An explosion at Baltimore's Patapsco wastewater treatment plant recently injured three contractors, with two hospitalized in critical condition and a third listed in serious condition. Officials said the workers were involved in a project tied to the facility's electrical capacity when a power disruption occurred shortly before the explosion.
Investigators are examining whether electrical work and a possible power arc played a role. City leaders said there is no danger to nearby residents and do not expect service interruptions as the investigation continues.
Iowa Utility Issues Lawn Watering Ban
Central Iowa Water Works has imposed a mandatory lawn watering ban as treatment facilities grapple with elevated nitrate levels in source waters. The restrictions are intended to safeguard drinking water supplies for more than 600,000 residents, with officials stressing that the water remains safe and meets regulatory standards.
The utility said it is operating at the edge of its treatment capacity and is relying on several systems to manage nitrate concentrations. Most outdoor watering and other nonessential water uses are now prohibited, with limited exceptions for newly planted lawns, sports fields and golf courses.
AMWA Publishes Legionella Study
The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies recently announced the publication of a first-of-its-kind research study to examine the relationship between Legionella concentrations in water sampled from federal office buildings and disinfectant residual levels in the water supplied by public water systems. The study found no significant relationship between Legionella in buildings’ water samples and the disinfection residual levels reported by water systems that supplied the water to those buildings.
AMWA undertook the study in 2025 in advance of EPA’s anticipated revisions to the Microbial and Disinfection Byproducts Rules, which are expected to be proposed in 2027. In 2023, a working group of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council put forward several recommendations for the new rule, including that EPA enforce a federal numeric minimum requirement for disinfectant residuals in public water system distribution systems.
