Source Water Contamination Resources
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Arsenic Contamination Of Food And Water Is A Global Public Health Concern — Researchers Are Studying How It Causes Cancer
6/9/2023
Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in the Earth’s crust. Exposure to arsenic, often through contaminated food and water, is associated with various negative health effects. We study it can lead to cancer through the formation of cancer stem cells.
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Parasitic Infections Hit The Health Of Low-Income Black Communities Where States Have Neglected Sewage Systems
5/19/2023
Intestinal infections take a heavy toll on impoverished Black communities that have out-of-date sewage systems. These infections often spread through contaminated soil and water and are among the most common diseases worldwide. Although many Americans believe these diseases now exist only in lower-income countries, research that my colleague and I have conducted challenges this assumption.
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The Dangers Of Lead Poisoning In Schools — And How We Can Fix The Nationwide Problem
5/10/2023
Known as a highly toxic chemical that is damaging to growth and learning development, lead in tap water is a matter raising nationwide concern. While some states have acted to improve this issue, the health threat of lead in school drinking fountains is now leading citizens to worry about the dangers of child consumption, the country's aging water systems, and the protection of our future generation.
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How Can We Prevent Sewage Pollution In The UK From Worsening?
5/10/2023
In sewers, human waste mingles with personal hygiene products, household chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other contaminants, creating highly toxic wastewater that pours pollutants and 6.2 million tons of nitrogen into coastal water every year. How can we prevent sewage pollution? The answer starts with tackling the problem in the UK.
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PFAS Payback: How Utilities Can Hold Polluters Accountable
5/4/2023
As the federal government ramps up the regulatory process for enforceable limits on PFAS in drinking water, estimated to cost billions annually, an environmental attorney details how utilities can hold polluters — instead of ratepayers — financially responsible.
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When Almost Perfect Isn’t Good Enough
5/4/2023
Despite statistically astounding performance, water and wastewater utilities have almost no room for error due to the nature of public perception and the importance of their work.
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Fracking Disclosures Show Widespread Use Of Hazardous Chemicals
4/3/2023
Fracking, short for hydraulic fracturing, is a process in which workers inject fluids underground under high pressure. The fluids fracture coal beds and shale rock, allowing the gas and oil trapped within the rock to rise to the surface. Advances in fracking launched a huge expansion of U.S. oil and gas production starting in the early 2000s but also triggered intense debate over its health and environmental impacts.
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New PFAS Guidelines — A Water Quality Scientist Explains Technology And Investment Needed To Get Forever Chemicals Out Of U.S. Drinking Water
3/21/2023
An environmental engineer who develops techniques to remove PFAS explains what the proposed guidelines would require, how water utilities could meet these requirements, and how much it might cost to get these so-called forever chemicals out of U.S. drinking water.
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The Water Industry Reacts To Proposed PFAS Regulations For Drinking Water
3/14/2023
With the U.S. EPA’s recent announcement proposing maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for certain PFAS, stakeholders throughout the water industry — representing utilities, industry, the environment, legal interests, and public health — were quick to offer their opinions.
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How An Algal Metabolic Hack Threatens Our Waters
3/9/2023
Algae's ability to adapt and thrive is bad news for U.S. waterways, highlighting the importance of preventative measures to stave off harmful algal blooms.