WaterWorld Weekly Newscast, April 3, 2017.
The following is a transcript of the WaterWorld Weekly Newscast for April 3, 2017.
Hi, I’m Angela Godwin for WaterWorld magazine, bringing you water and wastewater news headlines for the week of April 4th.
Coming up… Water utility’s high cell bill attributed to cyber attack Water pollution tops list of environmental problems worrying Americans New research project to focus on building relationships between clean water agencies and community Okla. energy producer breaks ground on water recycling facility Last week, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis released an Intelligence Note indicating that "unknown cyber actors" targeted a water and sewage authority in the United States between November 2016 and January 2017.
According to an FBI source, the cyber attack compromised four out of seven Sixnet devices connected to the authority’s industrial control system.
As a result, the devices experienced high traffic and data usage, causing the utility’s cellular data bill to skyrocket — from the average $300 per month to $45,000 and $53,000 in December and January, respectively.
That’s the highest percentage since 2001.
According to the poll, water pollution ranked particularly high with non-whites, with 80% worried a great deal while only 56% of whites expressed that same level of concern.
The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has announced a new project that will help clean water agencies explore how to leverage emotional motivators in public engagement programs to develop sustainable relationships with their customers.
Newfield Exploration Company announced it has broken ground on a water recycling facility located in its STACK play in the Anadarko Basin in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma.

Trump Picks DAPL Lobbyist to Oversee EPA Water Safety in Same Week He Rolls Back Water Safeguards.
As President Donald Trump announced this week that the Environmental Protection Agency will roll back an Obama policy that environmentalists say safeguards drinking water for one in three Americans, The Intercept reports that the person Trump has tapped to be the EPA’s water safety official is a former lobbyist with deep ties to a fossil fuel advocacy group that promotes the Dakota Access pipeline and offshore drilling.
His latest piece, "EPA’s New Water Safety Official is a Lobbyist with Deep Ties to the Dakota Access Pipeline."
Lee, welcome back to Democracy Now!
LEE FANG: Amy and Nermeen, thank you so much for having me.
The latest political appointee in the Trump administration, as you mentioned, is Dennis Lee Forsgren.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, I want to read a statement by Consumer Energy Alliance President David Holt in October 2016 during the protests by waterkeepers against the Dakota Access pipeline.
Well, you know, the CEA group, you know, they pretend to be an independent organization, but we’ve gone through tax filings and found that large oil refineries, companies like Koch Industries, that you previously referenced on your show, and Phillips 66, these big kind of industrial polluters, are providing a significant portion of the financing for CEA.
And the individual that provided that quote you just read, you know, he says that he is a voice of the consumer, but actually he’s just another person at the same lobbying firm where Dennis Lee Forsgren is from.
AMY GOODMAN: Does Forsgren have to go through congressional approval, Lee Fang?

Celebrating Earth Day this week.
LAS CRUCES – Every April, in cities and towns around the country, community businesses and groups celebrate Earth Day.
Nelson saw the public awareness surrounding air and water pollution throughout the country increase and knew the time was right to begin a nationwide movement.
This week, the Las Cruces Green Chamber is honored to be part of several activities that highlight protecting our vital resources and being kind to our planet.
The Las Cruces Chats will conclude on Thursday evening with myself talking about our Think Local First efforts and will conclude with Clair Campos and Spenser Lopez, from Mountain View Market Co-Op, discussing food waste.
All Las Cruces Chats begin at 6 p.m., are free and open to the public and take place at the county government building, 845 N. Motel Blvd.
Friday’s events feature the Earth Day Festival at the Doña Ana County Government Building.
The day begins with a tree planting at 8 a.m. and the festival, featuring various vendors, runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Saturday, April 22, the Las Cruces Green Chamber, in partnership with Keep Las Cruces Beautiful, will be hosting the Reuse and Recycle Fashion show at the plaza on Main Street.
It is also free and open to public and runs from 8:30 to 3 p.m. Attendees will see a number of locally-owned businesses that are doing their part to reduce their carbon footprint, conserve energy and protect the planet.
Carrie Hamblen is the CEO/President of the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce.