The EPA has been running these sampling surveys since 1983, building what’s now the longest-running and most comprehensive data set on Great Lakes health.
For now, most Butte residents can safely use their tap water again—but the situation remains under close watch as environmental authorities continue to test and assess water quality.
“These investments will make drinking water systems more resilient to future storms, helping to ensure that communities have uninterrupted access to healthy water,” said NCDEQ Secretary Reid Wilson.
Illinois is setting the pace with tough new rules to protect the Mahomet Aquifer, joining other states that are figuring out how to push carbon capture projects forward without putting critical water supplies at risk.
Despite the controversy, the DOE has opened the report for public comment, inviting feedback from stakeholders across academia, industry, and government.
The initiative is part of OSHA’s broader Alliance Program, which fosters partnerships with unions, trade organizations, educational institutions, and community groups to promote workplace health and safety.