cybersecurity for water and wastewater plants

How to Protect Utilities from Cybercrime Like many public entities, water, and wastewater treatment systems are increasingly vulnerable to cybersecurity threats. Some public works professionals have learned the hard way about the need for planning and protective measures to keep their systems safe and secure. In addition to providing a full slate of engineering services, Morrison-Maierle has a technology subsidiary, Morrison-Maierle Systems that has recently hired Josh Botz, a cybersecurity expert to help assist our clients who own and operate water and wastewater systems with risk assessments to help alleviate potential problems. We recently sat down with Josh to talk about cybersecurity and different measuresRead More →

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How to Streamline Your Lead Service Line Inventory By Susan Fenhaus, PE, and Kurtis DeShaw, PE – If you’re reading this article, you may have circled October 16, 2024, on your calendar. This is the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) deadline to submit your water system’s Lead Service Line (LSL) inventory. While not due for a while, this project can be long and involves lots of planning and possibly some detective work on your part. We have combed through some helpful pieces of information to help streamline this process for you. While following EPA’s guidelines, each state has provided tools and tips to help their communityRead More →

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cybersecurity for water and wastewater treatment plants morrison maierle

What You Need to Know About Cybercrime By Josh Botz and Jason Mercer – If you’ve paid attention to news stories on cybercrime and cybersecurity in the last year, none of these headlines will come as a surprise. “Man charged for hacking Kansas water utility with intent to harm public”“Hackers steal power utility company customer data”“FBI worried about increasing cybercrime against small businesses”“N. Carolina power plant attack raises concerns for utilities, consumers and security experts”“NJ hospital sending patients away because of cybersecurity concern”“Lack of Cybersecurity Expertise Poses Threat for Public-Safety Orgs”“Port of South Louisiana hires firm, plans own cyber security department after costly hack” WhileRead More →

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lead service lines morrison maierle

Lead Service Line Inventory 101: What You Need to Know By Kurtis DeShaw, PE, and Susan Fenhaus, PE – Conducting an inventory of the lead service lines in your community—just the thought of it probably makes your head spin. Regardless of the records you have and the data at your disposal, there are some critical things you need to know before you begin your utility’s Lead Service Line (LSL) inventory.The following information may be a review for some and new to others. Regardless of where you are in this task, here are some things to help you navigate through this requirement. Q: What is aRead More →

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Firm Wins Three 2023 Engineering Excellence Awards Morrison-Maierle was recently honored with three 2023 Engineering Excellence Awards from the Montana chapter of American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). The awards were given in three categories: Structural Systems, Building/Technology Systems, and Special Projects. The Montana State University American Indian Hall (AIH) project took top honors in the Structural Systems category. With features that honor Native American cultures, AIH has a complex footprint that required an advanced structural design to incorporate unique, sustainable, and culturally appropriate features. It is also the first building in Montana to earn a LEED Platinum V4 certification. The Montana State University BobcatRead More →

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That’s why some municipalities or utility owners choose to use trenchless replacement methods rather than open-cut replacements. Pipe bursting is a trenchless alternative that may work well for your next project. Here are some things to know about pipe bursting that may help you decide if this method suits your project.

Is Pipe Bursting the Right Trenchless Method for Your Project? By Mike Kynett, PE – Open-cut utility replacements can be time-consuming, disruptive to the public, and expensive, depending on surface restoration requirements. Deep replacements can be exceptionally costly and technically challenging to complete. Crowded utility corridors add additional challenges and safety concerns. That’s why some municipalities or utility owners choose to use trenchless replacement methods rather than open-cut replacements. Pipe bursting is a trenchless alternative that may work well for your next project. Here are some things to know about pipe bursting that may help you decide if this method suits your project. How PipeRead More →

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Eric Webber Named Bend Operations Manager Eric Webber, PE, a senior mechanical engineer has recently been selected as Morrison-Maierle’s first Bend, Oregon Operations Manager. The Bend office opened in 2020 and has been under the supervision of Shaun Shea, Morrison-Maierle’s Missoula Operations Manager. During that period, Eric served as the local lead in Bend and Buildings Market Group Office Leader. With this promotion, Eric says, “I am incredibly honored and excited to lead Morrison-Maierle’s newest office and continue to immerse our employee-owned culture into the Central Oregon community.” “From the beginning of Eric’s career at Morrison-Maierle, he’s been a leader and seen by many toRead More →

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client service at morrison maierle

Client Service: What Does It Really Mean? By Craig Nowak, PE – No doubt we have all heard, or thrown out, the term client service, which means different things to different people depending on your profession. It’s a “two-way street,” meaning we appreciate receiving good client service—like getting an ice cream cone from a fast and friendly server on a hot summer day. However, in the engineering and technical services world, we focus on providing client service, which can mean other things within your firm or organization and vary widely depending on your position. At its basic level, good client service means delivering a productRead More →

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ARFF Training Center Engineering Team Going Strong If you’ve read anything about the design and construction of ARFF training centers, chances are you have also heard about Morrison-Maierle. Going strong since the early 1990s, Morrison-Maierle has provided both small- and large-scale Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) training center designs throughout the country. And the team doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. “In the early 90s, the airport manager in Helena (Montana) wanted to have a training center,” said Tim Orthmeyer, PE, who recently retired from his airport engineering career but remains connected to Morrison-Maierle’s ARFF project work. “It came online in 1996—andRead More →

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Morrison-Maierle Honored with 2022 Client Experience Award One of the most important strategic objectives at Morrison-Maierle is to provide exceptional client experience as a trusted advisor to our clients and partners. We are honored to be recognized for this effort with a bronze-level Client Experience Award from Client Savvy and the Zweig Group. The Client Experience Award is earned based on actual, objective client feedback. Client Savvy has collected input from millions of professional service buyers since 2004 and identified what makes excellent firms. Their 2022 list of award honorees recognizes professional services firms who consistently excel at meeting expectations while delivering experiences buyers wouldRead More →

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missoula library wins interrnational award

Missoula Library Named Public Library of the Year The International Federation of Library Association and Institutions (IFLA), along with Danish software company Systematic, has recently honored the Missoula Public Library as the 2022 Public Library of the Year. As the first public library in the United States to receive this award, the Missoula Public Library is opening doors for the community. The building meets the vision of its stakeholders; an energy-efficient, versatile space for the community to meet, learn, and connect. “Working on the Missoula Public Library with our community, MSR Design, and A&E Design has been one of the true honors in my career,Read More →

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New Employee-Owners Join Buildings Market Group Morrison-Maierle’s Buildings Market Group welcomed several new employee-owners to the team this spring. They all look forward to providing solutions that improve our clients’ lives and communities. After graduating from the University of Wyoming this year, Kyran Kenison joined our buildings team as a structural engineer intern. He is excited to work on a variety of different projects and looks forward to meeting our clients in the Flathead area. Also a structural engineer intern, Andrew Murphy comes to us with years of experience working in high-end residential design. Andrew is a Montana State graduate, a Certified Welding Inspector, andRead More →

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VFD cabling

VFD Cable Selection and Grounding Considerations for Large Industrial Motors Selecting the Right Cabling for Your Project By Brian Literski, PE – Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) are essential components that control the speed of process equipment. They are used with pumps, blowers, or other motor-driven equipment required to run at variable speeds or loads.For some industrial projects that use process equipment, a motor’s horsepower requirements can be up to hundreds of horsepower on a 480V power distribution system. Since VFD output cabling provides the connection from the VFD to the process equipment motor, it is good practice to choose a cable that enhances the system’sRead More →

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