Saltwater is Taking Over the Mississippi River

Saltwater is Taking Over the Mississippi River

The Mississippi River, hit hard by drought, is now grappling with an infiltration of saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico. It's a slow-moving crisis that's causing a whole lot of worry for folks down in the bayou. This "saltwater wedge" has traveled about 70 miles inland, threatening drinking water supplies and farmland irrigation.

With the saltwater intrusion, the need for effective water treatment solutions is skyrocketing. The Biden administration has approved federal aid for the state, and the Army Corps of Engineers is working to protect water treatment facilities to help slow down the wedge. This threatens drinking water supplies, especially in southeastern Louisiana, where communities largely depend on the river for freshwater. Officials have been distributing bottled water and working to install large reverse osmosis systems at multiple water plants to tackle the issue. If the drought continues, larger populations (i.e. New Orleans) could face similar water challenges in the coming weeks.

The Reaction:

• Two RO systems are being installed at a nearby water plant

• Plumber gives tips for residents, saying RO systems are “the only fight we have”

• Local restaurant spends thousands on water filtration system

Wisconsin Water Usage Through the Years

Water usage in Wisconsin has dropped faster than trophy bucks on opening day of hunting season– down by about 18% (30.4 billion gallons) since 1997. This drop occurred despite a population increase over the same time. Here are the key takeaways:

• Residential Water Use: decreased 16%

  • That’s a 27% drop (!!!) on a per-person basis

  • Why? People are switching to low-flow fixtures and getting serious about saving water

• Industrial Water Use: decreased 34%

  • Why? Less industrial activity, plant shutdowns, and industries getting smart about using water

• Commercial Water Use: fell by 3.4 billion gallons over the last 25 years

  • Includes water use by restaurants, retail locations, and other businesses

All these drops are adding up to something pretty awesome– folks in Wisconsin are crushing water conservation. But it’s not all smooth sailing. With all this water savings, water utilities are in a pinch trying to cover their costs.

Big Box Water Softeners

American Aqua Solutions, a family owned and operated company in Indiana, just dropped an article spotlighting the real downsides of budget water softeners from big-name brands. It’s all laid out there– the frequent breakdowns, the hassle of warranty claims, and customers left dealing with the same old hard water issues. The article is pretty clear: don’t get roped in by the low upfront cost. Instead, it’s all about getting in touch with local water treatment pros.

Washing Machines to Require Water Filtration

Ahh, Cali– where the only thing more rampant than natural disasters are the regulations! In a proposed legislation, California might just make it mandatory for new washing machines to include microfiber filters. This potential new law hopes to cut down on the tiny fibers from our clothes that are messing up oceans and freshwater ecosystems. If it goes through, every new residential and commercial washing machine sold on or before January 1, 2029, will have to sport a filtration system with a mesh size no more than 100 micrometers in size. While washing machines with these filters are already doing their bit in Japan and parts of Europe, they’re not so common in the U.S. The deadline for the bill's decision is October 14th.

What else is happening?

• Michigan-based Current Water to allow customers to bring their own containers to fill up on RO and alkaline-treated water, saying “We are so much more than a water store”

• MIT developed a new solar desalination method that produces drinking water that is “cheaper than tap water”

• SIPP announced their smart home water treatment device that uses ultraviolet light to disinfect tap water (coming in 2024)

• WaterFilterGuru.com writes about the best methods to remove arsenic from water