According to a recent article by The New York Times, startups are emerging around the nation selling “raw water” to people eager to get off the water grid.

The unfiltered, unsterilized spring water is selling for as much as $36.99 for a 2.5-gallon bottle. Consumers of the raw water say they’re cautious of treated tap water, arguing that filtration can remove beneficial minerals and algae — what they’re calling “probiotics.”

While once a fringe area of interest, the movement toward off-the-grid water has gained popularity thanks to marketing and funding from supporters in Silicon Valley.

If you want to read the full article and shake your head even more, you can find it here.

Fourth Organ Found at Detroit Plant Confirmed to be Deer Heart

Yet another body part was found in the screening area of the Great Lakes Water Authority’s wastewater treatment plant in Detroit. While officials can’t confirm what the first three organs were, the fourth was confirmed to be a deer heart.

The deer heart was discovered by plant staff and reported to Detroit police. It was then given to the Wayne County morgue for examination.

Source: WZZM News

Study Shows Wastewater Effluent May Negatively Affect Coral Reef

A new study has found that local land-based pollution can make coral reefs more susceptible to ocean acidification.

The study discovered that effluent from the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility in Honokowai, Hawaii, has weakened local coral reefs for more than a decade.

“What we’ve shown here is that reducing any stressors at a local scale is critical to coral reef health, particularly when local stressors interact with changing ocean conditions on a global scale,” the study’s lead author, Nancy Prouty, told Lahaina News.

Source: Lahaina News

Halifax Prohibited From Spending Money on Water Conservation Programs

Halifax (Nova Scotia) Water recently informed its regional city council that it’s forbidden from funding water conservation programs by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

The news came after a city councilman said Halifax Water should do more to encourage people to use less water.

The ban on funding conservation programs is due to the utility’s ongoing need to replace old pipes, as the city has around $2 billion in infrastructure to maintain.

“You’d think the less volume going through the treatment system would be a good thing,” the councilman, Matt Whitman, told CBC News.

Source: CBC News