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Two-Way Water Transfers Can Ensure Reliability and Save Money During Drought in Western US

/in , , /by /Phys Org

A study led by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers a solution to water scarcity during droughts amid the tug of economic development, population growth and climate uncertainty for water users in Western U.S. states. The proposed two-way leasing contracts would coordinate agricultural-to-urban leasing during periods of drought and urban-to-agricultural leasing during wet periods, benefiting both urban and agricultural water users.

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A Look at What Prop 4 Passing Means for Californians

/in , , /by /Spectrum News 1by Jamie Kennedy

Besides producing grapes, a particular vineyard in Sacramento County is playing an important role, said Omuchumme-Hartnell Water District General Manager Mike Wackman, in preparing the greater area for times of drought.

“This field here represents a recharge area,” Wackman said. “So, with the vines being grown out here, we’re able to take water off the Consumer’s River and recharge, and actually flood these fields while the vines go dormant.”

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Record-Breaking Storms Provides Boost for California’s Water Supply

/in , , /by /CBS Newsby Wilson Walker

The North Bay saw record rainfall last week, which is good news for the state’s water supply that has been healthy for the past two years after a lengthy drought.

The heavy precipitation was still visible in the increased volume of water flowing in a number of Marin County creeks and waterfalls Tuesday.

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Unstoppable Invasion: How Did Mussels Sneak into California, Despite Decades of State Shipping Rules?

/in , , /by /Cal Mattersby Alastair Bland

After the recent discovery of a destructive mussel in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, some experts say California officials have failed to effectively enforce laws designed to protect waterways from invaders carried in ships’ ballast water.

A state law enacted 20 years ago has required California officials to inspect 25% of incoming ships and sample their ballast water before it’s discharged into waterways. But the tests didn’t begin until two years ago — after standards for conducting them were finally set — and testing remains rare. State officials have sampled the ballast water of only 16 vessels out of the roughly 3,000 likely to have emptied their tanks nearshore.

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3 Steps Business Leaders Can Take To Help Improve U.S. Drinking Water

/in , , /by /Forbesby Richard Razgaitis

To the long list of issues that demand a company’s attention, it’s time to add the state of our drinking water. Why? Because the quality of water impacts more than just public health—it can influence employee well-being, operational sustainability and a company’s reputation.

Federal standards for water safety haven’t significantly evolved since the Safe Drinking Water Act was enacted nearly 50 years ago, even as industrial and agricultural activities have introduced harmful contaminants to our water supply. As water quality has diminished, the bottled water industry has grown, creating a reliance on plastic. But this also poses potential health risks.

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2025 U.S. Presidential Shift: Water Policy Impact and Industry Implications

/in , , /by /Smart Water Magazineby Alejandro Maceira Rozados

The re-election of Donald Trump in 2024 will likely lead to a notable shift in U.S. water policy, steering away from the sustainability-focused initiatives of the Biden administration. This change is expected to reshape key sectors within the water industry — including infrastructure development, water quality standards, climate change strategies, and water utility operations — by prioritizing economic growth and regulatory relaxation over federally driven environmental protections.

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Climate-Driven Impacts on Water in US West will Raise the Cost of Grid Decarbonization: Study

/in , , /by /The Hillby Sharon Udasin

The western U.S.’s plans to decarbonize electricity grids by 2050 may be much more expensive than anticipated, as such targets fail to account for the effects of climate change on water resources, a new study has found.

Shifts in water availability due to warming could decrease hydropower production by up to 23 percent by midcentury, while electricity demand could rise by 2 percent annually, according to the study, published Monday in Nature Communications.

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What to Know about a Newly Defined Chemical Byproduct Found in Drinking Water

/in , , /by /ABC 10 News by Mary Kekatos

A chemical byproduct found in some treated drinking water in the U.S. that remained a mystery for more than 40 years may have finally been identified by scientists.

The authors of the study, published Thursday in the journal Science, have named the byproduct chloronitramide anion, and believe it is a decomposition byproduct of chloramine, which is used as a disinfectant in tap water.

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Record Dryness in US Northeast Should Change Water Behavior, Experts Say

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Brittany Peterson

It hasn’t been a typical fall for the northeastern United States.

Fires have burned in parks and forests around New York City. Towns and cities in a stretch from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to south of Philadelphia had their driest three months on record, according to the Applied Climate Information System. Some reservoirs in the region are near historic lows.

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California’s Water Crisis Demands Solutions Beyond Reservoirs, Report Finds

/in , , /by /Newsweekby Tom Howarth

California’s ongoing struggle with water scarcity has spurred significant investment in reservoirs and dam expansion, but a new report from the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) highlights why these massive infrastructure projects may worsen the state’s water and environmental crises.

The report, titled “Beneath the Surface,” challenges the notion that reservoirs are a sustainable solution, arguing that their benefits are undermined by environmental and economic costs, especially as climate change intensifies.

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