We often hear about water wars in the western part of the country, but recent events related to a lawsuit brought by the state of Florida against the state of Georgia highlights the issue’s relevance to other parts of the country. In 2013, Florida sued Georgia for its use of water coming from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river basin, alleging that Georgia’s high usage levels during a drought devastated the oyster industry in the Apalachicola Bay. The river basin is the primary source of drinking water for the metro Atlanta area (estimated at 70% of the population), and it also helps sustain […]

It has been three years since the lead contamination and consequent drinking water crisis occurred in Flint, Michigan.  Given the extent of aging infrastructure throughout the country, the question is, who will be next?  Both Newark, New Jersey and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are currently facing similar circumstances. In 2016, the same year Flint was dealing with lead in drinking water, Newark was also facing accusations of lead-contaminated water, although the city reported the issue to be confined to buildings with aging infrastructure.  Subsequently, they prohibited the use of water fountains in 30 schools, providing bottled water, instead.  The following year, testing […]

The day many have dreaded for years occurred this month when projections indicated that Lake Mead’s level will reach the “Tier Zero” zone as of January 1, 2020; that’s the level at which mandatory cutbacks are activated by the federal Bureau of Reclamation.  In May, the Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan was signed by the states of California, Arizona and Nevada which requires that the states take less water when Lake Meade’s level reaches 1,100 feet above sea level.  The plan also creates incentives for additional voluntary conservation of water to Lake Mead by the states.  Additionally, Mexico, in a […]

Michigan has had plenty of bad press in recent years about water-related issues; lead levels in drinking water and flooding to name a few.  However, some good news came at the end of June when Detroit’s Water and Sewerage Department announced that it will invest in upgrades to the city’s water and sewer systems, and the city would also invest $500 million in the endeavor over five years. These upgrades are, in part, related to Michigan’s revised “Lead and Copper Rule” which “establishes action levels (AL) for lead and copper based on a 90th percentile level of tap water samples.”[1]  […]

In Pennsylvania, many communities are charging, or considering charging, property owners fees to address storm water management.  State-wide, communities must reduce storm water runoff that is depositing sediment in local water sources as outlined by the state Department of Environmental Protection.  Latrobe is the latest area municipality to consider charging property owners to help meet its required annual reduction of 10 percent, or a minimum of 114,700 pounds of sediment, over five years. Michael Gray, Latrobe’s interim city manager, has said that the estimated cost of the fee plan is $2 million.  Half of the funds would come from the […]