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The Biden Administration is turning the tide on ocean climate action, with the United States positioned like never before to leverage the ocean as a powerful source of climate solutions. Ocean climate action policy in the United States is advancing across a wide array of topics with a renewed commitment to environmental justice and public engagement. With an ambitious Administration, strong ocean climate leadership in Congress, and a relentless nationwide network of ocean advocates, our country is ushering in a new era of ocean climate action.

On the worst days, when the backyard would flood and the toilet would gurgle and the smell of sewage hung thick in the air, Monica Arenas would flee to her mother-in-law’s home to use the bathroom or wash laundry.

Whistleblowers say UK water companies are knowingly failing to treat legally required amounts of sewage, and that some treatment works are manipulating wastewater systems to divert raw sewage away from the works and into rivers and seas.

The California coast is one of the regions of the world where ocean acidification is occurring the fastest. And researchers have found that local sources of pollution are part of the problem.

The Biden administration on Wednesday finalized strict limits on certain so-called “forever chemicals” in drinking water that will require utilities to reduce them to the lowest level they can be reliably measured. Officials say this will reduce exposure for 100 million people and help prevent thousands of illnesses, including cancers.

Environmental advocates threaten to sue within weeks if Charleston Water does not present a plan to prevent hundreds of wastewater overflows.

When rain comes down in some parts of Charleston, S.C., sewage comes up. In the neighborhood of West Ashley, storms trigger waste overflows so often into a pond near Nell Postell’s home that she has a wet-weather routine based on forecasts: she buys surgical masks, clears her garden and then listens for the sewage to “gush”: her signal to phone local authorities.

The Port of San Diego has declared a state of emergency linked to the ongoing Tijuana River Valley crisis, according to a news release Wednesday. The port joins the cities of Imperial Beach and San Diego as well as the County of San Diego, which have issued similar actions.

This work aims to bring the treatment of highly polluted wastewater to the concept of zero liquid discharge, using landfill leachate as a representative example. Achieving this goal involves removing pollution due to organic matter and/or heavy metals and recovering the nutrients contained in the effluent.

The issue of sewage in coastal areas is complex, influenced by factors like inadequate sewage systems, septic tanks, industrial and agricultural runoff, and natural processes like coastal erosion, further complicated by oceanic dynamics like tides and currents. A global statistic reveals that over 80 % of sewage enters the environment without treatment, contributing significantly to nitrogen pollution in coastal ecosystems.

Sewage was dumped into rivers, lakes and on beaches designated 'safe to bathe in' 86 times a day on average in 2023, analysis of official data has suggested.

In India, around 72,000 million litres per day (MLD) of wastewater is generated, but the treatment capacity is only 31,841 MLD, and the utilisation capacity is 20,236 MLD. This raises the question of where the remaining sewage is going.

The number of devices not working properly has fuelled concerns the scale of the sewage scandal is far bigger than previously thought, further ramping up pressure on the utility companies and government.

Coronado High School students from the Stop the Sewage Club, Emerald Keepers Club, and Junior Optimist Club planned and executed a Stop the Sewage Protest at Central Beach in Coronado, on the afternoon of Thursday, March 28.

Hawaii has 83,000 cesspools that inject 52 million gallons of untreated sewage into the ground and our groundwater each day. That’s like a daily massive sewage spill, polluting our waters and threatening human health and our environment.

Concern is growing over levels of sewage pollution in London’s River Thames after E. coli bacteria was discovered ahead of this weekend’s historic Oxford v. Cambridge boat race.

Sewage spills into England's rivers and seas by water companies more than doubled last year. According to the Environment Agency there were 3.6 million hours of spills compared to 1.75 million hours in 2022.

The county public health department is stepping up its public reporting on gastrointestinal illness in the South Bay amid growing public calls for a stronger focus on sewage-related suffering connected to the Tijuana River.

Samples taken from White Rock Lake showed elevated levels of E. coli after 1.5 million gallons of raw sewage spilled into water from Plano, according to a memorandum from the city of Dallas.

The United Nations World Water Development Report 2024, published by UNESCO on behalf of UN-Water, highlights that tensions over water are exacerbating conflicts worldwide. To preserve peace, States must boost international cooperation and transboundary agreements.

Years after a massive spill at a Los Angeles water treatment facility dumped millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Pacific, officials with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have ordered several improvements at the plant to help prevent another such disaster, even when facing more intense storms from a changing climate.

The 2024 edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report (UN WWDR)calls attention to the complex and interlinked relationships between water, prosperity and peace, describing how progress in one dimension can have positive, often essential, repercussions on the others.

At least 50 per cent of the planet’s population – 4 billion people – deal with water shortfalls at least one month of the year. By 2025, 1.8 billion people are likely to face what the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) calls “absolute water scarcity.”

At least 721 water body segments in Iowa do not meet water quality standards for recreation, public water supplies and the protection of aquatic life, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.

A mechanical failure at a Plano water station spilled more than 1.5 million gallons of untreated waste into White Rock Creek before it was repaired Saturday.

As a population and industrial agglomeration area, population expansion and industrial development had increased the amount of sewage into urban rivers, which had hindered the development of cities.

Thought to be in use in China since the sixth century, inventor Joseph C. Gayetty patented the first U.S. commercial “medicated paper” in the 1850s. Since then, demand has soared in many places, bolstered by rising population, urbanization, shifts in demographics, changing hygiene practices, and lifestyle choices influenced by advertising.

San Francisco Baykeeper said it is taking legal action against the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and the city after sewage and trash-filled runoff flowed into the bay during heavy rainstorms. The local nonprofit watchdog organization said its investigation found hundreds of federal Clean Water Act violations over the last five winters.

New legal action could put an end to the practice of spreading toxic sewage sludge on US cropland as a cheap alternative to fertilizer, and force America to rethink how it disposes of its industrial and human waste.

Most ocean pollution comes from land-based human activity, via stormwater run-off from cities and towns, ineffective waste management, agriculture, manufacturing, mining and the chemicals supply chain. Despite its far-reaching consequences, more comprehensive data are needed to improve our ability to address ocean pollution effectively.

On behalf of Coosa River Basin Initiative, the Southern Environmental Law Center filed a lawsuit against the city of Calhoun in Federal District Court for violating federal law and allowing harmful pollutants in drinking water.

Water bubbles up in streets, pooling in neighborhoods for weeks or months. Homes burn to the ground if firefighters can’t draw enough water from hydrants. Utility crews struggle to fix broken pipes while water flows through shut-off valves that don’t work.

Most of the UK’s beachgoers could be swimming in dirty waters mixed with sewage due to outdated water forecasting methods, a new study has found.

Today, the Southern Environmental Law Center, on behalf of Charleston Waterkeeper, warned Charleston Water System that the groups plan to file a lawsuit unless longstanding sewage overflow problems are addressed. Significant sewage spills are polluting Charleston’s waterways, putting Charleston residents at risk, and violating the federal Clean Water Act.

The cause of Santa Barbara County’s biggest offshore sewage spill in recent memory — north of one million gallons — remains the subject of an ongoing investigation, the county supervisors were told in an informational briefing this Tuesday morning.

Processed sewage sludge from a Bristol, Tenn. wastewater plant contains among the highest levels of so-called forever chemical contamination detected in the U.S., according to a report released today by Sierra Club Tennessee.

The Goleta West Sanitary District revealed Tuesday that its massive sewage spill started on Feb. 16, six days before county health officials closed nearby beaches and notified the public.

The ongoing water crisis in Jackson, MS, is about the lack of access to clean water and the way a community’s health and wellbeing are impacted when this vital resource is unavailable, but there are other crucial factors at play. The water crisis in Jackson is also part of a larger set of interconnected injustices that reveal the complexity of environmental racism.

Next to a block of new high-rises in Belgrade's upscale Waterfront neighbourhood, a foul-smelling stream spews sewage directly into the Sava River, one of scores of outlets polluting the city's waters.

Damaged Force Main Sewer Line Near Santa Barbara Airport Releases Around Half a Million Gallons of Untreated Sewage into Goleta Slough

Hopefully they take care of it as soon as possible and that nothing serious happens to the people in the community,' resident Stanley Jean says

Stricken by drought and depleted by upstream dams, Iraq's once mighty rivers the Tigris and Euphrates are suffocating under pollutants from sewage to medical waste.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced this week it will provide $50 million to Hawaiʻi for upgrades to drinking water and other clean water infrastructure projects.

In a small Maine town, residents face the lingering effects of sewage sludge and wastewater contamination, raising concerns about soil and water safety.

The smelly, nasty bacteria that spells bad news for rivers is flourishing in the UK. Here is how to spot it and what it means

The Tijuana River flows through Mexico and empties off California, carrying pathogens and chemicals and threatening public health.

Water and air contamination imperil the health of a wide range of people who live, recreate and work near the polluted waterway, researchers say.

The pollution comes primarily from septic systems, which leach nitrogen and phosphorus — basically fertilizer — in the Cape's groundwater. The state has tough new regulations that are forcing communities on the Cape to clean up the water.

The Maryland General Assembly is considering a bill to restrict PFAS discharge from large industries into our waterways and to wastewater treatment plants.

Miami-Dade’s biggest — and most vulnerable — sewage treatment plant is getting a big upgrade, which could help the county stop piping tens of millions of gallons of wastewater into the ocean in the next few years.

Garbage doesn't flow as freely into the ocean as it once did. But sewage? That's a different, more disgusting story.

Sludge, a byproduct of sewage treatment, is often spread on fields as fertilizer. But growing research shows that toxic chemicals like PFAS are lurking in the muck — and getting into our food.

U.S. Rep. Scott Peters and four members of San Diego County’s congressional delegation are urging the Navy to address concerns regarding SEALs training in sewage-contaminated waters from Mexico.

Officials have also recorded significant sewage spills in Long Beach, Rolling Hills Estates since onslaught of unprecedented storm

Once considered one of the most polluted waterways in the nation, the White River has been neglected and abused for 200 years. Can it make a comeback?

Members of San Diego’s congressional delegation are asking the U.S. Dept. of the Navy to release data that may reveal the true effects the Tijuana sewage crisis has had on Naval operations.

Hundreds of anglers take part in UK’s largest citizen science water-testing project

New research finds that the groundwater systems that hydrate your life are in rapid, sometimes accelerating decline around the globe. Here’s how to stop the retreat.

The pandemic has triggered a major increase in the use of medical facilities and drugs, which has exacerbated pollution in wastewater biochemical treatment systems. Pollution from environmental rare earth elements (REE) has increased due to the widespread use of REE in medical applications.

Environmental groups say cities’ tactics in court could increase pollution.

Sydneysiders and tourists hoping to take a dip in one of the many beaches in the Harbour City have been warned of potential contamination after heavy rainfall this week.

The Mount Airy work is supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It is part of a push by communities around the world to manage water more sustainably and to find novel sources of water, a quest that has involved everything from purifying sewage to seeding clouds.

Once considered one of the most beautiful coves in all of Africa, the former idyllic stretch of fine sand around 20km (12 miles) long, adjacent to the port of Dakar, has become the dumping ground for an increasing population and ever-expanding industry.

Imperial Beach's mayor says it's just one piece of the solution to solve the contamination of San Diego County beaches.

The Navy’s wastewater treatment plant near Pearl Harbor dumped almost 2 million gallons of partially treated sewage into the ocean Monday due to an electrical failure, according to the service.

In a recent study published online 18 December 2023 in the journal Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, scientists from Peking University introduced a Global WWTP Microbiome-based Integrative Information Platform to address the escalating complexities of pollutants and inadequacies in traditional wastewater treatment plants.

Data shows that concentrations of hydrogen sulfide have repeatedly measured above state and federal standards.

In the race for alternative, sustainable jet fuels, some companies are getting creative. We’ve heard about planes powered with cooking oil, but what about jet fuel made entirely from human poop? Firefly Green Fuels, an aviation company based in Gloucestershire, UK, has created just that – and, unsurprisingly, the prospect of poop-powered planes is attracting attention.

Now the organizers of this summer’s Paris Olympics want to make the Seine the star of their Games with an audacious plan to host the Opening Ceremonies not inside a stadium as other Olympics have done but on the river itself.

EPA's free Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA) services support communities to identify water challenges, develop plans, build capacity, and develop application materials to access water infrastructure funding. To implement WaterTA, EPA collaborates with states, Tribes, territories, community partners, and other key stakeholders.

Imperial Beach in San Diego County is one of the most polluted beaches in the United States. The water is polluted. The air is polluted. And local leaders think no one with the power to help cares.

Indiantown will be home to the first biosolids processing plant of its kind in Florida, designed to convert treated human waste into concrete, fertilizer and irrigation water. Sedron Technologies to build biosolids processing plant in Indiantown, Florida.

Urgent care doctors based in South County are now using tests that can detect numerous infectious diseases like E.coli and shigella

Swimmers preparing for their traditional festive dip in the sea say they are worried about sewage.Surfers Against Sewage's annual water quality report claimed sewage was discharged for more than 600,000 hours in Wales last year.

California regulators on Tuesday approved new rules to let water agencies recycle wastewater and put it right back into the pipes that carry drinking water to homes, schools and businesses.

Water resources can be casualties of violence, but disputes over water control can also act as triggers for unrest — for example, when two communities clash over access to a single water source.

In September, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control began requiring wastewater plants and industries to disclose whether they use, receive or generate forever chemicals, and if the contaminants are in wastewater the facilities discharge to rivers.

Surfing on sewage-polluted coastlines has consequences. Believe it or not, riding waves in unsafe waters could be a life-changing experience.

Domestic and industrial wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are facing formidable challenges in effectively eliminating emerging pollutants and conventional nutrients. We propose the creation of a Global WWTP Microbiome-based Integrative Information Platform, inspired by the untapped microbiome and engineering data from WWTPs and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI).

Bottlenose dolphins off the western coast of Wales are under threat from wastewater pollution — from raw sewage that was intentionally released into a river that feeds into the ocean.

Despite increases in federal infrastructure funding that could provide adequate wastewater management for thousands of U.S. communities, the pace of progress in small, underserved communities has been disappointing. This article addresses the major system typologies that can be implemented and the obstacles that are preventing many such communities from receiving funding and implementing systems.

As Singapore's economy grows and the impact of climate change increases, more pressure will be put on the city state's water supplies. With industries using more than half of its water, both public and private industry players are racing to find sustainable solutions.

A collection of news stories covering PFAS and their impacts on human health and the Great Lakes ecosystem from states surrounding the lakes.

A secondary school teacher was forced to stop working after developing an incurable ear condition he believes was caused by surfing in sewage-polluted water.

By using key messages and frameworks for connecting with the “boots on the ground”, we can foster a multi-sector ecosystem that works on decreasing sewage in our oceans.

With rapid economic development and urbanization in China, rural wastewater treatment has become an important issue. This study investigated 63 rural sewage treatment stations in northern, central and southern Shaanxi, China for a 1-year period, 2021 to 2022.

There is growing awareness of a cheaper, more environmentally sustainable option to treat wastewater and that mimics how nature has always done it: through wetlands.

Amid the growing threats of climate crisis and habitat fragmentation, constructed wetlands are gaining popularity as natural water-cleaning systems.

Amid the growing threats of climate crisis and habitat fragmentation, constructed wetlands are gaining popularity as natural water-cleaning systems.

The number of people getting sick from sewage is the highest it's ever been in the South Bay, according to doctors at an urgent care in Imperial Beach. Those same doctors feel that the contamination has elevated to the point where people are getting sick without even going into the ocean.

The European Union is moving toward stricter measures designed to decrease pollution by increasing the number of materials that would be banned as discharges from ships in European waters.

Suspected illegal dumping of raw sewage into Windermere took place on up to 70 days in 2022, a year in which campaigners said the lake had its worst summer of harmful algal blooms, according to analysis of data released under environmental information rules.

Globally, roughly 50% of wastewater is treated at facilities before being released into nearby bodies of water. But new research shows that even advanced treatment might not be enough to safeguard the health of freshwater ecosystems.

Critical water infrastructure, like stormwater, wastewater and drinking water systems, in coastal regions is vulnerable to changing climate patterns and rising sea levels. Intense storms and flooding overwhelm water treatment facilities and storm drains, contaminating coastal waters and threatening public health. As a trusted convener of federal, state and community partners, Ocean Conservancy conducted a case study comparing climate exposure, water quality risk and EPA water infrastructure funding between disadvantaged and not-disadvantaged communities. The results of this study highlight disparities in exposure to water pollution and funding for critical infrastructure both between Florida regions and within the areas studied.

Amid all-time-high numbers of cruise ship vacations, environmental groups say Canada needs to do more to regulate the industry’s environmental impact on our waters.

Activists hailed the agreement’s $4.75 million civil penalty as the largest in 25 years for a water pollution infraction—and one of the biggest ever in Maryland for an environmental law violation.

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)  is charged with expanding its water reuse programs, most recently through the development of regulations for the reuse of treated municipal wastewater as drinking water. This program is known as the Advanced Water Purification (AWP) program. The proposed AWP Roadmap (Roadmap) is a resourceto assist stakeholders, including utilities, the State of Arizona (Arizona) employees, consultants, planners, business owners, and the public, in understanding

Welsh Water has admitted to spilling untreated sewage near a rare dolphin habitat for at least a decade. A BBC investigation found the water company had been illegally discharging untreated wastewater at dozens of sewage plants, often for years at a time. The organisation has promised to tackle the problems after viewing the analysis, which it did not dispute.

Advocates allege the state hindered Black residents from receiving critical federal funds.