Entries by Circle Blue

IOM Constructs New Water Purification Facilities in Sierra Leone

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The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of National Security in Sierra Leone constructed new water purification facilities to support those without access to clean water during the pandemic. The facilities were installed in five communities, including a resettlement area called Mile Six on the outskirts of the capital, Freetown. The solar-powered water […]

Gov. Whitmer to Extend Michigan Water Shutoff Protections to End of 2020

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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Wednesday she will extend an executive order protecting state residents from water shutoffs through the end of the year. In addition to the order, Whitmer signed a bill last week that will allocate $25 million to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to reimburse water utilities that forgive […]

U.K. Program Pilots Covid-19 Detection System in Wastewater

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Scientists will begin a £1m research program in the United Kingdom for detecting the new coronavirus in wastewater. Since a majority of people who have contracted SARS-CoV-2 may shed the virus in their feces, a sewage-based surveillance system could serve as a warning for future outbreaks. The program, led by the UK Center of Ecology […]

Energy Companies Cancel Atlantic Coast Pipeline Project

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The two energy companies behind the Atlantic Coast Pipeline announced Sunday that they have canceled the project. The proposed natural gas pipeline, which would have run 600 miles from West Virginia through Virginia to North Carolina, faced challenges for more than six years from groups who fought against construction. Local and national opposition along with […]

House Passes Legislation to Fund Removal of Lead Water Pipes

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The House on Wednesday approved new legislation to fund the replacement of the nation’s estimated 10 million lead water lines. The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, authorizes $4.5 billion dollars a year over the next five years to remove lead service lines. The amendment is part of the Moving Forward Act, […]

New WHO and UNICEF Report Highlights Importance of WASH

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The United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Health Organization published a report on Friday highlighting the need for universal access to hand hygiene. Forty percent of the world’s people do not have a place to wash their hands at home, which puts an estimated 1 billion people at a greater risk for contracting Covid-19. […]

Risk of Covid-19 in Recreational Water is Low

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The risk of contracting Covid-19 from both wastewater and recreational water is low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Studies conducted in multiple countries in recent months have detected the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in treated and untreated wastewater, but to this date there has been no evidence of a person contracting the […]

Illinois Regulators Reach Utility Payments Agreement

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The Illinois Commerce Commission entered into an agreement with regulated, investor-owned utilities to help customers maintain service during a difficult economic period. The agreement extends a moratorium on water, gas, and electric disconnections and suspends late fees until August 1 or when Illinois enters Phase 4 of its reopening, whichever comes first, and for an […]

U.S. Rural Water Utilities Ask Congress for Financial Help

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The National Rural Water Association, which represents water systems that serve fewer than 10,000 customers, is calling on Congress to extend financial aid to small utilities that are being affected by revenue losses due to the pandemic. The association makes three requests: Offer low-interest loans — below 1 percent — to those utilities most in […]