WaterJAM 2018

OBG recently took park in the Virginia WaterJAM 2018 conference, hosted by the Virginia Section American Water Works Association and Virginia Water Environment Association, in Virginia Beach, Virginia on September 10-13, 2018. Themed Waves of Innovation, this year's conference highlighted the water industry’s commitment to excellence in protection of the public an...

2018 Chesapeake Tri-Association Conference

OBG recently took part in the 2018 Chesapeake Tri-Association Conference on August 28-31, 2018 in Ocean City, Maryland. The annual conference brings together water and wastewater professionals, as well as industrial and municipal planners and leaders, to share insights into the challenges facing the water industry. ...

Protecting New York lakes from harmful algal blooms

Over the last decade, harmful algal blooms have been increasing in prevalence across New York State and continue to threaten drinking water quality and recreational activities nationwide. In New York, more than 150 water bodies experienced HABs in 2017, resulting in more than 100 beach closures. The Threat A harmful algal bloom, often...

Pilot-testing an air sparge system for arsenic removal

A long-term cleanup of the former Vineland Chemical Company has undergone additional work over the last two years to address a re-contaminated watershed area. Since the early 1990s, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has worked to remove arsenic-contaminated groundwater, soil, and sediment from the south-central New Jersey site....

NCMA Environmental, Energy, Health & Safety School 2018

A proud business partner of the North Carolina Manufacturers Alliance (NCMA), OBG recently took part in the NCMA’s Environmental, Energy, Health & Safety (EEHS) School on August 6-7, 2018 in Raleigh, North Carolina. During the conference, OBG’s Bob Bell, PE, a water infrastructure expert, delivered a presentation on industrial wast...

OBG's 2017 Year in Review

Growth & Performance

The 2017 Annual Report is overwhelmingly positive and provides a window into OBG’s strong culture, talented leadership and people, and tremendous drive for results. Within this report, you will see examples of meaningful engagement shared by our people and our clients, as well as highlights of thought leadership, innovative and in...

Improved projects through informed decision making

Decision making is a process that requires information. Informed decision making requires information relative to several priorities, which vary depending on the proposed action. The need to understand the outcomes of our decisions promotes an information-based, decision-making process that, in the engineering realm, often considers and balances outcomes...

PFAS regulations develop for Michigan drinking water and fish consumption

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic compounds considered as emerging contaminants. PFAS are manufactured for use in many applications, from firefighting foam to food packaging and many other consumer and industrial products. PFAS are ubiquitous in the environment, and there currently is a lack of scientific...

Improving water quality for trout in a prized recreational watercourse

Trout are highly valued freshwater fish, serving an important position in the freshwater food web as both predator and prey, and providing seasonal or year-round enjoyment for recreational anglers. Trout also are sensitive to physical and chemical stressors, and therefore are excellent water quality indicators.  Because coldwater fish...

Innovative approach to economic development: Q&A with Steve Eckler

Thought leader and industry expert in economic development Steve Eckler discusses OBG’s innovative approach to economic development and his perspective on the public-private partnership approach to business attraction. Q: How is OBG using technology to compete in the industry? A: Technology is a physical manifestation of innovation. Our ab...