By Wednesday morning, Southern California will be flooded with torrential rainfall due to a powerful Pacific storm. The National Weather Service has issued flood alerts for a major section of the region in response. Amounts of rainfall ranging from 2 to 5 inches are anticipated along the valleys and coastline of metropolitan Los Angeles; the foothills and mountains are anticipated to receive even more rainfall.
According to the NSGA Annual Sports Participation Report, swimming has become more popular for the second year in a row. Walking exercise has been the most popular activity since 1990. Swimming overtook equipment-based exercise as the third most popular activity in 2008 with 63 million participants.
The expression “You don’t miss the water until the well runs dry” is true. America’s tap water has experienced numerous safety incidents in recent years; these incidents have a direct impact on the lives of the locals.
August ended with a massive hurricane in Keaton Beach, Florida. Idalia - the hurricane - started as a Category 3 hurricane but later advanced to a Category 4 hurricane for a short while. Like most hurricanes, Idalia came with significant flooding, damaging all the powerlines in its path. People living in Horseshoe Beach, just 30 miles south of landfall, were thrown into darkness due to the destructive effects of the Idalia.
Early in 2021, Japan announced it would release more than 1m tons of contaminated water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. On August 24, 2023, amid ongoing controversy surrounding the long-standing discharge plan, Japan has commenced the release of treated radioactive water from the severely affected Fukushima nuclear power plant.
PFAS have been continuously reported to contaminate water sources across the country. Also referred to as “forever chemicals,” these chemicals are found in our everyday items like nonstick pans, food packaging, and even waterproof jackets. The Center for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) has also reported that these chemicals are found in the bodies of 97% of the American population.
About 8,1000 gallons of latex-based solution ended up in the Delaware River on March 24. The Delaware River is a few miles upstream of an important water intake serving Philadelphia’s Baxter Water Treatment Plant.
Florida was in the news earlier this month when a man died from a brain-eating amoeba infection in Charlotte County. According to the news release by the state Health Department in Charlotte County, the infection most likely resulted from “sinus rinse practices utilizing tap water.” The release further stated that the infection, caused by Naegleria fowleri, the brain-eating amoeba, “can only happen when water contaminated with amoebae enters the body through the nose.”
There was a freight train derailment and explosion in East Palestine, Ohio, United States, on February 3, 2023. The train, carrying hazardous chemicals, including vinyl chloride, was reported to have derailed before causing a fire that lasted for several days and was eventually managed into a controlled burn on February 6.
The majority of people use plastic on a regular basis. However, this substance is usually not biodegradable. It breaks down over time into tiny fragments known as microplastics, which are potentially harmful to the environment. They are found everywhere, including in the human food chain, and drinking water is most likely a significant source of exposure for people.