An initiative of the Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder

Wyoming’s crowded Lonesome Lake tops EPA’s national survey for fecal contamination

LONESOME LAKE, WYOMING—Whit Coleman belly flopped with style into some of Wyoming’s most famous alpine waters on a summer day. Out on a father-son backpacking trip with friends, the Salt...

State inspections lag for New Mexico’s primary drinking water source

New Mexico is behind in water inspections for the third year in a row, leaving water quality in question.

Hard water: In these metro neighborhoods, few drink the tap water. Can trust in...

Some Colorado residents have been experiencing drinking water contamination for years. When the water will be safe to drink is unknown.

Paddling the Green River to report on Western water issues – Water Buffs Podcast...

Journalist Heather Hansman floated the Green River to explore water issues in the American West, then wrote a fascinating book about her journey.

Some still don’t have a reliable water source near the headwaters of the Colorado...

Residents of a mobile home park near Gunnison are often left without water because of unreliable supplies.

Praying for rain

The Zuni tribe's homeland is one of the most parched sections of the country. The tribe has already declared three drought emergencies in the last 15 years. Will it survive the next one?

Polis signs five major water bills into law: instream flows, anti-speculating, and more

Colorado enacted five major pieces of water legislation, including providing more water for environmental flows and studying how to limit water speculation.

Rafting season ready to launch, but COVID-19 worries running high

Colorado’s virus-related restrictions are forcing commercial rafting companies to create social distance on unruly rivers and face the potential for smaller crowds.

Counterfeits hit home: consumers are being foiled by fake water filters

Refrigerator filters are an attractive target for counterfeiters, who may also be putting consumers at risk by selling filters that are not merely ineffective, but unsafe.
Beach at Barr Lake, where agencies are working to remove toxic algae. May 31, 2022. Credit: Jerd Smith, Fresh Water News

Heading to the lake? Colorado trying new tools, including P-Free lawns, to combat toxic...

Colorado water officials hope to combat algae blooms caused by rising temperatures and an increased use of phosphorus-laced lawn fertilizers.