This week's NEWS

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Cryptosporidium

• An outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada (pop. 14,000) results in a precautionary boil water advisory because there are reasons to suspect the drinking water.  A local doctor sounded alarm two weeks before alert was issued (Ottawa Citizen, May 5) The likely source of contamination is identified, but more questions are raised on delays in action. (Ottawa Citizen, May 6) The public demands answers regarding the delay in alert being issued (Canadian Broadcasting Corp., May 7) and the outbreak has severely shaken the public's confidence in the city's drinking water. (Canadian Broadcasting Corp., May 8) And finally, after the number of confirmed cases increases, a formal inquiry is called. (Ottawa Citizen, May 8)
  Commentary:  Based on available media reports, it APPEARS that the outbreak was caused by an unholy alliance of untreated sewage discharged upstream of a drinking water treatment plant intake, a "malfunction" of a critical treatment component, and a seemingly slow response to strong warning signals.  The CDC has identified "a run on anti-diarrheal medicines" as a key indicator of a widespread, potentially waterborne, outbreak in other cases.  Such a situation was apparently identified by a local doctor in conjunction with a confirmed case of cryptosporidiosis and was reported to health officials.
  
  Several interesting observations include an unfounded media comment that the DBPs resulting from chlorinating the drinking water are "even more serious" than the crypto-caused outbreak; a suggestion that the filter problems experienced were "common occurrences;" the official recommendation to boil water for a full three minutes when cryptosporidium are inactivated in less than one minute at a full boil; and the public's clear choice of bottled water over using boiled tap water.  Finally, what is the circumstance that puts a city's sewage effluent back UPSTREAM of its own drinking water intake?
  

Arsenic

• USEPA and National Drinking Water Advisory Council request nominations for arsenic cost workgroup by May 14
  
• USEPA will not meet June 22 congressional deadline for arsenic rule, and NRDC will likely sue (Salt Lake Tribune, May 5)
  
• National Academy of Science convenes new workgroup to evaluate new arsenic health info: First meeting on May 21
  
• Pontius gives excellent perspective to arsenic debate (Water Online, April 23)
  
• 15% of Michigan water systems could be impacted by lower arsenic standard (Detroit News, May 3)
  
• University students enter arsenic debate with one finding media coverage an outrage (The Technician at North Carolina State University, May 1) and another comparing Clinton with Bart Simpson (Excite News, Indiana University, May 7)
  Commentary: Even while arguing the same side of the issue, North Carolina wins the debate with good internet research and several excellent points.  Indiana U. lost serious ground with the following observations: "80% of the drinking water is not consumed," the Clinton EPA "suddenly at last minute decided," and "Arsenic is good for you."
  
• Phytoremediation of arsenic by ferns may provide solution (Water World, May 4)
  
• Arsenic:  An Ancient Chinese cure for leukemia? (New York Times, May 6 - requires registration)
  

Uranium

• New uranium standard will significantly impact Nebraska water suppliers (Lincoln Journal Star, May 6)
  

Chromium

Correction:  In last week's NEWS, we linked a story from the L.A. Daily News that incorrectly indicated a chromium treatment project had been approved by AWWA.  First, the project is still a proposal and second, it is AWWARF that is involved with the San Fernando area cities.  While we can't catch all of the errors in news stories that we link, we will try to correct any that we find or that you call to our attention.

• National Toxicology Program's Scientific Board of Counselors will meet on May 25.
  Hexavalent chromium is on the agenda.
  

Public Outreach

• Southern California water agencies announce program to reach out to Latinos on water quality issues (Water Online, May 3)
  Commentary: The outreach program follows extensive research into consumer opinions on drinking water quality and coordination with representatives of the Latino community.
  

Colored Water

• Green-dyed Northern California creek thought to be a prank (Redding Record Searchlight, May 3)
  
• North Carolina community's blue water is not a health concern (Greenville News, May 2)
  Commentary: The source of color in drinking water is potentially of serious concern for two reasons.  In the first instance, the time, effort, cost and consumer alarm associated with an unknown water quality impact can be very significant.  In the second, it is always a great frustration for water quality professionals not to be able to pinpoint the reason for unusual changes in physical properties of drinking water.
  

Fluoridation

• National Institute of Health reports findings from dental needs conference; fluoride benefits noted
  

MTBE

• San Diego County increases surveillance on wells potentially subject to MTBE problems (North County Times, May 5)
  

Regulatory

• USEPA Assistant Administrator for Water named (Water Tech Online, May 2)
  
• USEPA requests comments on the information collection requirements under three regulations: State Primacy Rule, Consumer Confidence Report Rule, and the Public Water System Surveillance program (Federal Register, May 2)
  
• USEPA proposes to continue its current Class V Injection Well program (Federal Register, May 7)
  

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