Peter Chawaga

EDITORIAL BY PETER

• Minnesota Governor Drops Into Sewer To Promote $300M Infrastructure Plan

  Among the obstacles that prevent municipalities from upgrading outdated drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure are lack of funds and the need to raise public awareness about the issue.

• Buttigieg's $1-Trillion Infrastructure Plan Includes Major Provisions For Water Systems

  As of this writing, Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg stands as one of the politicians most likely to face Donald Trump in the November 2020 election. And, as such, his expansive plan for American infrastructure has a chance to make dramatic impact on the country’s water systems.

• Manhattan Pipe Break Creates River On Broadway, Massive Subway Delays

  Unfortunately, water main breaks might be the most high-profile way in which the public interacts with drinking water or wastewater infrastructure. And of all such incidents, none are more high-profile than when they occur in the country’s biggest city.

• New Jersey Has Comprehensive, Expensive Plan For Getting The Lead Out

  After coming under public fire for providing drinking water contaminated with lead to its residents, New Jersey providers appear to be making progress with a comprehensive solution to the problem.

• Florida Beach Closures Tied To Seaweed, Not Nearby Wastewater Plant

  With beaches in Key Biscayne, FL, closing due to high levels of bacteria in the water, many may have blamed a nearby wastewater plant for failing to properly treat its effluent. But a recent study indicates that an environmental issue is more likely to blame.

• New York On The Hook For Millions In Residential Sewage Flood Damage

  After a recent reporting revelation, it appears New York City could be on the line for millions of dollars in damages caused by raw sewage pouring into residents’ homes.

• Federal Spending Plan Includes $85M For Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

  The most recent significant legislation to be signed into U.S. federal law included a major windfall to protect a national source water body with surprisingly nonpartisan support.

• New North American Trade Deal Provides $300M To Fight Cross-Border Pollution

  A landmark revamping of the trade bloc agreement between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico — previously known as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and recently resigned as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USCMA) — includes significant provisions to protect a particularly stressed cross-border source water body.

• PFAS Cleanup, Regulation Provisions Stripped From Defense Bill

  Though the federal government has included some provisions for mitigating the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. drinking water through the latest iteration of its annual defense bill, the legislation does not go as far as it once might have.

• Uranium, Other Dangerous Chemicals Released Into Detroit River

  A site known to be contaminated by uranium and other harmful contaminants has collapsed into a significant source water body and there could be major drinking water treatment implications.