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.
Pennsylvania fruit crops decimated by warm April and hard freezes
Fruit growers across Pennsylvania have experienced partial to total losses of crops like apples, peaches, plums and cherries.
Episode for May 15, 2026
The U.S. Forest Service is planning a massive overhaul that includes closing research stations in Pennsylvania. What's at stake? Some residents and environmental groups oppose the Pennsylvania Turnpike's proposal to reroute the highway over wildlife habitat. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania are turning food waste like egg shells and mango skins into building materials. Fruit growers across Pennsylvania have experienced partial to total losses of their 2026 crops. Pittsburgh’s 2030 District says its building owners are beating their climate goals ahead of schedule. A new report finds Pennsylvania’s use of solar energy is on the rise, but the state still falls behind the rest of the country in putting more renewable energy on the grid.
Penn researchers are turning food scraps into building materials — from pineapple peels to celery stalks
Researchers work to solve multiple problems: how to keep food waste out of landfills, make healthier building materials and tackle climate change.
PA ranks near the bottom in adding renewable energy to electric grid
Pennsylvania is 47th in adding renewable energy to the grid, according to a new analysis by an environmental group.
Pittsburgh buildings cut carbon emissions faster than planned, report says
A project that set out to halve carbon emissions from buildings across Pittsburgh released a progress report this week indicating the properties are ahead of schedule.
Pa. Turnpike plan to bypass Allegheny Mountain Tunnel draws opposition in Somerset County
The toll road’s operator says an open cut is more cost-effective and safer than building a new tunnel.
