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COVID-19: Safe Water Systems Crucial During Outbreak

/in , , /by /Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio)by Ismail Turay Jr.

Local water systems are working to make sure that as so much of the rest of people’s lives are interrupted by the coronavirus quarantines, the source of safe water for the region’s homes remain stable.

The city of Dayton — which supplies drinking water for much of Montgomery County — has launched a campaign in an effort to ease residents’ concerns about the quantity and quality of the region’s drinking water.

The COVID-19 outbreak has also led local water systems to take steps from deep-cleaning offices, staggering shifts of workers, and banning public visitors from the grounds — all to prevent an outbreak of the disease from affecting their staffs.

The steps are part of pandemic emergency plans that local water systems put into effect immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared as a state of emergency both locally and nationally. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency requires all public water systems to have emergency plans.

“With everything else going on, the last thing you need to worry about is your drinking water,” said Joe Bates, the Water Treatment Supervisor for the city of Xenia water system. “Tap water is safe. Drink tap water and save the bottled water for a true emergency or when you are mobile.”

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Opinion: COVID-19 is a Chance to Invest in our Essential Infrastructure Workforce

/in , , /by /Brookings Institutionby Joseph W. Kane

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic keeps millions of people home and many businesses shuttered for social distancing, up to 62 million essential workers are still reporting to their jobs in hospitals, grocery stores, and other critical industries. They are on the frontlines against the coronavirus, vital to our public health and economic survival. Of them, the 17 million workers who operate and maintain our infrastructure are among the most essential—delivering our packages, keeping our water running, ensuring our broadband is up to speed, and more.

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What if California Faces a Disaster During the Pandemic?

/in , , /by /Associated Pressby Don Thompson

California has evacuation plans for earthquakes, floods, mudslides and, of course, wildfires, but what if one of those disasters occurs as the state is dealing with the coronavirus outbreak when everyone is being urged to stay home?

State and local officials are trying to figure that out.

“That’s something that is being looked at, but it’s challenging,” said California Office of Emergency Services’ spokesman Brian Ferguson.

Kim Zagaris, longtime fire and rescue chief for the emergency services agency, came out of retirement to help with planning during the virus crisis.

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Watching California’s Wildlife Online Surges During Shelter-In-Place

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Gregory Thomas

Many nature webcams in California are seeing record traffic and interest this past month, as people bracing against the coronavirus pandemic look for virtual escapes from the doldrums of life indoors.

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Forty Atmospheric Rivers Have Hit West Coast Since October

/in , , /by /The Weather Channelby Chris Dolce

More than three dozen atmospheric rivers made landfall on the West Coast from fall through early spring, but a lack of strong events in California led to the development of drought conditions in parts of the state.

An atmospheric river is a thin, but long plume of moisture in the atmosphere that stretches from the Pacific Ocean tropics or subtropics into higher latitudes. They provide a boost to the rain and snow totals produced by storm systems taking aim at the West Coast, mostly from late fall into early spring. Although these events can bring hazardous impacts, they are also beneficial since they help replenish the water supply in the West.

atmospheric rivers-SIO-graphic 2020

The Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at Scripps Institution of Oceanography studies atmospheric rivers and other extreme weather. Graphic: CW3E Scripps/UC San Diego

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Water Utilities May Face Virus-Linked Protective Gear Shortages

/in , , /by /Bloomberg Environmentby Amena H. Saiyid

Nearly three in four water and wastewater treatment plants are worried about running out of masks, gowns, and gloves to protect workers from the deadly coronavirus, according to a survey of utilities.

The survey, released late Tuesday, reveals that the same proportion of utilities are also concerned about being able to keep workers 6 feet apart at all times to prevent transmission of the virus that causes Covid-19.

The findings are a snapshot of the concerns a subset of the nation’s water and wastewater utilities shared with the nonprofit American Water Works Association, which conducted the survey March 25-30. Responses came from 532 utilities, and the margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.

With the nation grappling to keep the coronavirus pandemic in check, clean and safe running water for washing hands and other cleaning has been deemed an essential service.

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Cities are Flouting Flood Rules. The Cost: $1 Billion

/in , /by /The New York Timesby Christopher Flavelle and John Schwartz

It’s a simple rule, designed to protect both homeowners and taxpayers: If you want publicly subsidized flood insurance, you can’t build a home that’s likely to flood.

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California Greenlights Massive Klamath River Dam Removal

/in , /by /E&E Newsby Jeremy P. Jacobs

The largest dam removal project in U.S. history came one step closer to fruition this week, as California issued permits for breaching the four dams on the Klamath River.

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Lawsuits Vowed as Feds, California Take Divergent Water Routes

/in , , /by /Bloomberg Lawby Emily C. Dooley

California’s decision to depart from federal regulations when managing its water supplies is causing strife across the water world.

The state recently got a new permit for water delivery operations from its wildlife agency. In the past, that kind of authority came from adhering to federal rules. Now, with a dispute between the state and federal government over water management and endangered species act protections, the state issued its own permit.

Critics of the state’s move say they plan to file lawsuits. Different detractors say the rules are too stringent, or too weak.

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April Rains Have Put a Dent in the Drought, at Least in Southern California

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Paul Duginski

U.S. Drought Monitor data released Thursday show that less of California is abnormally dry, and more of the state is drought-free.

The improvement is mostly in Southern California and along the Central Coast, while data for Northern California show little change.

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