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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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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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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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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deferred maintenance planning for infrastructure projects morrison maierle

How to End Your Deferred Maintenance Nightmares By Rika Lashley, PE – You’re lying awake at night—or maybe having nightmares—worrying about not having the right maintenance plan in place. You’ve heard a million times that proactive planning is the way to go. But if you take the time to create a plan, will it provide you with better sleep? The short answer is yes. There are several things you can do today to establish a better maintenance-cost tracking system. If you start simple, stick to your plan, and consistently keep track of your data, your maintenance plan will not only provide you with a betterRead More →

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welding procedure specifications

Four Types of Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS) By Ken Fields, CET, CWI – Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS) are the parameters and variables a welder must follow to consistently produce sound welds. In the profession, WPS can also go by the names of Preliminary WPS, prequalified WPS, Standard WPS, or simply a WPS. In the end, Welding Procedure Specifications are simply Welding Procedure Specifications. Below is a brief description of the four types of specifications and how they come into play when developing the end product—otherwise known as a qualified WPS—after all the required testing has been completed. 1. Preliminary-WPS A Preliminary-WPS is written by theRead More →

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is it time to upgrade your pump morrison maierle

Is it Time to Upgrade Your Pump? Do you have a pump station with a pump that’s due for replacement? Several factors go into this decision when it’s time to replace your pump and what you’re going to replace it with. There are some common triggers for pump replacement and some items to watch out for when selecting your new pump. Triggers for Pump Replacement Many factors come into play when analyzing the pumps in your stations. Some common reasons for upgrading pumps we hear most frequently are: Increasing operations and maintenance costs.   The pump performance has diminished.  The pumping requirements on the pressure zoneRead More →

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Cross-Laminated Timber Applications for Every Project By Reed Newcomer, PE – Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is seeing increased use by architects and engineers because of the numerous structural applications it can accomplish in a wide variety of buildings projects. While CLT panels are typically used for horizontal elements such as roof and floor elements, they are becoming more common for vertical elements such as walls and cores. In other words, there are CLT applications for pretty much every project in the built environment. What’s So Special About CLT? CLT falls under the mass timber umbrella. While there are similar mass timber products like nail-laminated timber (NLT)Read More →

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deferred maintenance rika lashley

Risks and Consequences of Deferred Maintenance By Rika Lashley, PE – Countless communities in the U.S. are faced with deferred maintenance issues for their water and sewer infrastructure—usually due to budget constraints. Piping that was placed in the ground half a century or longer ago is beginning to fail. Or worse, deposits within this old pipe have the potential for contaminating the water along its route and can run into people’s taps. Equipment installed to treat the community’s wastewater and keep the receiving streams or aquifers safe is being held together by resourceful operators, even though it should have been replaced a decade ago. DoesRead More →

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