safedrinkingwater.com NEWS -- August 4, 2004 -- Vol. 5, No. 31

August 4, 2004 -- Vol. 5, No. 31

This week's NEWS

If you can't muck it, suck it and truck it.........sic these little Geobugs on that uranium waste. GAO looking for good lead public education programs. Copper conundrum contributes to considering closedown of California water district? Production of perchlorate in a distribution system? GW vulnerability assessments helped by USGS report. It's not just what's in the bottles, but the bottles themselves............and from where they're filled. Hindsight helps a lot in looking at waterborne disease outbreaks.

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Quick Links Navigation:
• Federal Update • Water Treatment • Disinfection Byproducts • Chlorine-Chloramines • Lead • Copper	• Microbiological Issues • Perchlorate • Groundwater • Bottled Water • Fluoridation • Water-related Research	• Radionuclides • Legal Issues • TCE • MTBE • Conferences

Federal Update

USEPA sets public meeting to talk about Contaminant Candidate List 2 on September 15 (Federal Register, July 29)
EPA gets a new deputy administrator

Water Treatment

New AwwaRF report describes pre-filtration oxidant use
Minnesota city upgrades filters....... and addresses radium? (St. Louis Park Sun Sailor, July 29)

Disinfection Byproducts

Elevated THM levels found in small Texas water system (The Baytown Sun, August 3)
Ohio town hires consultant to address TTHM noncompliance (Toledo Blade, July 29)

Chlorine-Chloramines

Temporary switchover to free chlorine may be accompanied by different tasting water for some Riverside County, CA residents (Los Angeles Times, July 28; registration required)

Lead

GAO study finds lead education effective (WaterWeek, July 28) The full report
Commentary: It is worth noting that the GAO has changed its name to Government ACCOUNTABILITY Office. This report appears to be the first in a continuing series as GAO looks at other aspects of the lead issue. Portland, OR and Mass. RWA are cited as examples of effective communication/public education programs about lead in drinking water.
Lansing, MI blood-lead levels attributed to paint, not water (Lansing State Journal, July 29) Meanwhile, chief water official defends utility's lead program (Lansing State Journal, July 25) and Michigan legislator forms task-force to look at Lansing's handling of lead issue for statewide application (Detroit Free Press, July 27)

Copper

Copper problem cited as prime reason for California water district's possible dissolution (North County Times, July 28)

Microbiological Issues

Hindsight on waterborne disease outbreaks is 20-20 (JAWWA, July, abstract)

Perchlorate

Electrochemical generation of perchlorate in situ in a Texas distribution system (JAWWA, July, abstract)

Groundwater

USGS has good info on assessing GW vulnerability to contamination (USGS Fall, 2003 pdf 33 pages)
The Recharge Report is The Groundwater Organization's e-zine
Southern California water agency debates solutions to UST and septic tank problems (Press-Enterprise, July 28; registration required)

NEWS CONTINUES BELOW

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Bottled Water

Umbra, herself, provides all the plastic bottle answers (Grist, August 2)
Police say Toronto bottled water was tampered with after purchase (Toronto Star, August 2)
Conflict in California mountain town over exporting water for bottling highlights water rights, environmental issues (Los Angeles Times Magazine, August 1; registration required)
Maine citizen's group pushes for tax on extracting water for bottling (Newsday, August 2)

Fluoridation

Feasibility study sets $2.5 million tab for Spokane fluoridation - plus $300K a year (SpokesmanReview.com, July 24) Study report is available online (PDF file, 20 pages)
Australian health ministers officially endorse fluoridation (The Advertiser, July 30)
Oregon college student aims to roll back fluoridation (The Register-Guard, July 27)
Oregon ranks low re: % of water fluoridated; Portland one of largest U.S. cities still not fluoridated (The Register-Guard, July 27)

Water-related Research

Taiwan researchers suggest link between drinking water chlorination and pre-term births (PennNet, July 22)

Radionuclides

Geobacter bacteria may provide good alternative to "muck, suck & truck" for uranium waste cleanup (Miami Herald, July 24)
Milwaukee in line for federal funding help for radium problem (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, July 24)

Legal Issues

Dupont sets aside war chest for C8 lawsuit (Marietta Times, July 29)

TCE

New $2 million settlement in Illinois TCE contamination is latest in string of lawsuits (Chicago Sun Times, July 30)
Minnesota TCE contamination of 140 wells traced to metal fabrication shop (Minneapolis Star Tribune, July 29)

MTBE

Small Maryland homeowners association re-energized to fight MTBE problem (Baltimore Sun, August 1)

Conferences

Geographical Errors - Ours

Last week, an attempt by Safedrinkingwater.com NEWS to annex Pennsylvania land on behalf of New Jersey was turned back by our ever-alert readership, who pointed out that Evesham Township, site of a 1000-year flood and slow notification of a bacteriological event, is in fact in New Jersey. The NEWS regrets the error.

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