Pittsburgh

====Water quality====
The local rivers continue to have pollution levels exceeding EPA limits.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.alleghenyfront.org/new-report-finds-industrial-pollution-flowing-illegally-into-pa-rivers/ |title=New Report Finds Industrial Pollution Flowing Illegally into PA Rivers |last=Lancianese |first=Adelina |date=March 28, 2018 |website=[[WESA (FM)]] |access-date=May 19, 2019}}</ref> This is caused by [[Allegheny County Sanitary Authority#Pittsburgh's sewer overflow problem|frequently overflowing untreated sewage]] into local waterways, due to flood conditions and antiquated infrastructure. Pittsburgh has a [[combined sewer]] system, where its sewage pipes contain both stormwater and wastewater. The pipes were constructed in the early 1900s, and the sewage treatment plant was built in 1959.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.3riverswetweather.org/about-wet-weather-issue/understanding-sewer-collection-system/history |title=Understanding Sewer Collection System |website=3 Rivers Wet Weather |access-date=May 19, 2019}}</ref> Due to insufficient improvements over time, the city is faced with public health concerns regarding its water.<ref>{{cite web |last=Smeltz |first=Adam |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2018/01/22/Pittsburgh-Mayor-Bill-Peduto-executive-order-pushes-forward-PWSA-restructuring-water-board/stories/201801220112 |title=Peduto forges ahead to restructure PWSA leadership |work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=January 22, 2017 |access-date=April 24, 2018}}</ref> As little as a tenth of an inch of rain causes runoffs from the sewage system to drain into local rivers.<ref>{{cite web |title=About the Wet Weather Issue |access-date=April 16, 2018 |url=http://www.3riverswetweather.org/about-wet-weather-issue |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202212622/http://www.3riverswetweather.org/about-wet-weather-issue |archive-date=February 2, 2019 |website=3riverswetweather.org}}</ref> Nine billion gallons of untreated waste and stormwater flow into rivers, leading to health hazards and Clean Water Act violations.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.publicsource.org/will-green-or-gray-infrastructure-solve-the-problem-of-raw-sewage-running-into-the-pittsburgh-regions-rivers/ |title=Raw sewage flows into Pittsburgh's rivers. Is there an environmentally friendly fix that won't break the bank? |date=December 6, 2017 |website=PublicSource |access-date=April 24, 2018}}</ref> The local sewage authority, [[Allegheny County Sanitary Authority]], or ALCOSAN, is operating under Consent Decree from the [[Environmental Protection Agency|EPA]] to come up with solutions.<ref>{{cite web |last=Krauss |first=M. J. |date=January 30, 2018 |url=http://wesa.fm/post/alcosan-more-doubling-wastewater-treatment-plant-diminish-sewage-overlows#stream/0 |title=ALCOSAN More Than Doubling Wastewater Treatment Plant To Diminish Sewage Overflows |access-date=April 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926131554/http://www.wesa.fm/post/alcosan-more-doubling-wastewater-treatment-plant-diminish-sewage-overlows#stream/0 |archive-date=September 26, 2018}}</ref> In 2017, ALCOSAN proposed a $2&nbsp;billion upgrade to the system which is moving closer to EPA approval.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hopey |first=Don |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2017/06/07/alcosan-pittsburgh-epa-sewage-control-plan-stormwater-pa/stories/201706060181 |title=EPA, Alcosan near agreement on sewage-control plan |work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=June 7, 2017 |access-date=April 16, 2018}}</ref>

[[Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority]] (PWSA) is the city's agency required to replace pipes and charge water rates. They have come under fire from both city and state authorities due to alleged mismanagement.<ref name=puc>{{cite web |last=Lindstrom |first=Natasha |date=January 18, 2018 |title=Gov. Wolf to sign bill placing Pittsburgh's water system under PUC oversight |access-date=April 16, 2018 |url=http://triblive.com/local/allegheny/12976229-74/gov-wolf-to-ok-bill-placing-pittsburghs-water-system-under-puc-oversight |work=triblive.com}}</ref> In 2017, [[Bill Peduto|Mayor William Peduto]] advocated for a restructuring of the PWSA and a partially privatized water authority.<ref>{{cite web |last=Smeltz |first=Adam |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2017/02/03/Peduto-administration-plans-advisory-team-to-assess-PWSA-Pittsburgh/stories/201702030228 |title=City to turn to advisory panel to study water, sewer issues |work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=February 3, 2017 |access-date=April 16, 2018}}</ref> Governor Wolf subsequently assigned the PWSA to be under the oversight of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).<ref name=puc/>

PWSA has also been subject to criticism due to findings released in 2016 showing high levels of lead in Pittsburgh's drinking water.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morrison |first=Oliver |date=October 18, 2021 |title=The untold story of Pittsburgh's water crisis and a future of $300 water bills |url=http://www.publicsource.org/pwsa-pittsburgh-crisis-turnaround-infrastructure-spending-rates-water-bills/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |website=PublicSource |language=en-US}}</ref> Although Pittsburgh's drinking water had been high in lead levels, and steadily rising, for many years, many residents blame PWSA administrative changes for the spike in lead levels.<ref name="Morrison-2021">{{Cite web |last=Morrison |first=Oliver |date=October 19, 2021 |title=The main cause of Pittsburgh's lead crisis wasn't corporate management |url=http://www.publicsource.org/pwsa-pittsburgh-lead-water-corrosion-soda-ash-caustic-soda-orthophosphate/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |website=PublicSource |language=en-US}}</ref> In the years prior, PWSA had hired Veolia, a Paris-based company, for consultation to help with mounting administrative difficulties.<ref name="Lurie">{{Cite magazine |last=Lurie |first=Julia |title=Pittsburgh's Drinking Water Was Clean Until This Company Came Along |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/2016/10/pittsburghs-drinking-water-got-contaminated-lead/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> By 2015, PWSA in consultation with Veolia had laid off 23 people, including halving the laboratory staff that was responsible for testing water safety and quality.<ref name="Lurie" /> Simultaneously, PWSA in consultation with Veolia had changed what chemicals they were using to prevent metal corrosion in 2014,<ref name="Morrison-2021" /> from soda ash to caustic soda, without consulting with Department of Environmental Protection.<ref name="Glenza-2017">{{Cite news |last=Glenza |first=Jessica |date=July 25, 2017 |title=Pittsburgh officials may have 'deflected' attention from lead-contaminated water |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/25/pittsburgh-lead-drinking-water-flint-epa |access-date=December 16, 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Anti-corrosive chemicals were being used because many of Pittsburgh's water pipes were made of lead, and adding anti-corrosive chemicals helped prevent lead from seeping into drinking water.<ref name="Glenza-2017" />

In 2016 lead levels were as high as 27 ppb in some cases. The legal limit is 15 ppb, although there is not safe amount of lead in drinking water.<ref name="Glenza-2017" /> Though lead levels had been rising in previous years, they had not exceeded the legal limit.<ref name="Morrison-2021" /> In late 2015 PWSA terminated its contracted with Veolia.<ref name="Lurie" /> In response to the high lead levels PWSA began adding orthophosphate to the water.<ref name="www.pgh2o.com-2023">{{Cite web |date=January 24, 2023 |title=PWSA Continues to Provide Protection for Those with Lead Service Lines |url=https://www.pgh2o.com/news-events/news/press-release/2023-01-24-pwsa-continues-provide-protection-those-lead-service |access-date=December 16, 2023 |website=www.pgh2o.com |language=en}}</ref> Orthophosphate is meant to create a coating on the inside of pipes, creating a barrier to prevent lead from leaching into drinking water.<ref name="www.pgh2o.com-2023" /> PWSA has also been working to replace lead pipes, and continuing to test water for lead.<ref name="www.pgh2o.com-2023" />

There remains concern among residents over the long-term effects of this lead, particularly for children, in whom lead causes permanent damage to the brain and nervous system.<ref name="Marusic">{{Cite web |last=Marusic |first=Kristina |title=Lead detected in 80% of Allegheny County, Pa., water systems: Report - EHN |url=https://www.ehn.org/pennsylvania-lead-in-water-2652678227.html |access-date=December 16, 2023 |website=www.ehn.org |language=en}}</ref> Some people also believe that the high levels of lead reflect environmental racism, as black and Hispanic children in Pittsburgh experience elevated blood-lead levels at 4 times the rate of white children.<ref name="Marusic" /> Water fountains in Langley k-8 school in Sheraden were found to have the highest levels of lead of any schools in the Pittsburgh area. These levels were about 11 times the legal limit. Some residents believe this is due to Langely being a predominantly black school, with 89% of the student body being eligible for the free lunch program.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Center |first=Thomas Merton |date=February 9, 2017 |title=The Racist, Classist Origins of Pittsburgh's Water Crisis |url=https://newpeoplenewspaper.com/2017/02/09/the-racist-classist-origins-of-pittsburghs-water-crisis/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |language=en}}</ref>