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

Well water throughout California contaminated with ‘forever chemicals’

These chemicals are everywhere. They last forever. They’re expensive to get rid of. And many Californians don’t even know they’re drinking them.

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.

As Colorado ramps up PFAS drinking water tests, small towns brace for costly fixes

Renee Hoffman was never thrilled about the water quality at her house in Sleepy Bear Mobile Home Park on the outskirts of Steamboat Springs. “It just didn’t taste great,” she...

Long criticized for inaction at the Salton Sea, California says it’s all-in on effort...

Dust suppression and habitat restoration are key elements in a plan to aid the Salton Sea, whose ills have been a sore point in Colorado River management.

Colorado water utilities race to protect workers from COVID-19 as they declare tap water...

Water utilities initiated emergency action plans, asking hundreds of employees to work from home to limit the virus’ spread and to help protect the workers needed to operate water treatment and delivery systems.

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.

Concern over the “forever chemical” PFAS in water supplies is high, but remedies remain...

A synthetic chemical’s appearance in public water supply wells raises questions of how to protect the public from unknown health hazards.

Once ‘paradise,’ parched Colorado valley grapples with arsenic in water

Decades of climate change-driven drought, combined with the overpumping of aquifers, is making the valley desperately dry — and appears to be intensifying the levels of heavy metals in drinking water.

As more sanitation districts test wastewater for COVID-19, questions remain on interpreting the data

Wastewater can inform public health departments of new variants in the community, but the data collected is still inconclusive.