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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.

Minneapolis tries to stop zebra mussels with heightened prevention efforts

Minneapolis tries to stop zebra mussels with heightened prevention efforts

Ever since zebra mussels infested Lake Minnetonka in 2010, Minneapolis officials have been bracing themselves for the discovery of the sharp-shelled invaders in one of the city's beloved lakes.
by Elizabeth Dunbar

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Masses of plastic particles found in Great Lakes

Masses of plastic particles found in Great Lakes

Already ravaged by toxic algae, invasive mussels and industrial pollution, the Great Lakes now confront another potential threat that few had even imagined until recently: untold millions of plastic litter bits, some visible only through a microscope.

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That lovely bamboo in your yard? It's not bamboo. And it's killing local plants.

That lovely bamboo in your yard? It's not bamboo. And it's killing local plants.

Minnesota officials are struggling to fight the spread of knotweed, buckthorn, wild parsnip and other noxious weeds and invasive species. It's a battle fought on thousands of different fronts against a clever enemy.
by Dan Kraker

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Hiaasen uses his novels to lampoon real-life villains

Hiaasen uses his novels to lampoon real-life villains

In fiction, he can write things he couldn't put in a newspaper, "but you know they're true."

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Lake Marion rejects improvement district

Residents on Lake Marion, in northwestern Minnesota, decided against a lake improvement district in a vote over the weekend.
by Conrad Wilson

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State officials warn of toxic blue-green algae

State officials warn of toxic blue-green algae

If you're out at a lake this weekend, you might want to check for a form of toxic algae before taking a dip.
by Elizabeth Dunbar

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E. coli confirmed in Lake Minnetonka

The illnesses occurred in young adults who reported swimming and boating in the Big Island area of the lake on July 4. One person was hospitalized and has since recovered.
by Lorna Benson

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Lake improvement districts help property owners protect water quality, fight invasive species

Lake improvement districts help property owners protect water quality, fight invasive species

Property owners throughout Minnesota are increasingly turning to a new funding tool called lake improvement districts to protect water quality and fight the spread of invasive species. But the new taxes the districts levy are dividing residents around several Minnesota lakes.
by Dan Gunderson

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Wipes in the pipes vex city sewers

Wipes in the pipes vex city sewers

If people really knew where the water goes when they flush the toilet, they might be a little more careful about what they throw in it.
by Bob Collins

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Rain gardens challenge the suburban lawn culture

Rain gardens challenge the suburban lawn culture

“This is crazy,” the man said as he and a colleague looked at the open pit in our front yard last week before turning to my wife. “I hope you like West Nile Virus,” he said. He was there to move the utility lines that stood in the way of one of 26 fascinating experiments…
by Bob Collins

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