Waterworks Blog
It’s time to tuck in the garden for winter
October 24, 2016The nights are longer, the temperature is colder and, unless you have some late Fall veggies growing, it’s time to get your garden ready for the winter. One of the first things you should do is pull up any remaining (unless you’re still growing veggies) plants and vines. While some people leave them in o ver the…
Brown is the new green — really!
August 28, 2016As summer draws to a close, we’re under a drought watch in Lehigh and Northampton counties. While there currently are no water restrictions, voluntarily cutting back your water use would be helpful. One of the best ways to do that, especially this time of year, is to stop watering your lawn. While many people think…
Antibacterial products doing more harm than good, scientists say
August 18, 2016We all know that proper hygiene starts with hand washing – but are you doing your body — and the environment — more harm than good? You are if you’re using antibacterial soap, it seems. Scientists and doctors have long warned that antibacterial soap is creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Hospitals are increasingly seeing cases of MRSA …
Dumpster pools and hydrants are not the way to chill out
August 8, 2016Philadelphia’s Dumpster pools have been all over the news, so it seems a good time to remind everyone (especially with a wave of 90-degree-plus weather predicted for later this week) that it is NOT cool to use hydrants — or Dumpsters — to beat the heat. While the idea of using a trash receptacle for a pool is pretty…
From deep underground to deep trouble
August 1, 2016Can you name the next big thing in the mining industry? A newfound vein of gold or silver, perhaps? Rare earths that are used in cell phones? Previously untapped supplies of coal? Nope. It’s water. In India and other countries all over the globe, people have given up traditional farming and instead are selling water…
Every drop really does matter
July 25, 2016As you probably know, part of LCA’s motto is “every drop matters,” but have you ever thought about what that really means? As Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, Administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently pointed out, “You may think every drop of rain falling from the sky, or each glass of water you drink, is…
Get mosquitoes to bug off – naturally
July 13, 2016With all the talk about the Zika virus this year, on top of the threat of West Nile, mosquitoes are more unwelcome than ever. While sprays with DEET work wonders, there’s always a concern that the chemicals could be doing as much harm as the biting bugs. We found a recipe on diynatural.com for an all-natural…
Install a rain barrel to keep that garden growing
July 7, 2016We’re entering the hot stretch of summer, when temperatures hover in the 90s and rain doesn’t arrive often enough to keep our vegetables and flowers sufficiently watered. It also means the water table will start to drop. In fact, the U.S.G.S. is already showing areas of the state that are nearing — or already in —…
Going with the flow
June 6, 2016How much water does your family use in a day? The answer may surprise you, because we’re not just talking about your daily home use — showers, laundry, toilet, etc. — of about 300 gallons. We’re talking about all the other products you use or consume that required water for their creation. An interesting National…
Aye, robot: Tiny techno tools can remove heavy metals from water
May 26, 2016Imagine a scene that sounds like it’s straight out of “Star Trek”: a scientist releases thousands of tiny robots into a heavily contaminated water supply. Within an hour, the water’s almost clean. According to an article from Water Online, this story isn’t science fiction at all. Researchers from Singapore, Germany and Spain have created…