and not a water main
break, as previously believed.
Sean Stone, an MSD spokesperson, attributed
the cause to accumulated debris in the old pipe
combined with added pressure from recent
storms according to local Fox 2 news. Poor soil
characteristics were also a factor in the sinkhole,
he said, noting that repairs had previously been
made to that part of the roadway, resulting in
loose and sandy materials.
Stone said the district was working to
determine the extent of the damage and
planning for the removal and replacement of
the affected section. UI
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Underground Infrastructure - August 2023

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