Recent flooding at the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant in Los Angeles — described by officials as “nearly catastrophic” — caused 17 million gallons of wastewater to discharge into the Pacific Ocean and has left the plant operating at partial capacity.
Repairs to the facility could take more than a month, officials say, according to the Daily Breeze. The repairs also have caused odors at the plant, which has drawn concern from area residents, some of whom protested in front of the facility recently.
Des Moines to Participate in Large-Scale COVID-19 Wastewater Tracking Effort
A large-scale effort to track COVID-19 and its variants will see wastewater from more than 500,000 residents in Des Moines, Iowa, regularly analyzed for the virus.
The Des Moines Metropolitan Wastewater Reclamation Authority has announced it is participating in a program with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, and Biobot Analytics.
Samples will be collected twice per week and sent to a lab for analysis.
Pennsylvania Governor Announces $97 Million in Water/Wastewater Project Funding
Gov. Tom Wolf recently announced the investment of $97 million for 25 drinking water, wastewater, stormwater and non-point source projects across 19 counties through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST).
“Historic investments in clean water infrastructure like the ones made today continue to underscore our commitment to safe and reliable infrastructure for our communities,” says Wolf. “Clean, lead-free drinking water and reliable wastewater and stormwater systems are the bedrock of vibrant civic centers and are essential to ushering in much-needed growth across the commonwealth.”
The funding for these projects originates from a combination of state funds approved by voters, Growing Greener, Marcellus Legacy funds, federal grants to PENNVEST from the Environmental Protection Agency, and recycled loan repayments from previous PENNVEST funding awards. Funds for these projects are disbursed after expenses for work are paid and receipts are submitted to PENNVEST for review.
