Waterworks Blog
Fourth of July fireworks: This year, celebrate safely
July 1, 2017Fireworks are a part of every Fourth of July, and sadly, so are fireworks injuries. According to the Consumer Products Safety Division, about 11,100 people were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments in 2016, and at least four people were killed. Of the injuries, about 7,600 — well over half — came during the one-month…
Fireflies could wink out without some bright conservation ideas
June 24, 2017Some summer rituals are universal: picnics and red, ripe watermelon; afternoons in the water to beat the heat; and chasing fireflies across the lawn as they light up the night. Yet one of those rituals is in danger of vanishing. Over the past decade, and probably much longer, fireflies have been blinking out of existence….
On Father’s Day, thank the man responsible for the first known water-supply system
June 15, 2017As we celebrate Father’s Day this weekend, we thought it a fitting time to celebrate a 13th-century inventor who’s been called the “father of modern day engineering”: Ismail al-Jazari. Al-Jazari, born in 1136, was the chief engineer at Turkey’s Artuklu Palace. Some of his greatest contributions to history revolved — literally — around water: He…
Love Monarchs? Consider creating a butterfly garden to save them
May 25, 2017Monarchs are probably among the most well-known butterflies — they’re certainly easy to identify with their orange and black wings. We’re seeing fewer every year, though, and scientists are concerned enough that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering protection under the Endangered Species Act. Why? Mainly because of climate change and a shrinking…
Pennsylvania Lifts “Drought Watch” but LCA still watching!
May 17, 20175/16/2017 – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has lifted the Drought Watch for all counties in the state. That means that water supply levels have returned to normal status state-wide for the first time since last summer’s drought started. Click here to read DEP’s press release Here in Lehigh County Authority’s service area,…
It’s almost swimming season: Make water safety a priority
May 2, 2017May is National Water Safety Month, and it’s already starting out hot. That means swimming season will likely begin early this year. It’s never too soon to get a jump on water safety, so here are a few tips from the National Water Safety Month website and the American Red Cross. Teach children water safety…
No back yard? No problem – you can compost almost anywhere
April 24, 2017At LCA, we’re always looking for ways to reduce the use of fertilizers — and it’s no secret we’re big fans of composting. But not everyone has an ample back yard, and not every municipality allows compost piles. So what can a would-be composter do? Here are a few ideas. Drop it off A number…
Some Easter traditions involve water, not eggs
April 10, 2017Over the weekend, we found an interesting article about Easter and its connection to (you guessed it!) water, which led us to even more Easter traditions involving water. According to a 2010 Bangor Daily News story, some Fort Kent, Maine, residents, get up before dawn to collect “l’eau de Paques,” or “Easter water.” The article…
Green up the garden, not the waterways – over-fertilization causes nutrient pollution
March 29, 2017With spring comes the greening of lawns and gardens — and, by extension, the greening of rivers, streams and other bodies of water. The first is a good thing. The second — well, that’s decidedly bad. As we finally dust off the winter doldrums and head outside to start gardening, it’s easy to…
World Water Day asks: Why waste water?
March 21, 2017Wednesday, March 22 is World Water Day. This year’s theme is wastewater — or, more specifically, wasting water. It’s a topic that’s definitely worth a deeper look. Here are some quick facts and figures from World Water Day: (For even more, click on this downloadable World Water Day fact sheet) More than 80 percent of wastewater…