In Tucson, Arizona, evolving water sourcing and utilization practices are at the forefront of addressing the challenges posed by a changing climate and growing demands on limited water supplies. Tucson's One Water 2100 master plan focuses on the integrated use of surface water, groundwater, stormwater and recycled water.
The city has been proactive in implementing innovative water reclamation practices, like the Sweetwater Wetlands, which not only treats water but also provides recreational and educational opportunities. With a significant portion of Tucson's drinking water derived from the Colorado River through the Central Arizona Project, alongside groundwater reserves, the region is adapting to the decreased reliability of these sources.
Boiling Hard Water Reduces Microplastic Risks, Study Finds
A recent study highlighted in Environmental Research Letters suggests that boiling tap water can significantly reduce plastic pollution by destroying at least 80% of common plastic compounds.
This discovery points towards boiled tap water as a potentially safer option than bottled water, which has been found to contain up to 250,000 fragments of nanoplastics per liter. The study focused on the efficacy of boiling in eliminating polystyrene, polyethylene and polypropylene, commonly found in water.
These plastic compounds tend to break down into nanoplastics, small enough to penetrate human cell machinery and cross protective barriers in the body, posing health risks. Notably, polystyrene was identified as particularly harmful. The research involved boiling water with these plastics in hard water, which has high levels of calcium carbonate and magnesium. The boiling process caused calcium carbonates to encapsulate and neutralize the plastics, suggesting a simple yet effective method for reducing plastic ingestion from tap water.
White House Announces Colorado River Sustainability Plan
The Biden-Harris administration is implementing a strategy to improve resilience to climate change and address the severe drought affecting Western U.S. regions. This includes significant investments from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, totaling $15.4 billion for water management in the West and efforts to protect the Colorado River System, which has seen its driest period in over 1,000 years due to climate change.
The administration plans to conserve at least 3 million acre-feet of water in the Colorado River Basin by the end of 2026.
Additionally, the administration announced three new conservation agreements in California, aimed at saving hundreds of thousands of acre-feet of water in Lake Mead, with nearly $160 million in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act. These agreements, along with 21 previous ones, represent a combined investment of approximately $670.2 million, targeting over 1.58 million acre-feet of water conservation in the Basin through 2026.
