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Phoenix, which had 128 days at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit last year, is one of the hottest and fastest-warming cities in the United States. Although it is on the leading edge, it is not alone: Most American cities are expected to drastically heat up in the next decades. Many may have summers with heat waves and triple-digit days — summers that resemble Phoenix today. Here in the Valley of the Sun, that means work and play shift into the cooler hours. Neighborhoods thrum with activity at dawn and dusk when residents hike, jog and paddleboard. In the hottest months, the zoo opens at 6 a.m., for the benefit of both animals and visitors. And across the city, certain construction work starts in the middle of the night — not only for the safety of workers, but also because even some building materials can be affected by intense heat. (Holloway, 8/12)

Hot summer days can bring spikes in air pollution, as traffic exhaust and other emissions bake in the sun. Scientists have linked dirty air to a long list of health problems, and the danger can seem all the more frightening because, unlike with many other risks, we have no choice about breathing. But ... there are some things individuals can do to protect themselves. Steps like changing travel and exercise routes, buying an air purifier and choosing not to light a fire at home can reduce your exposure to air pollution in any season, experts say. (Gardiner, 8/13)

The city of Newark with help from the state, began distributing bottled water to some residents Monday after officials warned that certain city-issued water filters aren’t sufficiently reducing lead levels. In the past week, two of three Newark homes tested were found to be contaminated with lead above what is considered safe, even when a filter was used, according to the city. On Monday, the city notified residents that some filters may not be working as expected and advised those living in the Pequannock water-service area who have lead-service lines to only use bottled water for drinking, cooking and preparing baby formula. (Coronado, 8/12)

“I understand people’s frustration,” Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D) said in an interview, adding that he also has a lead line at his home, and that he and his pregnant wife have been using one of the tens of thousands of water filters the city began distributing in the fall. “This is a very serious matter to me. We don’t take this lightly at all," he said, adding, “Am I worried? Yeah, I am worried. And we are going to do what we can to get to the bottom of this.” (Fieseler and Dennis, 8/12)