The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "tap water" ...
-
A Matter of Risk: Radiation, Drinking Water and Deception
You probably use it every day. And you probably think it's relatively safe. But imagine if your home's tap water was actually: making the plumbing so radioactive it could set off a Geiger counter, releasing a dangerous gas whenever you took a shower or ran a dishwasher, exposing you to a 1 in 400 chance of cancer just by regularly drinking it. And imagine if the people who were supposed to protect you from this situation not only knew about it and failed to do much of anything, but instead spent decades covering it up. That's exactly what the KHOU I-team discovered to be the case for half a million and more Texas consumers during its 12-month investigation into the quality of the state's drinking water.
Tags: tap water; radioactive; cancer; drinking water
-
Water Worries
"This four part series found serious flaws in management of the Madison Water Utility and, as a result, troubling problems with safety of the city's water supply. The series showed that the utility's response to the contaminant manganese in the tap water of many Madison homes and the potential health impacts of exposure to the mineral was late and inadequate."
Tags: water; magnese; industrial carcinogen; aging wells; pipes; Board of Water Commissioners; Madison Water Utility
-
Liquid Assets: A Water-Policy Critic Tries Going Corporate To Tap New Market
The Wall Street Journal reports on the emerging of a private market "to acquire, store and ship huge quantities of water across the arid region" of Sausalito, California. The story examines the new corporate role of author Marc Reisner, who has become a player in the fledgeling water business. The article looks at factors that can potentially contribute to drought in the West, and examines the industry expectations for agreements, mergers and acquisitions among the largest water companies. The reporter also sheds light on the environmentalists' standpoint and finds that some are opposed, but many welcome a private water market, since it is expected "to bring new efficiencies to the arena, making more water available fro fish and wildlife."
Tags: agriculture; farming; drought; U.S. Filter; Vivendi; subsidies; politics; Vidler Water Co.; environment; wildlife; "Cadillac Desert"; Sierra Club
-
Trouble On Tap
Sierra Magazine reports on the state of the nation's tap water. Despite the number of illnesses and death due to contaminations in drinking water, EPA regulation and enforcement may be weakening. "Close to a sixth of the U.S. population drank water that was at times polluted and another third drank water of questionable quality," Sierra Magazine reported.
Tags: tap water; water safety; National Resources Defense Council; Environmental Protection Agency
-
Trouble on Tap
"The story explored the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's decisions to award San Francisco-based Bechtel Group with a $45 million contract to manage the renovation of the city's water system." Bechtel's track record in Bolivia points to cost increases and privatization, and in that case, riots in response to water rate hikes.
Tags: San Francisco Public Utilities Commission; Mayor Willie Brown; FOI request
-
How safe is your water? (Series)
USA Today reporters examine the nation's water supply and find grave problems with tap water safety. Water pollutants and carcinogens have also been detected in various sites in the U.S. Several stats and graphs illustrating the dilemmas of drinking water provided.
Tags: Safe Drinking Water Act; Water contaminants; Water systems; Ecology; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
-
Watered down
"Alasika" and "Artica" are advertised as bottled water from Alaska, but King 5 proves they actually come from the tap at the Kent, Wash. plant.
-
No title (id: 12657)
Using computer analyses of scientific statistics, government documents and confidential memos, Newsday revealed dangerous health hazards in New York City's fabled water system. The series found that officials had covered up citywide contamination of the water with the E. coli bacteria which was linked to hundreds of cases fo summertime illnesses. (June 18 - 29, 1995)
Tags: Kerr Bunch CAR Trouble on tap Contest entry Pollution 24 pgs.
-
No title (id: 12582)
A Tampa Tribune computer assisted investiagion uncovered how understaffed envirnomental officials can take years to discover residents are drinking from contaminated private wells. It took regulators three years to find 64 tainted wells in a Tampa neighborhood where city water has veen available for half a century. (Oct. 23, 1995)
Tags: Frankel Hughes CAR Tapping a toxic well Contest entry 18 pgs.
-
No title (id: 8835)
Eating Well Magazine looks at drinking water and finds that it may not be as safe as many people are led to believe; tap water contains large amounts of viruses and leads thousands of gastrointestinal sicknesses in the United States every year; state-of-the-art treatment facilities do not destroy all viruses, July/August 1992.
Tags: None