By Aman Azhar for Inside Climate News.
Broadcast version by Will Walkey for Virginia News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Service Collaboration

A severe algae bloom clogged equipment at one of the treatment facilities providing drinking water in the Washington region, forcing officials to declare a boil-water advisory on the night of July 3-as thousands of visitors arrived to celebrate Independence Day.

The advisory was lifted the morning of July 4. But the incident was an ominous sign of how warming water temperatures caused by climate change can disrupt essential civic services.

The algal blooms caused a drop in water supply at the Dalecarlia Water Treatment Plant on the Maryland-D.C. border. All water treatment operations were switched to the McMillan Treatment Plant in Northwest D.C. to ensure adequate supply of water, the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) said in its July 3 advisory.

The disruption in water supplies affected the entire District of Columbia and parts of Arlington, Virginia, including the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery and Reagan National Airport. Among the blooms' impact: increased turbidity, a measure of cloudiness in water.

The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) operates the treatment plants located in D.C. and supplied by the Washington Aqueduct, which collects, treats and pumps drinking water for nearly 1 million customers in Washington, Arlington County and other areas in northern Virginia.

The algae intruded at a time when demand for water was particularly high due to the influx of visitors and possible firefighting activities related to the annual fireworks display on the National Mall.

"DC Water issued a precautionary boil water advisory to protect public health and safety due to a sharp reduction in the volume of water being supplied by the Army Corps of Engineers' Washington Aqueduct and due to the Aqueduct expressing concerns that they might be unable to comply with strict U.S. EPA water quality standards while simultaneously attempting to increase water supply volumes to levels adequate to meet DC Water's customer demands," said Sherri Lewis, senior manager of communications at DC Water, in emailed remarks. "The combined output of treated water from both of the Aqueduct's plants was insufficient to meet DC Water's water consumption demands."

Lewis said the week of the July 4th holiday has historically been one of DC Water's highest water demand days of the year.

Affected customers scrambled to stock up on bottled water supplies after the advisory was announced, quickly emptying out aisles in supermarkets and local stores.

"We had floating algae mats along the top of our sedimentation basin at our Dalecarlia Treatment Plant, which then washed into the filter building, clogging filters in the process," said Cynthia Mitchell, a public affairs specialist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The sedimentation portion of the water filtration process removes suspended particulates in water. In emailed comments to Inside Climate News, Mitchell said the situation at Dalecarlia led to a decrease in supply, while the McMillan Treatment Plant continued to operate under normal conditions.

"Our recent algae bloom was not a cyanobacterial harmful algae bloom-we had green algae which does not pose a risk to human health," Mitchell added.

The Environmental Protection Agency warns that "blooms of red tides, blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria can result in severe impacts on water quality, human health, aquatic ecosystems, and the economy."

In the case of the July 3 event, it was the sheer amount of algae that caused problems. The region's record-high temperatures are driving growth, and climate change is expected to worsen the situation, Mitchell said.

"Washington Aqueduct staff that have served for decades, including General Manager Rudy Chow with 40 years of experience in the water utility industry, agree the severity of algae blooms this summer is unprecedented," Mitchell said.

DC Water's Lewis said several other utilities that use the Potomac River as one of their water supply sources, such as Fairfax Water in Virginia and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission in Maryland, encountered and successfully treated these same algal blooms.

Nitrogen, key fuel for algae, flows into water bodies from sewage overflows and runoff. Bill Dennison, a professor and vice president at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, said the Potomac River has historically had high levels of pollution from sewage but now agriculture and stormwater runoff is the biggest source of pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

"Generally, both cyanobacteria and green algae form in the Potomac River," Dennison said. "Fortunately, green algae don't tend to be as toxic as cyanobacteria. But they're not a pleasant addition to the environment and can clog the waterways ... and produce bad taste in drinking water."

Climate change contributes a one-two punch. More rain instead of snow in the winter leads to extra pollution runoff earlier in the season, Dennison said. And warming temperatures allow algae to bloom earlier in the summer than before.

DC Water officials said they are reviewing their actions and communications to the public about the July 3 event to determine what can be improved.

Lewis said that unlike the majority of other public water utilities, DC Water does not have a second source of water and is fully dependent on the Aqueduct to supply its needs. "It is also extremely unusual for a water utility serving a large metropolitan city not to also have direct responsibility for water supply and water treatment. DC Water will be reviewing the Aqueduct's actions to determine if any changes are necessary to ensure proper notification steps are taken in a timely manner," she said.

While greater D.C. avoided major calamity with this algae bloom, other cities haven't been as lucky. In 2014, the water supply of Toledo, Ohio, had to be shut down because of a harmful algal bloom in Lake Erie, and the toxin associated with that algae could not be destroyed by boiling. Half a million people could not use water supplies for days. Agricultural runoff was later declared the cause of the ordeal.


Aman Azhar wrote this article for Inside Climate News.


get more stories like this via email

Illinois generally sees its hottest and wettest months during the summer, and climate change is making them more intense.

The University of Illinois Extension is getting the word out about what people can do to prepare, and also to make small changes to benefit the environment.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says the state's annual total rainfall amount rose by almost six inches between 1895 and 2019 - a 15% increase.

State Climatologist Trent Ford said Illinois' climate has become wetter over the last 150 years due to human-caused climate change.

Ford said he'd like to see more attention given to the effects of rain on the environment.

"All seasons across Illinois have gotten wetter," said Ford. "More importantly, the rain is becoming more intense, meaning it's falling heavier over a shorter period of time. What that can do is, it increases the amount of runoff over the ground and then also can create issues of soil erosion, nutrient runoff, and just overwhelm our natural streams and water drainage."

Ford spoke on a webinar in the "Everyday Environment" series that the University of Illinois Extension hosts on climate issues.

He said most flooding occurs because of rainstorms that happen outside of mapped floodplains.

And with more rainfall, he said predictions of where and how deep standing water will be are not always accurate.

Rain-induced flooding tends to be in places where people are unaware of flood risks, which means they generally don't have flood insurance.

With the increased likelihood of flooding, Ford said finding solutions will present a challenge.

"Municipalities upgrading stormwater drainage systems, especially in the most kind of areas of cities that are disproportionate impacts, which tend to be the most low-income areas of cities," said Ford. "So that becomes a justice problem as well."

He added that reducing soil erosion and nutrient loss on farmland is another key goal, which means implementing soil conservation practices.

And Ford said all these solutions require money, which may compete with legislators' priorities for school and road funding.




get more stories like this via email

The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law two years ago this week and one expert said states should ensure funds from it are going to communities most affected by climate change.

The law passed by Congress aimed to bolster clean energy. It also provides funds for climate resilience among communities on the front lines and with the fewest resources to adapt to the changing environment.

Rachel Jacobson, lead researcher for state climate policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said some states have struggled to define who the communities are but Washington state's Healthy Environment for All, or HEAL Act, is an example of the opposite.

"The HEAL Act is a great example for other states to learn from as they are either creating or bolstering frameworks that are going to set the stage for them to justly and equitably distribute federal climate resources," Jacobson asserted.

Jacobson pointed out Washington state lawmakers were able to work with communities affected by climate change to pass this inclusive law in 2021. The HEAL Act ensures Washington state agencies are addressing environmental justice issues with their policies to eliminate disparities for communities of color and low-income households.

On the other end, Jacobson noted some states have struggled to make use of the funds from the Inflation Reduction Act.

"The Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act require expertise, staff capacity, time and resources," Jacobson outlined. "Not all state have raised the revenues or allocated the money that's necessary to be able to bring in these funds."

Jacobson added it is important not just for the present but the future. She argued states should use the funds for an equitable transition to clean energy in the long term. Planning will be especially crucial as the climate has an increasing impact on projects, such as in infrastructure. The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law on Aug. 16, 2022.


get more stories like this via email

The small community of Yellow Springs, Ohio, is leading an innovative effort to harness renewable energy while directly supporting low-income residents.

The village has shifted its focus from broader community solar projects to implementing microgrid solar systems on low-income apartment buildings. This approach not only aims to reduce energy costs for tenants but also sets an example for other small communities on how to use federal funding to generate local benefits.

Lisa Abel, interim director of the Yellow Springs Development Corp., said the community is prioritizing those who often receive the least benefit from new technologies.

"We decided to put our funds toward the rooftop microgrids on lower-income apartment buildings as a way to provide solar and the benefits of solar to the lower-income folks almost as a first," she said.

The project is supported by a grant from the Department of Energy. It can cover up to 30% of installation and solar panel costs through provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. This makes it a feasible solution for smaller, lower-income housing units.

The community's initiative is also addressing the challenges faced by local farmers. Many are considering the option of leasing portions of their land for solar panels, which provides a steady income amid the uncertainties of farming. Abel noted that this is an increasingly attractive option for farmers, the next generation of whom may be considering leaving the profession.

"Renting some land for solar panels would give them some guaranteed income," she said. "Farming is becoming really a marginal kind of business, and so on a year-to-year basis, they don't know if they're gonna take a profit or take a loss on what they're actually producing."

As Yellow Springs continues to explore sustainable-energy solutions, the initiative underscores the importance of balancing renewable energy development with preserving agricultural land. The village's efforts highlight the need for continued federal support, which supporters say will ensure long-term environmental and economic benefits for small communities.


get more stories like this via email