Fly ash

This story was originally published by Grist. You can subscribe to its weekly newsletter here.Mississippi’s Water Crisis | Extreme EarthBeneath our feet there is an invisible ocean. Within the cracks of rock slabs, sand, and soil, this water sinks, swells, and flows — sometimes just a few feet under the surface, sometimes 30,000 feet below. This system of groundwater provides a vital supply for drinking water and irrigation, and feeds into rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Across the globe, it contains 100 times as much fresh…

In this Jan. 14, 2016 file photo, a drainage pipe that was the original culprit of a coal ash spill that was one of the worst in U.S. history is seen at the Dan River Steam Station in Eden, N.C. Photo: Gerry Broome (AP)This story was originally published by Grist. You can subscribe to its weekly newsletter here.More than 90 percent of the country’s coal plants are contaminating water across 43 states, according to a new report. And nearly half of them have no plans to clean up the mess.The study, released on Thursday by…