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Aging Water Systems Makes It Difficult to Retain New Operators

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On this West Virginia Morning, we hear the final story in our series on breastfeeding, the second part of a two-part series on water infrastructure issues in Kentucky, and we hear a discussion with singer-songwriter Tristen Marie Gaspadarek.

In 2017, the American Academy of Pediatricians issued a recommendation that at-risk, premature babies be fed donated, pasteurized breast milk if their mothers aren’t able to breastfeed. The milk comes from milk banks certified by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, and donors are tested for contagious diseases. But informal systems of milk sharing exist, too. And they could be putting some babies at risk. Roxy Todd explains.

Kentucky is a water-rich state, with 90,000 miles of rivers, lakes, and streams. But much like many places in West Virginia, Kentucky is struggling to find people to operate water treatment plants. In the second of our two-part series on water infrastructure problems, Becca Schimmel from member station WKYU reports some operators are even coming out of retirement to train people in other districts.

Tristen Marie Gaspadarek or just Tristen, is a singer-songwriter who has twice been featured on the Mountain Stage. Based in Nashville, she’s released four albums including Sneaker Wave in 2017. Host of Eclectopia Jim Lange interviewed Tristen.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.