Water Online's EPA Weekly

11. Using Green Infrastructure To Maximize Ecosystem Benefits 5/10/2022

    As part of an agreement with the EPA to reduce contaminated stormwater overflows from reaching the Mississippi river, the City of St. Louis, Missouri has enacted a $100 million grant program to support the installation of rain gardens and other types of green infrastructure across the city.

12. Restoring A Unique Area In Northwest Indiana 4/13/2022

    Although discharges of toxic substances into the Great Lakes have been reduced over the last 50 years, high concentrations of contaminated sediment remain in the bottom of some rivers and harbors. These contaminants pose potential health risks to people and wildlife, and states have issued fish advisories in many Great Lakes locations.

13. EPA Researchers Share Approaches To Identify Lead Service Lines 3/16/2022

    Lead is one of the most challenging contaminants affecting our drinking water. Lead can enter drinking water from a variety of plumbing materials installed prior to its ban. The most common sources of lead in drinking water are old lead service lines, lead-containing faucets, other lead-containing plumbing fixtures and leaded solder joints.

14. Village Blue Lake Pontchartrain Offers New Orleanians Insights Into Local Water Quality 8/4/2021

    Water quality monitoring can be a powerful tool to help inform policies and environmental restoration efforts, and to keep local water bodies healthy. EPA recently launched a water quality monitoring project in New Orleans that’s helping the community learn more about Lake Pontchartrain’s water quality and its greater connection to the Mississippi River.

15. EPA Researchers Develop Tool To Assess Onsite Non-Potable Water Reuse For Buildings Across The U.S. 6/2/2021

    Increasing pressure on water resources has led to greater water scarcity and a growing demand for enough clean water. Many communities across the country have initiated, or are in the process of developing, centralized systems for planned water reuse. Water reuse is the concept of intentionally recycling, treating, and reusing alternative water sources. Federal government agencies and the water user community are coordinating their efforts to advance the adoption of water reuse and ensure the security, sustainability, and resilience of water resources. The National Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP) describes these collaborative actions.

16. EPA Scientists Test Non-Targeted Analysis Methods Using Drinking Water Filters 5/19/2021

    Today, researchers can rapidly search for thousands of never-before studied chemical compounds in a wide variety of environmental, residential, and biological media. This approach is called “non-targeted analysis” (NTA). It differs from targeted analysis because researchers do not have to know what specific chemical they are looking for in a sample. They can use high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) to rapidly identify many of the chemicals present in a sample. The HRMS measures the accurate mass of molecules and can find chemicals that would have gone unnoticed before. This approach is beneficial not just to researchers, but to States, tribes, and local communities who might want to know more about chemical exposure.

17. EPA Tool Simplifies Stormwater Decision-Making 5/18/2021

    Communities are facing decisions on how best to upgrade aging stormwater infrastructure and build new  infrastructure to lessen the impacts of stormwater runoff. As communities make these decisions, they need tools to assess their options in order to determine the most cost-effective approach.

18. Nutrient Sensor Action Challenge Winners: Data And Decisions To Manage Excess Nutrients 10/22/2019

    Nutrients in the environment from excess nitrogen and phosphorous can result in negative impacts on water quality. EPA is improving nutrient management by incentivizing the development of low-cost technology solutions, such as nutrient sensors, in collaboration with USGS, USDA, NIST, NOAA, and the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).

19. Wildfires: How Do They Affect Our Water Supplies? 8/14/2019

    Wildfire is a natural part of many ecosystems, but recently these fires have become more severe, burning more acres and causing destruction in the western parts of the United States. Recently, U.S. EPA researchers have begun to look at the impact of these fires on our water supply, the natural resource we depend on for drinking, irrigation, fishing, and recreation.

20. EPA Researchers Develop Strategies And Methods To Help Predict Harmful Algal Blooms In Kansas 7/2/2019

    Harmful algal blooms are a significant concern for many communities across the U.S. These blooms occur when cyanobacteria grow out of control in fresh and marine waters, often because of excess phosphorus and nitrogen from stormwater runoff and other sources such as fertilizers entering the water.