Delayed Project to Address Water Contamination in Marin County Set to Begin

The saltwater contamination of the West Marin water supply in Northern California has been delayed by nearly a year, but is finally set to begin. However, according to the Marin Independent Journal, the project will now cost $192,000, which is more than double the original estimate.

The project will build a new well, since two thirds of the wells currently in operation are subject to saltwater contamination. The contamination is expected to increase in frequency due to “climate change through prolonged drought periods and sea-level rise.”

Federal Lawsuit Filed Against Alabama Building Company Allegedly in Violation of Clean Water Act

According to the Alabama Political Reporter, the Southern Environmental Law Center has filed a federal lawsuit alleging “Newcastle Homes violated the Clean Water Act more than 150 times by  allowing sediment to discharge from construction sites.”

The suit was filed on behalf of Coosa Riverkeeper which collected water quality samples of Yellowleaf Creek in Shelby County. The samples, collected on 25 separate days over two years, contained “both visible stormwater pollution and excess sediment.”

House Passes $350 Million Stopgap Bill to Address Hawaii Water Contamination Crisis

A stopgap bill passed by the House would approve $350 million to help remedy the ongoing water contamination crisis at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickham in Hawaii, according to Military.com. A fuel leak at the Red Hill storage facility led to the contamination, and defense officials are “currently locked in a battle with Hawaii over the state's order to drain the fuel stored at Red Hill.”

Boil Water Advisory Issued for Parts of Kansas, Tennessee, and Texas

A boil water advisory was issued for Lakeside Village in Topeka, Kansas this week. Long-term residents say this happens about twice a year, and they are getting tired of it. A broken water line led to the latest advisory, but the water system infrastructure seems to be an ongoing issue in Jefferson County.

A “significant waterline break” in the Lynn Garden area of Kingsport, Tennessee has led to a boil water advisory and possible loss of water service. According to WJHL, Kennedy Elementary School will be released early because of the break.

Human error at the Ulrich water plant in Austin, Texas has led to a continued boil water advisory for residents. The advisory began on Saturday, and officials hope to resolve it soon. In the meantime, the city has set up five distribution sites to hand out bottled water and fill up jugs with potable water.