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by Amy Lupica, ODP Staff Writer According to a White House memo, the new infrastructure bill will remove and replace all of the nation’s lead pipes and service lines that provide water to up to 10 million homes and 400,000 schools and daycares. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that the provision would create jobs and […]
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The nation’s largest reservoir, Lake Mead, created by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, has reached record lows (at only 36% full) in the face of a severe drought sweeping the western U.S. The reservoir supplies drinking water for 25 million people in Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas, and more.
Why This Matters: Drought is becoming a permanent fixture across the west, and dry conditions are moving further east each year.
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by Amy Lupica, ODP Staff Writer Several Massachusetts towns are looking for new water sources after discovering dangerously high levels of PFAS in their water. PFAS, chemicals primarily used to waterproof plastics, are known as “forever chemicals” and have been found to increase the risk of cancer and severe COVID-19. Now, advocates are urging federal and state governments to take […]
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As California’s drought conditions are worsening, Nestle is pumping millions of gallons of water from the San Bernardino forest. State water officials have drafted a cease-and-desist order to force the company to stop overpumping from Strawberry Creek, which provides drinking water for about 750,000 people.
Why This Matters: It’s not the first time – other states have also tried to reign in Nestle for its water grabs.
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One of the largest chicken producers in the country — the family-owned Mountaire Corp. — agreed to pay $205 million to settle two court cases that its Delaware plants contaminated water wells, waterways, and the surrounding air with improperly disposed of wastewater.
Why this Matters: Groundwater contamination affects communities across the country. In Orange County and Oakland, California groundwater polluted with industrial waste is seeping into sources of drinking water.
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By Natasha Lasky, ODP Staff Writer Over 70% of the drinking water in Orange County, California comes from groundwater. But historic manufacturing nearby has polluted it due to the improper discarding of toxic chemicals. The LA Times reports that there are three major cleanup projects involving groundwater beneath 22 Californian cities, including Anaheim, Santa Ana, […]
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