Articles by Riley Kleemeier

  1. Groundwater Extraction Is Sinking Major Cities 5/15/2025

    From New York to Los Angeles, cities in the United States are sinking. According to a recent study, which looked at the 28 most populous cities, all were sinking to some degree. The authors of the study point to massive ongoing groundwater extraction as the most common cause.

  2. Trump's 2026 Budget Cuts: What Will They Mean For The Water Industry? 5/8/2025

    On May 2nd, a letter to Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins revealed that President Donald Trump’s budget proposal for FY2026 calls for a sweeping $4.2 billion in total funding reduction for the U.S. EPA. $2.46 billion of this will be taken from the Clean and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, or SRFs.

  3. U.S. And Mexico Strike Water Deal Amid Growing Rio Grande Crisis 5/1/2025

    As of Monday, the United States and Mexico have reached an agreement on how water will be shared from the Rio Grande basin. This agreement comes in response to Mexico falling significantly behind on its water delivery obligations, exacerbating drought conditions in South Texas.

  4. Arizona's New Water Plan: Treating Wastewater To Tackle Drought 4/24/2025

    From April 2020 to March 2025, Arizona has endured its fourth driest stretch of drought on record, underscoring the urgency of water conservation efforts across the state. With water resources strained and climate conditions remaining unpredictable, both state agencies and residents are being urged to take proactive steps in managing water use.

  5. Trump Demands Water Owed From U.S.-Mexico Treaty 4/16/2025

    Amid three years of drought, Mexico has struggled to deliver on its promises to the U.S. made per a 1944 water treaty. Under the treaty, Mexico agreed to send 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the U.S. every five years. However, the country is currently experiencing the most widespread drought since 2011.

  6. Fluoridation Under Fire 4/9/2025

    Beginning on May 7, 2025, Utah’s ban on fluoride in drinking water will officially take effect, making it the first state in the U.S. to ban fluoride in drinking water.

  7. Millions Of Hours Of Sewage Spills Put Millions At Risk 3/27/2025

    In a new report released on Thursday, the UK’s Environment Agency (EA) revealed a staggering figure: water companies released raw sewage into England’s waterways for 3.61 million hours in 2024. While some spilling is legal, scientists are raising alarms about the potential danger to the public.

  8. Is Texas On The Brink Of Running Dry? 3/20/2025

    As warmer months approach, Texas communities are bracing for another summer of water scarcity. With demand rising and supplies dwindling, what do state leaders plan to do about it?

  9. Trump's Funding Freeze And The Fate Of The Colorado River 3/13/2025

    For years, the fate of the Colorado River has been a point of contention amongst lawmakers and environmentalists. Now, amid the Trump administration’s flurry of new regulations, the river’s future is further up for debate.

  10. Supreme Court Rules Against EPA In Water Permitting Case 3/7/2025

    On March 4, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 vote that the U.S. EPA has overstepped its authority under the Clean Water Act. According to the majority opinion, the agency does not have the authority “to include ‘end-result’ provisions” when setting specific discharge limits.