Wastewater

An aerial view of Truckee River, surrounded by mountains.

Nevada breaks ground on state's first wastewater-to-drinking-water plant

After initial treatment, the water will sit in a groundwater aquifer for years to filter further before it is pumped into the city’s tap water.

September 15, 2026 - The Nevada Independent

Workers screwing down wood panels on NYC sidewalk to prepare subway system for flooding.

NYC plans sewer upgrades after back-to-back floods

The city is working to expand sewer capacity and improve other stormwater storage and capture systems to prevent flooding.

July 24, 2026 - PIX 11

Downtown Denver, Colorado skyline at dusk.

Denver is building a sewage-powered thermal energy network

A proposed thermal energy network will harness heat from the earth and from wastewater to power renewable heating and cooling systems.

May 30, 2026 - National Public Radio

Google Street View image of cranes at construction site for data center in Memphis, Tennessee.

Memphis Data Center Will Harness Wastewater for Cooling

The xAI-owned Colossus facility uses as much water as 10,000 households.

March 17, 2026 - Governing

Flooded Mississippi River next to Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.

St. Louis has a Secret Stormwater Weapon Saving 100 Million Gallons from the Mississippi

The city reimburses residents who install gardens, rain barrels, and other methods that retain stormwater and decrease the risk of flooding.

October 21, 2025 - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Regeneration of contaminated industrial land used for waste dumping, West Midlands, UK, 2006 .

EPA Awards $267 Million to Clean Up and Reuse Contaminated Sites

The EPA is investing the funds to clean up and redevelop contaminated sites nationwide, supporting economic growth, community revitalization, and environmental restoration.

May 18, 2025 - Environmental Protection

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Water purification plant in El Paso, Texas on riverfront.

El Paso Wastewater Purification Facility Breaks Ground

As water supplies become strained and technology advances, cities look to wastewater as a viable source of drinking water.

March 6, 2025 - Governing

Worker in blue pants holding hose while standing in flooded interior room.

Baltimore Sewer Backup Assistance Programs Stall

Two programs aimed at helping residents safely clean up overflows caused by aging pipes are in limbo due to a dispute between the city and the EPA.

August 20, 2024 - Inside Climate News

Aerial view of Baltimore's Inner Harbor with downtown skyline.

Baltimore Invests Billions to Clean its Waterways

Like Paris, the city has been working to improve its wastewater system and make local waterways safe for swimming.

August 13, 2024 - NPR

 The west tunnel entrance to the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant in March 2020 with O and A letters missing in Oceanside.

San Francisco Takes on EPA in Supreme Court Case

The Court has agreed to hear an appeal challenging federal water pollution regulations.

May 30, 2024 - San Francisco Chronicle

Wastewater treatment ponds.

California Approves Wastewater Recycling Rules

The complex set of regulations will ensure recycled water makes it to taps safely.

December 20, 2023 - CALmatters

Sepia-toned photo of flooded street with residential home

Chicago Flood Mitigation Scrambles to Keep up With Climate Change

The city’s geography and the growing intensity of storms due to climate change are making it difficult for local officials to prevent neighborhood flooding and wastewater spills.

July 20, 2023 - Governing

Suwanee river with tall trees along the banks in northern Florida

Florida Boosts Rural Infrastructure Fund

Five rural communities will receive $15 million under a new law designed to assist rural areas in developing their infrastructure.

June 19, 2023 - Fort Myers News-Press

Aerial view of California aqueduct snaking through arid hills outside Los Angeles

California Governor Outlines Plan for a ‘Hotter, Drier Future’

With California’s water supply expected to drop by 10 percent in the next two decades, Governor Newsom’s strategy calls for conservation and increased investment in water collection, storage, and desalination infrastructure.

August 12, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

Wastewater California

Wastewater System Upgrade Plans Already Out of Date

Some Midwest cities' plans to upgrade decades-old sewer systems rely on outdated rainfall predictions as flood risks grow due to climate change and shifting weather patterns.

March 10, 2022 - Grist

Water Treatment

How Cities Can Manage Drought Risk and Conserve Water

As climate change and population growth strain fresh water resources, tactics from around the world provide universal lessons for building water-smart cities.

August 6, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

Colorado River megadrought

House Bill Would Invest Up to $750 Million in Wastewater Recycling Projects

HR 4099, which recently passed a House subcommittee, would create a new pool of money for 17 western states to use for new wastewater recycling capacity.

July 5, 2021 - Congresswoman Grace F Napolitano

Water Pollution Control Plant

How Cities Are Using Wastewater to Test for COVID-19

Some scientists and city officials are moving ahead with a different way to track the virus’s spread: wastewater testing.

February 16, 2021 - Devin Partida

Septic Tank

Lack of Septic Systems Spell Disaster for Low-Income Alabama Residents

Low-income Alabama residents who can't afford the cost of a functional septic tank run the risk of heavy fines and even arrest in addition to extremely unsafe conditions.

December 3, 2020 - The New Yorker

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

Senior Planner

Eagle County Government

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