Stories in the series:
New PA Bill Would Require Schools to Test for Lead in Water
The bill would require both public and private schools test for lead every two years, and install filters or other fixes for any level greater than 5 parts per billion.
Latest Round of Testing Shows Lead Levels High Again in Pittsburgh Water
PWSA plans to add a chemical to the water that is expected to bring lead levels down in homes known to have lead pipes or solder, though there is no known safe level of lead in water.
Pittsburgh Struggles to Fix Its Lead Problem
Like a lot of other cities, Pittsburgh has to deal with its antiquated lead water lines. The state says so. But how?
Teens Earn and Learn While Educating Their Neighbors About Lead Exposure
For some teenagers in Pittsburgh, a summer job means helping their community solve its problems with lead.
Deciphering “lead free” labels at the store isn’t always easy
Old pipes aren't the only way lead can get into your drinking water. The faucets and fittings and solder on the pipes inside your house can also contain lead. But if you want to replace older plumbing, it’s not always easy to find the right products at the hardware store.
If You Think You Have Lead Paint in Your Home, Here’s What To Do About It
If you have an older home, there's a pretty good chance you also have lead paint. But there are some simple things you can do to keep your family safe.
What Do You Do When Your Child Has High Lead Levels?
First things first — don't panic. There is plenty you can do to protect your children, and if you take the necessary steps, most kids recover just fine.
What’s the Most Effective Way to Get Lead Out of Your Water?
Filters? Flushing your water line for a few minutes? Or total water line replacement? We dig into the best options for homeowners.
As in Flint, Cost-Cutting May Be to Blame for Pittsburgh’s High Lead Levels
The decision to switch to a cheaper, less-effective treatment chemical was likely a major contributor to the recent spike in lead levels in Pittsburgh's drinking water.
What’s the Best Way to Protect People from Lead-Tainted Drinking Water?
Some say it's better corrosion control. Others say it's getting lead service lines out of the system altogether. But many observers agree that current federal regulations are totally inadequate.
Pittsburgh Tried To Get Homeowners To Replace Their Lead Service Lines. Only One Person Did.
A pilot project in Lawrenceville highlights the complexity of getting lead pipes out of the city's water system.
Here’s What Happens Inside a Lab Testing Pittsburghers’ Water For Lead
Some fancy science, that's what. As in some inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy — a process that can analyze samples quickly and with super-accurate results.
How Pittsburgh’s Alcoa is undermining a rare forest to fuel its global aluminum empire
A one-of-a-kind ecosystem lies above the bauxite Alcoa says it needs for its future. The company’s request to expand mining in Australia is drawing objections from scientists and the land’s original inhabitants.
A former gravel mine in Erie County gets a second chance as forestland
The 100-acre site in Erie County is being reforested through a partnership between the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and the nonprofit Bosland Growth.
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy opens accessible trail and discovery space in Frick Park
With its new trail and discovery space in Frick Park, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy aims to create an inclusive outdoor experience.
Episode for May 16, 2025
A nonprofit hopes to help landowners reclaim mineland in Appalachia by planting trees and selling carbon credits. Their first partner is the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. A bill in the Pennsylvania legislature would withhold funding from communities that try to restrict shale gas drilling because of pollution and disruption. De-paving parties involve hard hats, sledgehammers, and a lot of volunteers to create space for water drainage and gardens.
Raystown Wildlife Watch invites visitors to help conservation efforts with mobile app
The data will help guide the conservation efforts at Raystown Lake, including managing invasive species.
Pa. Senate bill would cut impact fees for communities that restrict fracking
Former DEP secretary, David Hess, explains why he says a Senate bill is meant to punish communities that try to protect their health and environment from fracking impacts.
