Nearly two decades after Hurricane Katrina, there are continued efforts to make New Orleans more resilient to storms and climate change. A recent innovation is the green mortgage, a program that helps lower-income people buy a home and provides a budget for retrofits for water, wind, and energy projects. The…
A Chemours facility on the Cape Fear River discharged PFAS for 40 years. The Cape Fear Public Utility Authority has to spent $110 million to upgrade water treatment to remove the chemicals. So the utility has taken the polluter to court seeking financial responsibility. #podcast at https://bit.ly/PFASdrinkingwater #water #waterloop #waternews…
"We are at or near no detection of PFAS." A granular activated carbon system built at the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority is effective, says Ken Waldroup. Now it will cost $3 to $5 million each year to refresh the carbon, based on PFAS pollution levels in the river. #podcast…
When the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority found high levels of PFAS in the water, it couldn't wait for government regulators to provide direction. The utility evaluated treatment options and built a $43 million granular activated carbon system, says Ken Waldroup. #podcast at https://bit.ly/PFASdrinkingwater #water #waternews #watertreatment #watersolutions #pfas #utilities
When the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority discovered high levels of PFAS in the water in 2016, the utility's staff had many questions, says Ken Waldroup. What are these chemicals? What is the source? What are the public health impacts? "There were no answers." #podcast at https://bit.ly/PFASdrinkingwater #water #waternews #watersolutions…
Bobby Magill of Bloomberg Law & Environment: Drinking water systems are preparing for the possibility that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will soon try to codify its 2022 health advisories suggesting no amount of PFAS substances are safe. Story: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/water-utilities-brace-for-imminent-epa-proposal-on-pfas-in-water #water #waterloop #waternews #watersolutions #pfas #utilities
Jeff Thompson of Black & Veatch discusses why the firm was chosen to build a granular activated carbon system to treat PFAS at the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority. Black & Veatch is a sponsor of the waterloop series on PFAS. Visit https://www.bv.com/pfas
Zack Budryk of The Hill: Increasing transparency requirements around fracking activity and the specific fluids used in the process are associated with lower pollution levels and better water quality, new research shows. Story: https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3855934-states-with-fracking-disclosure-rules-have-higher-water-quality-study/ #water #waterloop #waternews #watersolutions #fracking #frack
This episode is part of a series The PFAS Puzzle: Lessons From A Contaminated Cape Fear. The forever chemicals were dumped in the North Carolina river for nearly 40 years before being discovered. The series explores how a community responds when it is the epicenter of PFAS pollution. This episode…
Anna Skinner of Newsweek: Communities along the Ohio River are taking a closer look at water quality after a train derailed and toxic chemicals were spilled. Local residents have been told to drink bottled water. Story: https://www.newsweek.com/ohio-river-drinking-water-map-toxic-chemical-spill-raises-impact-concerns-1780932 #water #waterloop #waternews #trainderailment #chemicals #ohioriver
Li Cohen of CBS News: Researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography dyed the water pink in San Diego to study how small plumes of freshwater interact with the ocean near the shore. Story: https://lnkd.in/gKuVt7uq Drone credit Scripps | Photo credit Erik Jepsen #water #waterloop #waternews #watersolutions #ocean #research
Black people in environmental conservation have not historically received the same visibility in the media. This not only fails to acknowledge their contributions, but also leaves young people without role models in fields such as water. That’s why a conservationist is profiled each day during Black History Month by Sierra…
State Revolving Fund dollars disproportionately go to large cites and the money is difficult for small cities to access for projects like lead line removal, says Timothy Male of the Environmental Policy Innovation Center. Changes in policy and use of public-private partnerships can help. #podcast at https://bit.ly/waterloopLead1 #water #waterloop #waternews…
Public water utilities are allowed to finance projects on private property such as replacement of lead service lines, according guidance issued by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, says Cynthia Koehler of the WaterNow Alliance. #podcast at https://bit.ly/waterloopLead1 #water #waterloop #waternews #watersolutions #finance #utilities
There is an underutilized opportunity for utilities to use municipal bonds to finance the replacement of lead service lines, spread the cost over decades, and get the work much faster, says Cynthia Koehler of the WaterNow Alliance. #podcast at https://bit.ly/waterloopLead1 #water #waterloop #waternews #watersolutions #finance #bonds #utilities
Instead of waiting to know where every lead water line is located before starting removal, Tim Male of the Environmental Policy Innovation Center believes communities should be replacing them on an ongoing basis because of the public health and economic benefits. #podcast at https://bit.ly/waterloopLead1 #water #waterloop #waternews #watersolutions #lead
The infrastructure act provided $15 billion for lead service line removal. That funding will flow through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to the states, who provide loans and grants to communities, says Tim Male of the Environmental Policy Innovation Center. #podcast ▶️ https://bit.ly/waterloopLead1
Bob Crossen of Wastewater Digest: Water tech company Xylem is acquiring Evoqua, a provider of treatment services, for a value of $7.5 billion in stock. The combined company will be uniquely positioned to develop and deliver solutions. Coverage at https://wwdmag.com/home/video/21546195/xylem-acquires-evoqua-water-technologies #water #waterloop #waternews #watersolutions
There are several options for funding removal of lead service lines, says Cynthia Koehler of the WaterNow Alliance. ➡️ Federal loans and grants ➡️ Property owners pay for the work ➡️ Water rates paid by customers ➡️ Bonds that tap into capital markets #podcast at https://bit.ly/waterloopLead1 #water #waternews #watersolutions #waterloop…
BlueConduit is a water analytics company that has developed cutting-edge, predictive machine learning software to locate lead service lines, empowering local officials and their engineering partners with the information to efficiently remove those pipes. Visit https://blueconduit.com #water #waterloop #waternews #watersolutions #machinelearning #artificialintelligence #lead #drinkingwater
WaterPIO is a national public communications firm focused on helping water and wastewater utilities of all sizes affordably improve their customer, media, and crisis communications. WaterPIO also specializes in assisting utilities with communications on PFAS and lead. Learn more at https://www.waterpio.com #water #waterloop #utilities #communications #pfas #lead