The following is a transcript of the March 7, 2016 edition of the Water World Weekly Newscast:
Hi, I'm Angela Godwin for WaterWorld magazine, bringing you water and wastewater news headlines for the week of March 7. Coming up...
Flint water data expected in April
Clean Water Rule: Sixth Circuit petitioned after jurisdiction ruling
Washington state threatens travel ban if Victoria doesn't stop dumping raw sewage
Mosul residents worried about dam collapse
[story1]
During a visit to Flint, Michigan, last week, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said the agency is collecting data on the levels of lead in Flint's water system and expects to be able to share those results in April.
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EPA has announced plans to increase oversight of state drinking water programs tasked with implementing the Lead and Copper Rule, or LCR.
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The letters outline specific steps related to EPA’s enhanced oversight plan, including meeting with every state drinking water program nationwide to address LCR implementation issues and provide training for state and public water systems on LCR requirements.
State agencies also will receive additional information related to optimal corrosion control treatment and proper LCR sampling techniques.
[story2]
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 last week that it does, in fact, have jurisdiction to review consolidated challenges to the Clean Water Rule.
The rule, promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, went into effect in August before being stayed in November pending legal review.
Now, nineteen trade associations, including the American Petroleum Institute and the National Mining Association, have petitioned the Sixth Circuit Court to rehear the Clean Water Rule with a full panel, as opposed to the three-judge panel that issued last week’s decision.
[story3]
After more than two decades of inaction, Washington state's frustration with Victoria, British Columbia, over its practice of dumping raw sewage into the Strait of Juan de Fuca is reaching a boiling point.
A provision in the state's House of Representatives budget bill would -- if passed -- prohibit state employees from traveling to Victoria until the city starts treating its wastewater.
The Canadian government has actually set aside $88 million CAD for a sewage treatment plant -- but the district can't decide on a site.
And the clock is ticking: It has until March 31st to make a decision, or it will lose the funding.
[story4]
Last week, the Iraqi government and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad warned residents along the Tigris River of the possible collapse of the Mosul Dam.
The Iraqi Prime Minister even asked Mosul residents along the Tigris to move at least six kilometers (3.7 miles) away from its banks.
The dam was built on the Tigris River in the early 1980s on unstable ground where the earth underneath it is constantly being eroded by water.
Maintenance work was being carried out last week on the bottom outlet, where structural weakness and neglect have it on the verge of catastrophic collapse.
Going forward, the Iraqi government has signed an 18-month deal with Italy's Trevi group worth $296 million USD to repair and maintain the dam.
Engineers from the Italian company are expected to arrive soon, though no specific time frame has been given.
[OUTRO]
For WaterWorld magazine, I'm Angela Godwin. Thanks for watching.
