Water pollution

Contractors conduct groundwater sampling in March 2022 as part of an effort to provide alternative water supplies for areas affected by PFAS contamination near Ellsworth Air Force Base. (U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center)

Pentagon to halt use of firefighting foam that contains PFAS as cleanup costs mount

BY: and - March 16, 2023

WASHINGTON — Battered by years of criticism from U.S. lawmakers and environmental advocates, the Department of Defense will stop purchasing PFAS-containing firefighting foam later this year and phase it out entirely in 2024.  The replacement for Aqueous Film Forming Foam has yet to be determined, and advocates are frustrated it’s taken so long to halt […]

The Big Sioux River under Watertown's stone bridge on Kemp Avenue in winter (J.T. Fey/For South Dakota Searchlight)

Ongoing study shows Big Sioux River mixing with aquifer that Watertown uses for water

BY: - February 20, 2023

The waters of the Big Sioux River are infiltrating the drinking water pulled from wells near Watertown, causing potentially harmful effects that aren’t fully understood yet. Those early conclusions come from a joint state and U.S. Geological Survey study on interactions between the river and the Big Sioux Aquifer. The study does not offer conclusions […]

COMMENTARY
Cattle near Stoneville, South Dakota, on July 21, 2021. (USDA Photo by Lance Cheung)

On ag pollution, state’s carrot doesn’t work and the stick is a twig

BY: - February 16, 2023

Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) Secretary Hunter Roberts confirmed what long has been known about South Dakota during a Jan. 19 briefing before a legislative committee. South Dakota gives only lip service to controlling agricultural pollution. In a broad discussion, Roberts told the House Ag and Natural Resources committee that financial efforts to […]

The sun sets on a wetland northwest of Hartford, South Dakota. (Joshua Haiar/SD Searchlight)

Longtime tensions over federal wetlands rule return in U.S. House hearing

BY: - February 8, 2023

A U.S. House panel renewed the decades-long fight Wednesday over how standing waters on farmland and other private property should be defined and regulated by federal authorities, with Republicans calling for a pause until the U.S. Supreme Court can provide more clarity. The definition of so-called Waters of the United States, or WOTUS — wetlands […]

These boxes can be buried almost entirely underground, leaving room to remove the lid, and are spliced into a drain tile system. Structures in the boxes can be used to raise the level of drainage outlets, helping to retain more water in the soil during dry times. (Courtesy of SDSU)

Researcher says simple fix could help farmers retain water and nutrients, but few are using it

BY: - February 6, 2023

Few farmers have installed a control system to manage water discharged from underground pipes, even though it could benefit their bottom line and the environment, according to research underway at South Dakota State University.  “Drain tile” is the common name for perforated pipes that many farmers bury under their fields to remove excess water. John […]

Workers with East Bay Municipal Utility District install new water pipe on April 22, 2021, in Oakland, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

White House launches new push to help states remove lead pipes that carry drinking water

BY: - January 27, 2023

WASHINGTON — The White House on Friday announced plans to speed up the use of infrastructure law funds to replace lead pipes in underserved communities, with a focus on Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin beginning this year. The four states, each led by Democratic governors, will be part of what’s called the Lead Service […]

Hunter Roberts, secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, briefs the House Ag and Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 19, 2023, at the Capitol in Pierre. (Joshua Haiar/SD Searchlight)

State needs more incentives to keep ag waste out of water, regulator says

BY: - January 19, 2023

PIERRE — The lack of any sign-ups for a multimillion-dollar water quality program is evidence that agricultural operations need more incentives to keep waste out of waterways, according to the leader of the state’s environmental regulatory agency.  Hunter Roberts is the secretary of the state Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. He briefed the House […]

Kids float down French Creek; a sign stands near the city of Custer's treated wastewater discharge point along Flynn Creek. (Courtesy photos)

Landowners feel sidelined as Custer plans wastewater discharge into French Creek

BY: - December 16, 2022

Critics of a city’s decision to release treated wastewater into a scenic and historic Black Hills creek say it could pollute the water and is being done without sufficient input from affected residents. The city of Custer is upgrading its wastewater treatment system because of projected population growth and maintenance problems with the current system. […]

Sioux Falls as seen from Falls Park, on the Big Sioux River. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)

Drought causing more minerals to enter Sioux Falls drinking water source

BY: - December 4, 2022

A state water quality report says the part of the Big Sioux River that Sioux Falls uses for drinking water contains dissolved solids beyond the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. A city water official says the drought is causing the uptick in minerals, like salt. The state Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources […]

Water quality group gives Big Sioux River an ‘F’ grade over E. coli contamination

BY: - November 15, 2022

A water conservation non-profit gives the Big Sioux River an ‘F’ grade over E. coli levels beyond what’s considered safe by the state Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR). Nitrate levels in the river, fueled in part by agricultural fertilizer runoff, are also rising. The report card was presented Monday evening at Augustana University […]

A precipitation chart displayed recently at the Eastern South Dakota Water Conference in Brookings. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

Changing climate could flush more soil and fertilizers into water, experts say

BY: - October 25, 2022

BROOKINGS — Water management professionals say more soil and fertilizer will leave farms and enter the state’s waterways as climate change intensifies storms and droughts. Experts from around the nation discussed the problem recently at the annual Eastern South Dakota Water Conference in Brookings. The Northern Great Plains can expect more heavy rains because of […]