Biden-Harris Administration Awards $25.5M In New Grants To Combat Impact Of Climate Change On Drinking Water Infrastructure August 20, 2024 Today, August 20, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $25.5M in grants through a new program to support drinking water systems in underserved, small, and disadvantaged communities while reducing impacts…
New Study Documents Growing Dangers Of Climate Change And Emerging Opportunities For Building Resilience In Rural Communities Across The US
New Study Documents Growing Dangers Of Climate Change And Emerging Opportunities For Building Resilience In Rural Communities Across The US August 7, 2024 The Pacific Institute, Livelihoods Knowledge Exchange Network (LiKEN), and Rural Community Assistance Partnership Incorporated (RCAP) today released new research outlining how climate change impacts are leading to…
Federal watchdog urges EPA to develop comprehensive cyber strategy to protect water systems
Federal watchdog urges EPA to develop comprehensive cyber strategy to protect water systems Aug. 6, 2024 The Biden administration has prioritized the drinking and wastewater treatment industries as a number of high-profile hacking incidents have raised concerns about the ability to secure the nation’s drinking water and water treatment sectors.…
Coalition of public utilities file brief in Supreme Court Clean Water Act case
Coalition of public utilities file brief in Supreme Court Clean Water Act case July 29, 2024 Last week, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) filed an amicus brief in support of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s (SFPUC) appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court for regulatory certainty in…
New Method To Degrade PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Found Effective In The Lab
New Method To Degrade PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Found Effective In The Lab June 24, 2024 Scientists at UNSW Sydney are developing catalysts able to break down PFAS chemicals that contaminate water. Per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known as ‘forever chemicals’ because they are notoriously resistant to degradation. Due to their…
Atlanta to tap AI to detect water main breaks
Atlanta to tap AI to detect water main breaks JUNE 10, 2024 he City of Atlanta plans to use artificial intelligence to address its aging water infrastructure, Mayor Andre Dickens announced in a press conference last Wednesday, less than a week after two water main breaks left businesses, medical facilities,…
Water and Sewer Rate Increases Look to be the Utility Commissions Solution to Money Issues
Water and Sewer Rate Increases Look to be the Utility Commissions Solution to Money Issues May 22, 2024 The Monticello City Council met Tuesday night and heard a report from Robert Miller with the KY Rural Water Association regarding the recent rate analysis of the Monticello Utility Commission. Miller stated…
EPA to ramp up cybersecurity inspections for water utilities
EPA to ramp up cybersecurity inspections for water utilities 21/05/2024 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a stark warning to the nation’s water utilities, highlighting significant gaps in cybersecurity compliance amid a growing wave of cyber threats. Announced on Monday, the EPA’s new enforcement alert reveals that over 70%…
Biden-Harris Administration Finalizes Critical Rule To Clean Up PFAS Contamination To Protect Public Health
Biden-Harris Administration Finalizes Critical Rule To Clean Up PFAS Contamination To Protect Public Health April 19, 2024 Today, April 19, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking another step in its efforts to protect people from the health risks posed by exposure to “forever chemicals” in communities across…
EPA Recognizes Excellence And Innovation In Clean Water And Drinking Water Infrastructure Projects
EPA Recognizes Excellence And Innovation In Clean Water And Drinking Water Infrastructure Projects April 3, 2024 Today, April 3, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized 32 clean water and drinking water infrastructure projects for excellence and innovation. These projects were funded in part by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund…
White House Issues Dire Warning Regarding Drinking Water Supply and Wastewater System Cyberattacks
White House Issues Dire Warning Regarding Drinking Water Supply and Wastewater System Cyberattacks April 2, 2024 The Biden-Harris Administration is redoubling its efforts to improve cybersecurity for the nation’s water systems. In March, the EPA and the White House issued a dire warning to state governors alerting them of the…
Water systems short on cyber expertise, state and local officials tell EPA
Water systems short on cyber expertise, state and local officials tell EPA MARCH 25, 2024 National security officials met with state and local government leaders from across the country last Thursday to discuss methods to meet the rising threat of attacks by foreign governments and criminal entities against the nation’s…
Pollution risks worsening global water scarcity: Study
Pollution risks worsening global water scarcity: Study FEBRUARY 6, 2024 Water scarcity could affect three billion more people than previously expected by mid-century, with increased pollution rendering river sources “unsafe” for humans and wildlife, researchers warned Tuesday. The UN’s climate science panel has said that around half the world’s population…
Digitalization is the Future of Water
Digitalization is the Future of Water Jan. 23, 2024 Digital technologies are impacting nearly every sector in the water industry, including drinking water. Water utilities of all sizes — private and public — are shifting the way they operate and manage resources. Utilities are embracing digitalization to address problems ranging…
City of Lebanon Authority board plans $27.9M wastewater plant improvements
City of Lebanon Authority board plans $27.9M wastewater plant improvements January 16, 2024 The City of Lebanon Authority board voted Monday, Jan. 8, to issue a ‘notice of intent’ to award contracts for $27.9 million of improvements to its wastewater plant. The contracts will be formally awarded at the board’s…
Sewage from Grand Island JBS plant contaminates Platte, Wood rivers
Sewage from Grand Island JBS plant contaminates Platte, Wood rivers Jan. 8, 2024 A state agency says a failure at a JBS wastewater facility sent millions of gallons of sewage away from the plant and into the Platte and Wood rivers. The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy said in…
Innovative water treatment tech could help remove forever chemicals
Innovative water treatment tech could help remove forever chemicals DECEMBER 27, 2023 The Tampa Water Department is exploring suspended ion exchange technology as a way to address PFAS contamination to meet new federal standards. The new year will ring in new water safety regulations for public water systems as the…
PFAS Treatment Efforts Are Costing More Than Manufacturer Settlements Can Provide
PFAS Treatment Efforts Are Costing More Than Manufacturer Settlements Can Provide December 13, 2023 Even as the largest manufacturers are being held financially responsible for the introduction of a pervasive class of contaminants into the environment, many water systems across the U.S. continue to face challenges in funding treatment solutions.…
Water utility cyberattacks underscore ongoing threat to OT
Water utility cyberattacks underscore ongoing threat to OT Dec. 5, 2023 U.S. officials urged water utilities and industrial sites to employ basic configuration safeguards like securing internet-facing devices and changing default passwords following a series of attacks. The Iran-linked attacks against drinking and wastewater systems in the U.S. highlights longstanding…
MISSOULA’S WASTEWATER PLANT EVOLVES TO HANDLE INCREASED CAPACITY
Missoula’s Wastewater plant evolves to handle increased capacity Nov. 27, 2023 Hotdogs and burgers may be the meal of choice for University of Montana football fans. But with attendance at more than 25,000 for some home games, the crowds severely tested the city’s wastewater system until recent updates, according to…
It Will Be Years Before Clean Water Is Restored In Lahaina
It Will Be Years Before Clean Water Is Restored In Lahaina 11/7/23 As Maui grapples with the trauma of the August fires and tries to envision the future of Lahaina, the mission to rebuild is complicated by a major obstacle: the contamination of the drinking water system. When fires tore…
Forest Service says Denver Water is taking down too many trees, rushing requests to change plan to raise Gross Dam
Forest Service says Denver Water is taking down too many trees, rushing requests to change plan to raise Gross Dam Oct 20, 2023 Denver Water is cutting down too many trees on federal land at the major expansion of Gross Dam and Reservoir in Boulder County, and must conduct more…
A look inside Cheyenne’s new hydroelectric facility
A look inside Cheyenne’s new hydroelectric facility Oct 10, 2023 On Saturday, the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities (BOPU) opened the doors of its new hydroelectric generation facility to the public. It’s located at the R.L. Sherard Water Treatment Plant where it provides more than enough energy to power the…
MIT scientists used solar power to make drinking water cheaper than tap water
MIT scientists used solar power to make drinking water cheaper than tap water Oct 2 2023 MIT scientists have designed a solar-powered desalination system that turns saltwater into drinkable water at a higher volume – and lower cost. Researchers from MIT and Shanghai Jiao Tong University have published a paper,…
EPA Awards Nearly $8M For Research Grants To Advance Groundwater Availability And Quality
EPA Awards Nearly $8M For Research Grants To Advance Groundwater Availability And Quality September 21, 2023 Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $7,837,196 in funding to four institutions to research the use and risks of enhanced aquifer recharge (EAR) to improve groundwater availability and quality. EAR is the…
Solar, battery storage on deck for WWTP
Solar, battery storage on deck for WWTP Sep 17, 2023 Solar panels and storage batteries could help Traverse City Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant shave its peak power use. City commissioners last week approved a $257,892 contract with Jacobs, the company that operates the plant, to design and manage the rooftop…
New EPA Data Shows 27 Million Americans Receive Drinking Water Contaminated With PFAS
New EPA Data Shows 27 Million Americans Receive Drinking Water Contaminated With PFAS August 30, 2023 The U.S. EPA has announced a new official estimate for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in public water systems, releasing data that could shape forthcoming regulation and compensation from manufacturers. “Toxic ‘forever chemicals’…
Presidential council recommends launching a Department of Water to confront cyberthreats, climate change
Presidential council recommends launching a Department of Water to confront cyberthreats, climate change AUGUST 28, 2023 A presidential advisory council is calling for the creation of a Department of Water or an equivalent cabinet-level agency to deal with the looming water crisis and cybersecurity threats that could endanger treatment plants…
EPA Releases Initial Nationwide Monitoring Data On 29 PFAS And Lithium
EPA Releases Initial Nationwide Monitoring Data On 29 PFAS And Lithium August 17, 2023 Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is releasing the first set of data collected under the fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5). In the latest action to deliver on EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap, UCMR 5…
Google Is Consuming More Water Than Ever, And The Growth Of AI Will Make It Worse
Google Is Consuming More Water Than Ever, And The Growth Of AI Will Make It Worse August 9, 2023 One of the world’s largest companies is also one of its most increasingly thirsty, and even as water becomes scarcer around the world, its consumption only seems poised to grow. “Google…
Don’t call it ‘toilet to tap’ — California plans to turn sewage into drinking water
Don’t call it ‘toilet to tap’ — California plans to turn sewage into drinking water AUGUST 1, 2023 Californians could drink highly purified sewage water that is piped directly into drinking water supplies for the first time under proposed rules unveiled by state water officials. The drought-prone state has turned…
Grants to remove lead from drinking water in Massachusetts
Grants to remove lead from drinking water in Massachusetts Jul 25, 2023 The Biden Administration announced $58 million in grants to help schools and daycare centers remove lead from drinking water. According to a news release from the EPA, the grants are from President Biden’s Investing in America grant and…
California Lawmakers Strike Down Governor’s Hopes For Expedited Water Tunnel Project
California Lawmakers Strike Down Governor’s Hopes For Expedited Water Tunnel Project July 12, 2023 Facing a range of high-profile water problems, legislators in the nation’s thirstiest state are at odds over a massive project that could impact millions of consumers. “California’s most hotly contested water proposal suffered a setback ……
Tap Water Study Detects PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Across The U.S.
Tap Water Study Detects PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Across The U.S. July 5, 2023 At least 45% of the nation’s tap water is estimated to have one or more types of the chemicals known as per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological…
As PFAS Limits Loom, Financial Questions Remain Over How Water Utilities Will Comply
As PFAS Limits Loom, Financial Questions Remain Over How Water Utilities Will Comply June 21, 2023 Despite an influx in attention and financial support, national utilities have a long road ahead in combating a preeminent drinking water contaminant. “Utilities facing financial hurdles from coming federal water limits for PFAS (per-…
EPA seeks to address contamination before it harms Des Moines area drinking water
EPA seeks to address contamination before it harms Des Moines area drinking water June 19, 2023 A contaminated groundwater plume in Des Moines could soon receive federal resources to clean it up. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public meeting Tuesday at Weeks Middle School in Des Moines…
Without access to water lines, Texas colonias residents are pulling water from the desert air
Without access to water lines, Texas colonias residents are pulling water from the desert air JUNE 5, 2023 Hueco Tanks, developed under the name Hueco Mountain Estates, is among the dozens of colonias — unincorporated communities mostly in border counties — in Texas where low-income, Latino residents still are not…
Indiana American Water requesting a 31% hike in water rates
Indiana American Water requesting a 31% hike in water rates May 30, 2023 Indiana American Water Co. is asking the state for a rate increase that would boost its revenues in three steps by 31% starting in January next year. The water utility, which serves Muncie, provides water and wastewater…
Warm Springs Celebrates Funding For New Water Treatment Plant
Warm Springs Celebrates Funding For New Water Treatment Plant 5/23/23 Warm Springs is getting $28 million in federal funding to build a new water treatment plant. Oregon U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley visited the site Monday, along with tribal leaders. “There is a shameful legacy, right here in…
Toxic PFAS can be broken down by bacteria found in wastewater
Toxic PFAS can be broken down by bacteria found in wastewater 15 May 2023 Bacteria that break down some types of “forever chemicals” can be found in sludge from wastewater treatment plants. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals widely used in coatings and foams that…
Minnesota Drinking Water’s Nitrate Levels Are Reaching ‘Crisis’ Point
Minnesota Drinking Water’s Nitrate Levels Are Reaching ‘Crisis’ Point May 3, 2023 As concerns mount over the health impacts of one prominent drinking water contaminant in Minnesota, advocates are pressing officials to intervene. “A group of environmental organizations say nitrate pollution in drinking water has reached crisis proportions in southeast…
EPA Takes First-Ever Federal Clean Water Act Enforcement Action To Address PFAS Discharges At Washington Works Facility Near Parkersburg, W. Va.
EPA Takes First-Ever Federal Clean Water Act Enforcement Action To Address PFAS Discharges At Washington Works Facility Near Parkersburg, W. Va. April 26, 2023 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered the Chemours Company to take corrective measures to address pollution from per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in stormwater and effluent…
A Duke Energy contractor hit a pipe. 45,000 gallons of wastewater dumped into Boca Ciega Bay.
A Duke Energy contractor hit a pipe. 45,000 gallons of wastewater dumped into Boca Ciega Bay. April 25, 2023 Enough wastewater to fill more than 1,000 bathtubs dumped into Boca Ciega Bay on April 14 after a contractor working for Duke Energy hit a pipe during construction, according to a…
With 9 Million Lead-Based Pipelines In The U.S., EPA Requests $625 Billion
With 9 Million Lead-Based Pipelines In The U.S., EPA Requests $625 Billion April 11, 2023 As the U.S. EPA works to address one of the nation’s most pervasive drinking water contamination issues, it has released a new estimate for the number of lead-based pipelines and provided a price tag for…
Former Official Claims Oldsmar Drinking Water Hack Was Really Operator Error
Former Official Claims Oldsmar Drinking Water Hack Was Really Operator Error March 29, 2023 According to a local official with direct knowledge, an alarming drinking water contamination event thought to be the result of cyberattack was actually just an operations flub. “In 2021, news broke of a cyberattack at the…
Judge approves $600 million settlement over Flint water crisis
Judge approves $600 million settlement over Flint water crisis 03/21/23 Michigan will pay $600 million to settle lawsuits over the contamination of Flint’s water supply, which combined with settlements from the city and a local hospital will comprise the largest legal settlement in the state’s history. Attorney General Dana Nessel…
Biden Administration to Restrict Cancer-Causing ‘Forever Chemicals’
Biden Administration to Restrict Cancer-Causing ‘Forever Chemicals’ March 14, 2023 For the first time, the federal government will require utilities to remove from drinking water two toxic chemicals found in everything from waterproof clothing to dental floss and even toilet paper, the Environmental Protection Agency announced on Tuesday. Michael S.…
CDC Planning Wastewater Testing For Polio In Select Communities
CDC Planning Wastewater Testing For Polio In Select Communities February 16, 2023 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will strategically expand wastewater testing for poliovirus in select jurisdictions across the country. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH)…
House bill aims to create lending institution for infrastructure projects
House bill aims to create lending institution for infrastructure projects Feb. 7, 2023 The bank would help finance work such as transportation projects, ports, electric grid security and broadband connectivity, according to the release. The bill also allows for broad discretion by the bank to invest in any infrastructure projects…
Washington State Issues Enforcement Order Against U.S. Army Over Yakima Training Center Contamination
Washington State Issues Enforcement Order Against U.S. Army Over Yakima Training Center Contamination February 1, 2023 The U.S. Army’s Yakima Training Center contains dozens of sites contaminated by chemical spills and toxic waste, including some that have threatened drinking water supplies in nearby wells. In order to ensure the Army…
