Disaster Preparedness

National Grid has been named the recipient of Edison Electric Institute’s Emergency Recovery Award for the company’s exceptional performance in restoring power after Winter Storm Quiana impacted more than 365,000 customers across upstate New York and New England.

In the water industry, data is driving the discussion. To understand what this means requires a story about motor oil.

For decades, car manufacturers recommended that vehicles have their engine oil changed at least every 3,000 miles without fail. This was never proven practical, given that such decisions should be based on individual driving style, the conditions and climate – even the type of oil used. But these real-world conditions don't tend to factor into the carmaker's original guidelines.

In 2018, Cape Town residents stared down "Day Zero," the moment when the water system – jeopardized by the combination of population growth, drought cycles, aging infrastructure and deferred system improvements – was predicted to literally run dry. Fortunately, citizens rallied by heeding the conservation calls, and the skies opened. A historic crisis was averted for its more than 3 million residents. But the lessons lingers on: Government and water industry leaders the world over are reconsidering how climate impacts and deferred maintenance threaten the resilience of our supply.

Water, water everywhere. And with the troubling prospect of more of it in coming years, concerns over climate change and its effects are deepening, from more frequent extreme events in the Midwest to rising sea levels affecting low-lying areas vulnerable to coastal flooding. Aging infrastructure still dominates the discussion, yet a pressing question lingers: How can water utilities and those entrusted to oversee them do more, sometimes with less, to mitigate against mega-storms already proven to outmatch legacy conveyance and storage strategies?

Smarter infrastructure, with data at its core, will play a crucial role in overcoming varied threats to our water supply. This year's Strategic Directions: Water Report finds that from precise reads of consumption rates and customer engagement to improved leak detection and climate change planning, a new culture of data science can extend our supply to drive sustainability and resilience.

Though the storm blew over a year and a half ago, Maria has not left the island. I’m not sure she ever will.

With the rising frequency of extreme weather, the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry faces increasing demands to create buildings that can both survive in a changing climate and deliver superior performance across a range of conditions.

Tetra Tech works around the world with its clients to bring their ideas and projects to life. Our High Performance Buildings Group collectively delivers more than 170 years of experience to create sustainable, resilient structures that minimize energy and water use from Los Angeles to London and New York to Sydney.

Antea Group’s blog offers advice on how an oil and gas transportation company can maintain the integrity of its aging pipeline infrastructure.

2018 proved to be an active year in Corporate Social Responsibility with issues related to sustainability, globalization, advocacy on social issues and multiple natural disasters in the forefront.