Waterworks Blog
Keep your holiday greens green
December 16, 2015We’ve written before about the pros and cons of fake vs. artificial trees (real trees win — artificial trees are made up of plastics and heavy metals) — but what do you do to keep wreaths and trees green through the holiday season? We did some digging and compiled a few tips from Rodale’s Organic…
Give thanks for the humble commode in your abode
November 19, 2015An NPR blog we occasionally read points out that Thursday was “World Toilet Day.” Yes, there’s a day for that. It’s dedicated to the “2.4 billion people who lack access to improved sanitation,” according to the official World Toilet Day website — because of course it has its own website. All kidding aside, this is…
It’s almost winter, so why not grow an herb garden?
November 16, 2015Most of the trees have dropped their leaves, the days are shorter, the nights longer and the doldrums of winter are around the corner. Wait, weren’t we just picking basil and tomatoes? The garden may be long gone, but you can still enjoy some greenery indoors. Growing veggies might be a stretch, but windowsill herbs…
Hey, hey, hay — and a dwindling water supply
November 3, 2015If you look at a drought map for the western United States, you’ll see that conditions there are, in a word, grim. In Arizona, much of the state has been experiencing a moderate drought, with some sections suffering under extreme drought, severe drought or abnormally dry conditions. And now the region is facing a new…
No tricks – we want you to have a safe Halloween!
October 27, 2015During the Halloween season, the most frightening thing we can think of is a trick-or-treater getting hurt. So please, before your little pumpkins head out to scare up some candy, take some time to make sure they’ve got safety in the bag first. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has a great collection of tips to get you…
Little oysters, big job
October 22, 2015Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “Pearls before swine,” but you probably haven’t heard “pearls after pollution.” According to an article in Pollution Online, New Jersey is looking at employing oysters in their battle against polluted waterways. It turns out these mighty mollusks can help clean up water because they filter water constantly. It’s part of…
Are your pipes ready for colder weather?
October 11, 2015It’s the time of year when we start clearing leaves and preparing our homes for the colder months. As you put together your to-do list this fall, don’t forget to include checking your plumbing. Frigid temperatures can cause uninsulated pipes to burst — causing costly damage to your home. Start by examining water pipes. Insulating pipes…
Turn around, don’t drown
September 29, 2015As the region gets hit with some drenching rain, we thought it would be a good time for a reminder about flood safety. According to the National Weather Service, more people die from flooding than from “any other thunderstorm related hazard.” And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that more than half of all those drownings…
Unchecked algal blooms are a green menace
September 21, 2015The Lehigh Valley region is blessed with an abundance of water, and for many residents, the summer involves relaxing at a lake, river, pond or creek — be it fishing, boating, swimming, or just sitting next to the water. If you’ve spent any of that time in mid-July and August, you’ve likely seen a fair amount…
Where does groundwater come from?
September 9, 2015We talk a lot about groundwater, but it’s been a while since we’ve explained what, exactly, it is. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there’s ground water pretty much everywhere on earth. It varies in amount and in distance from the surface. “The water table may be deep, such as under a hillside, or shallow…