Nonresidential fixed investment increased 1.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011 following a revised 15.7 percent increase in the previous quarter according to the Jan. 27 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) report by the Department of Commerce.

Xylem Inc., a leading global water technology company focused on addressing the world?s most challenging water issues, has broken ground on a 10,000-square foot extension of its manufacturing facility in Bridgeport, N.J., to support continuing growth in the dewatering segment.

Pure Technologies Ltd. announced recently that the Board of County Commissioners of Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) has approved a contract worth approximately $5.8 million for Pure’s wholly owned subsidiary, Pure Technologies US Inc., to provide pipeline inspections and monitoring for WASD.

Billtrust, a leading provider of outsourced billing services, recently announced a merger with Mark Altman & Associates (MA&A), a leading provider of comprehensive billing solutions serving municipal, utility and private sector customers nationwide.

The U.S. Attorney?s Office and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Dec. 29 announced that the City of South Bend, Ind., has agreed to make an estimated $509.5 million worth of improvements to its combined sewer system to significantly reduce overflows of raw sewage to the St. Joseph River, which is a tributary of Lake Michigan.

Itron Inc. recently announced that it is ranked No. 1 in a number of market position estimates in the latest water meter market analysis report published by IMS Research.

Andy Shea has been named the Water business group’s vice president and new market sector director for industrial/private client based in HDR?s King of Prussia office near Philadelphia, Pa.

American Water Works Company Inc., the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company, announced the expansion of its Water and Sewer Line Protection Programs to homeowners in Georgia, Kansas, North Carolina and Texas communities.

Echologics, a leading developer of acoustic-based technologies for water loss management, leak detection and pipe condition assessment, has enhanced its acoustic leak listening device, LeakTuner, to increase the technology?s ability to help utilities precisely locate leaks in water distribution pipelines without breaking ground or disrupting service.