DeepSeek AI Lists Biggest Stories On Drinking Water

A glass of water with bubbles and the DeepSeek logo featuring a whale, highlighting the biggest drinking water quality stories of 2025.

DeepSeek V3 & DeepSeek R1 (DeepSeek R1 is the model we used) are new AI models recently released that is currently taken the internet by storm over this past weekend, upending Chat GPT as the number one app on the Apple App Store. We asked it what are the most important stories to date around … Read more

New EPA Rule To Remove Lead Pipes

Workers replacing lead pipes in a neighborhood

Access to clean drinking water is a fundamental necessity, yet for many Americans, aging infrastructure and lead-contaminated pipes pose a serious threat to public health. Experts Chad Sidell, President of Corona Environmental Consulting, and Dan Tadesco, leader of the Community Water Systems division at BRDA, shed light on these issues and the solutions available to … Read more

Lead In Water Lines, Virginia Beach Warns Residents

Virginia Beach notification about unknown private water service line material and potential lead risk thumbnail

The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) in Virginia Beach has begun notifying residents about the potential presence of lead in private water service lines as part of a compliance effort with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Revised Lead and Copper Rule. The City has mapped all known public and private water service line materials, accessible … Read more

URGENT: Boil Water Alert in Wilmington, NC on Sept. 15

A boiling pot of water with steam rising, along with an alert notice for a boil water advisory in Wilmington, NC. The image includes a logo from East Coast Water Quality Inc.

WARNING – WILMINGTON, NC Around 300 customers of the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) in the Sunset Park area and along Carolina Beach Road in Wilmington will be affected by a precautionary boil water advisory starting Sunday, September 15. The advisory will begin at 5 p.m., impacting water services across several specific addresses. Areas … Read more

Rocky Mount Sewers Spill 15 Times in One Month

Aftermath of a sewage spill in Rocky Mount, showing a murky river with nearby cleanup efforts.

A Series of Spills in Rocky Mount Rocky Mount, North Carolina, has been grappling with a series of severe sewer spills, leading to the discharge of nearly three million gallons of sewage into the Tar River and surrounding waterways in less than two weeks. The spills, which began in late July and persisted through mid-August, … Read more

Tap Water Way Better Than Bottled Fiji Water

Comparison image showing the high cost and environmental impact of bottled water versus the low cost and eco-friendliness of tap water.

Bottled water often seems like a convenient and pure choice, but beneath the surface, the reality is murkier. From inflated costs to potential health risks, the bottled water industry carries significant consequences for consumers and the environment. Here are six crucial facts about bottled water that might make you reconsider your next purchase. The High … Read more

1.7M Gallons of Sewage Spill into Tar River, NC

Contaminated Tar River with sewage overflow under a trestle, warning signs along the riverbank, and city officials in safety gear assessing the situation.

The City of Rocky Mount recently reported a significant environmental incident: a 1.7 million gallon sewage overflow into the Tar River. The overflow was traced to a utility hole located under the trestle on River Side Drive. Local Impact on Tar River The Tar River, cherished by locals for recreational activities like fishing, kayaking, and … Read more

70 Added to North Carolina’s Impaired Waters List

Polluted river in North Carolina with industrial and agricultural waste.

In March 2024, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) proposed adding 70 new bodies of water to its impaired waters list for the year. This biennial update, which precedes a public comment period and submission to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), highlights the ongoing struggle to protect the state’s waterways. If pollution were … Read more

6 NC Rivers Fail Fecal Bacteria Test

Aerial view of a river with text overlay "Failed Poop Test" indicating water contamination.

In a recent report, Sound Rivers, an organization monitoring over 50 river sites across North Carolina, revealed that six locations failed the weekly fecal bacteria test. Testing and Results Sound Rivers conducts weekly tests during the summer to assess water quality across North Carolina. For the week ending July 19, 23 sites in the central … Read more

Hampton Roads Swimming Advisory UPDATE

Swimming advisory sign posted at a beach, warning about elevated bacteria levels.

Update: May 31, all swimming advisories are now lifted. Health agencies across Hampton Roads have issued swimming advisories due to elevated bacteria levels detected in recent water tests. These advisories are aimed at protecting public health by warning against swimming in affected areas until water quality improves. Specific Beaches Affected Buckroe Beach South: The Hampton … Read more