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.
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.
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.
In this episode, we explore how cost-cutting may be to blame for high levels of lead in Pittsburgh's drinking water and take a look at an effort to update federal lead rules.
Shell's ethane cracker may prove to just be an opening act. A new state-commissioned report says that by 2030, Pennsylvania could be a major hub for the nation's petrochemical industry.
Some large buildings in Pittsburgh already capture gray water, filter it and then use it for flushing toilets. But the county wants to clarify the rules on water recycling for homeowners.