Also in this week's sewer and water news, a boil-water advisory is issued in New Orleans after a foil balloon struck a power line, causing an outage at a treatment plant

Also in this week's sewer and water news, researchers design a synthetic, biodegradable sponge tailored to capture microplastics from various liquids

Unsafe salinity levels have been detected at municipal drinking water intakes in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana

Also in this week's sewer and water news, Tropical Storm Barry brings enough rain to cause sewer overflows in Alabama and raise concerns for those in New Orleans

Also in this week's sewer and water news, two water supervisors in New Orleans are accused of sleeping on the job during a citywide pressure drop

Also in this week's sewer and water news, two high-level pumping staff members go AWOL during a power crisis in New Orleans

Also in this week's sewer and water news, a naked man is rescued from a lift station in West Monroe, Louisiana

In this week's sewer and water news, one trench collapse in Maryland kills a construction worker, and a second worker is lucky to escape with his life after a similar collapse in Alberta

Also in this week's sewer and water news, a Minnesota representative calls on the government to allocate more money for water infrastructure; and a Pennsylvania town's water mandate has citizens ready to migrate elsewhere