Pittsburgh Plans to Get Sewage Out of the Water

The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority plans to spend more than $2 billion to build miles of new underground tunnels, and to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant. Some clean river advocates are pushing for alternatives, like green infrastructure. We begin our series Ripple Effects: Water Pollution & New Solutions with a look at the debate over sewage in the waterways.

Produced by The Allegheny Front

Restoring Lives & Rivers
Bronx River Greenway
Restoring Species
Restoring the River
Conewago Creek

A rural Pennsylvania community addresses water quality issues and shows the benefits of targeted, collaborative, voluntary approaches to watershed conservation and implementation of BMPs in this USDA Showcase Watershed.
Macroinvertebrate Counting
Pittsburgh Plans to Get Sewage Out of the Water

The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority plans to spend more than $2 billion to build miles of new underground tunnels, and to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant. Some clean river advocates are pushing for alternatives, like green infrastructure. We begin our series Ripple Effects: Water Pollution & New Solutions with a look at the debate over sewage in the waterways.
Bioswale Helps Flooding Problems

Pennsylvania's climate change forecast is wet. More frequent and increasingly intense storms than in the past are expected. One community which has already faced devastating floods is finding that a particular kind of green infrastructure called a bioswale could be part of the solution.
Timelapse Project Creates New Look At River

The Platte River is a major watershed for the plains, supporting people, agriculture and wildlife. For the past few years, a team has been capturing time-lapse images along the river. For our in-depth report “Water Demands on the Platte,” NET News looked into how those photographs are creating an innovative new look at the entire river basin.
“Rain Tax” Helps Keep Pollution from Waterways

The federal government is toughening limits on how much storm water can enter rivers and lakes. For many cities, it’s proving expensive - especially in older communities, where water pipes are crumbling and in need of repair. To fix those systems, some local governments are starting to charge residents a stormwater utility fee, or "rain tax."

Resources for "River Restoration"

Resources

Individual ActionEndangered Rivers and What You Can DoHelp spread the word to protect rivers and clean water with the help of American Rivers.
Community ActionRiver Clean-UpLearn more about making an impact on the health of rivers and communities nationwide with resources from American Rivers.
Individual ActionPlant Trees: Become Part of the SolutionLearn how streamside forests are a natural, cost-effective solution to cleaner, healthier streams with the Stroud Water Research Center.
Learn MoreSan Antonio River RestorationLearn about sustaining and enriching life in the San Antonio River watershed with more information from the San Antonio River Authority.
Learn MoreBronx River AllianceLearn more about the Bronx River and the Bronx River Greenway Plan with the Bronx River Alliance.
Learn MoreSurf Your WatershedFind your watershed and discover the organizations that are working to protect water quality by visiting the Environmental Protection Agency.

Pittsburgh Plans to Get Sewage Out of the Water

Festivals

Resources