CLIFF NOTES OCFA responded to a methyl methacrylate (MMA) leak in Orange County. Chief Nick Freeman said up to 7,000 gallons may have spilled from a tank. Officials warned MMA can harm people by inhalation or skin contact and may worsen from mild symptoms to hospitalization. The chemical is heavier than air and may move … Read more
CLIFF NOTES EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced PFAS actions at a Monday roundtable in Washington. The EPA proposed a comprehensive, lifecycle-based strategy for PFAS in drinking water. Kennedy announced nearly $1 billion in new funding for states to address PFAS in drinking water. Kennedy said the work spans … Read more
CLIFF NOTES EPA proposed withdrawing national drinking water standards for GenX, PFNA, PFHxS, and PFBS and delaying others, according to SELC. SELC said utilities may be allowed to further delay limits on PFOA and PFOS. Kelly Moser of SELC said the proposal prioritizes corporate interests over public health. SELC pointed to North Carolina’s Cape Fear … Read more
CLIFF NOTES DEQ’s 2023–2024 study found PFAS in wastewater, biosolids, and soils at land application sites. Researchers reviewed 37 treatment plants and 19 land application locations across North Carolina. PFOS was found in 85% of biosolids samples and in every soil sample from repeatedly treated fields. North Carolina spreads biosolids on about 56,000 acres across … Read more
CLIFF NOTES: An EWG report says over 62 million Americans may be exposed to elevated nitrates in tap water based on 2021–2023 public system data. Federal nitrate guidelines set in 1962 remain at 10 mg/L, while studies cited in the report associate harms at lower levels like 3–5 mg/L. The report names large cities (including … Read more
CLIFF NOTES Washington, D.C. spilled about 240 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River from mid-January to mid-March 2026. The article says it may be the largest sewage spill in U.S. history, and it warns more spills are coming. It blames aging mid-20th-century sewer systems and chronic underinvestment. Overflows happen from breaks, blockages … Read more
CLIFF NOTES CU Boulder found MCCPs in air in rural Oklahoma. It was the first airborne MCCP detection in the Western Hemisphere. The team saw odd isotope patterns during 24/7 testing for a month. Biosolid (sewage sludge) fertilizer on fields may be the source. Scientists want to track levels over time and study impacts. Air … Read more
CLIFF NOTES Virginia Beach found contaminated groundwater during the 17th Street road project. The water must be treated before it can be discharged. Pumps and filtration units were set up on Arctic Avenue to handle it. Costs rose from about $43 million to about $48.8 million, but the city says it’s within budget. The Pacific-to-Arctic … Read more
CLIFF NOTES A new study says nanoplastics in U.S. drinking water were badly underestimated. Plastic levels in tap and bottled water were 10–100 times higher than earlier estimates. Bottled water had three times more nanoplastics than tap. Nanoplastics made up over 50% of particles found in both types of water. Health risks are still unclear, … Read more
Poquoson, VA Water Source & Treatment An educational overview of where Poquoson drinking water comes from, how it’s treated, and where to find the official annual water quality report. Where Poquoson Water Comes From Poquoson’s drinking water is supplied by Newport News Waterworks, a regional water provider serving Poquoson and several neighboring communities on the … Read more