Wichita Falls, TX has begun using treated wastewater to supply its 150,000 residents with a reliable drinking supply, and to date is only the second city in the state to do so. The River Road Waste Treatment Plant began using millions of gallons of the recycled water on July 9th after it was determined that the water met government drinking standards. According to an article posted by the Statesman, “Wichita Falls is operating under a Stage 5 drought catastrophe, in which outdoor watering is banned and conservation is urged. Demand for city water has dropped 45 percent, according to City Manager Darron Leiker.” Even with the new recycled water project in full swing, the Texas Water Development Board estimates that water reservoirs in the Wichita Falls area will run dry by August 2016.
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This week the EPA proposed an amendment to all appropriate inquiries under CERCLA to remove reference to E1527-05 and replace it with the new E1527-13 standard. The public comment period is open until July 17, 2014.
Carissa Ries
The EPA proposed new regulations this week that aim to lower carbon dioxide emissions from existing coal-fired power plants by 2030. Based on projections from 2005, the EPA seeks to reduce the amount of CO2 produced from these plants by 30% over the next sixteen years. Coal power generates 37% of the total electricity in the United States, and contributes to 38% of the nation’s CO2 emissions. The EPA estimates a possible 25% drop in the most common air pollutants based on these projections, and boasts that for every dollar invested to lower emissions that the American public would recover seven dollars in health benefits.