wastewater

Changing Laundry Habits Could Eliminate Thousands of Tons of Ocean Pollution

Changing Laundry Habits Could Eliminate Thousands of Tons of Ocean Pollution

An estimated 14,000 tons of microfibers sloughed off of soiled laundry is believed to be released into European oceans every year, further contributing to microplastic pollution with a threat of becoming a “significant environmental issue.” That amounts to about two garbage trucks every day, new research suggests. Many synthetic clothes, linens, and households textiles are […]

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    2 Million Americans Lack Clean Water Access, Especially Native Americans

    2 Million Americans Lack Clean Water Access, Especially Native Americans

    Native Americans are disproportionately without access to clean water, according to a new report, “Closing the Water Access Gap in the United States: A National Action Plan,” to be released this afternoon, which shows that more than two million Americans do not have access to running water, indoor plumbing or wastewater services. The report is […]

    Maui Mayor Rejects Clean Water Act Settlement, Aims for Supreme Court Hearing

    Maui Mayor Rejects Clean Water Act Settlement, Aims for Supreme Court Hearing

    By Brett Walton Defying a vote of the County Council, Maui Mayor Michael Victorino said on Oct.18 that he will not settle a Clean Water Act lawsuit that holds national implications for water pollution permitting. Instead of the settlement that the council authorized last month, Victorino prefers to have the nation’s highest court decide whether […]

    How Cape Town Avoided a Water Crisis at the Eleventh Hour

    How Cape Town Avoided a Water Crisis at the Eleventh Hour

    By Charlotte Edmond Cape Town’s water crisis got so bad last year that there were competitions to see who could wash their shirts the least. Restaurants and businesses were encouraging people not to flush after going to the toilet. The city was just 90 days away from turning off the taps. WWF – SA A […]

    Pipeline Leaks 63,840 Gallons of Produced Water in North Dakota

    Pipeline Leaks 63,840 Gallons of Produced Water in North Dakota

    A pipeline released 63,840 gallons (1,520 barrels) of produced water that contaminated rangeland in Dunn County, North Dakota, the Bismarck Tribune reported, citing officials with the North Dakota Department of Health. Produced water is a byproduct of oil and gas extraction, and can contain drilling chemicals if fracking was used. The pipeline is part of […]

    Injecting Wastewater Underground Can Cause Earthquakes Up to 10 Kilometers Away

    Injecting Wastewater Underground Can Cause Earthquakes Up to 10 Kilometers Away

    By Emily Brodsky Earthquakes in the central and eastern U.S. have increased dramatically in the last decade as a result of human activities. Enhanced oil recovery techniques, including dewatering and hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, have made accessible large quantities of oil and gas previously trapped underground, but often result in a glut of contaminated wastewater […]