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.

Testing for ‘forever chemicals’ widens as cities wait for solutions
Nearly two years after Minnesota settled a lawsuit with 3M over water contamination in the eastern Twin Cities metro area, residents of the affected communities have been waiting on a plan outlining how the settlement money will be spent to provide safe drinking water for the long term.
Ask a 'sotan: Why are the rivers different colors?
Have you ever driven past or hiked along a Minnesota river and wondered what gives it that particular color? One MPR News listener did. She asked, "Why is the Mississippi River so muddy when compared to other rivers like the St. Croix? Has it always been this way?"
Painstaking efforts to restore Minnesota’s freshwater mussels paying off
A group of Minnesota biologists are leading a nationwide push to restore dwindling populations of native freshwater mussels. The hard-shelled mollusks have struggled in the upper Midwest since the late-1800’s.
The unnatural history of Minnesota’s freshwater mussels
Once abundant throughout Minnesota’s waterways, native freshwater mussels have declined after 150 years of setbacks. Some mussel species have disappeared from the state altogether. Evidence of the mollusk’s decline can be found in some unexpected places.
Minnesota officials have warned a federal agency that a proposal to streamline water quality laws would cripple their authority to protect drinking water, streams and wildlife from dozens of new projects each year.
Minnesota's native mussels: Still in peril, but signs of hope
Freshwater mussels are considered the most endangered group of organisms in the United States. But there are signs of hope: Thanks to conservation and reintroduction efforts, some native mussels are making a comeback in Minnesota rivers. And Minneapolis is putting their unique skills as harbingers of the river’s health to work.
Mayo Clinic goes on low-salt diet — for roads and sidewalks
Every day, thousands of patients come to Mayo Clinic in Rochester seeking medical care, so it’s no place for dangerously icy sidewalks or parking lots. Yet despite last winter being one of the snowiest on record, Mayo reduced its salt use by 60 percent from the previous winter.
Signs of trouble ahead for Lake Superior's historic lake herring fishery
The cisco is a fish in demand: Its meat graces Passover tables as gefilte fish, and its eggs are a delicacy in Scandinavia. Commercial fishing operations on Lake Superior’s North Shore depend on it. But there are signs that the cisco, also known as lake herring, may also be a fish in peril.