Water

Water shortages and problems around Minnesota — and the country — have many wondering what is the true cost of clean and reliable water. This reporting is supported in part by The Water Main, a project of American Public Media.

Lawmakers approve tougher enforcement, penalties for water permit violators
The bill gives state regulators stronger authority to crack down on violators who pump more water than they're permitted. Farmers worry they could face hefty fines if they overdraw to keep their crops alive during a drought.
Lake Superior: Honoring and protecting Minnesota’s natural wonder
Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. MPR News guest host Dan Kraker talks with a scientist, two artists and people who dip into its icy waters about the special relationships Minnesotans have with this natural wonder and how the lake is threatened by climate change.
For the first time, EPA to require taconite plants to slash mercury emissions
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a new rule that for the first time would require mining companies to limit mercury emissions from Minnesota’s six taconite iron ore processing plants.
Camp Ripley to test nearby residents’ water for 'forever chemicals'
Officials are asking to test the drinking water of about 30 property owners who live within a quarter-mile of the camp, where foam containing PFAS chemicals was used for testing and training until 2017.
Monticello says tests show water not affected by nuclear leak
Officials hope to restore public confidence in the city's drinking water, after radioactive tritium leaked from a faulty pipe at the Monticello nuclear plant. The test results showed all samples of the city's water had tritium levels well below federal health limits.
Fargo-Moorhead well-prepared for spring flooding
The cities of Moorhead and Fargo are preparing for significant spring flooding. Officials are not sure how high the water will get — the late spring melt has delayed the flood and rain is in the forecast this week. But the communities say they are better prepared than at any time in the past.
Searchers locate two of three shipwrecks from 1914 Lake Superior tragedy
Three ships from a giant lumber company’s fleet foundered in a Lake Superior storm in 1914, with the loss of all 28 crew members. Now, more than a century after the tragedy, searchers have found two of the three vessels.
Two Harbors council nixes proposed townhomes
The Two Harbors City Council has rejected a concept plan to build high-end townhomes on Lighthouse Point along Lake Superior. The controversial proposal rekindled memories of a fight over a similar development 20 years ago.