This week's NEWS

San Francisco PUC responds to consumers on chloramines. "Dilution... as the solution to pollution" doesn't cut it anymore in Wales. Desalting clears legal and patent hurdles. The El Lay media turns its microscope on tap and bottled water quality questions. MTBE study provides detailed guidelines for air-stripping treatment. Birds do it, bees do it... even educated fleas... and astronauts and Americans... do it!

Quick Links Navigation:

Federal Updates

• USEPA provides more webcast training opportunities for the Stage 2 D/DBP and LT2ESWTR rules in January, 2007

State Updates

• Nebraska's November Water Spout (PDF file, 133K)
• Ohio's Drinking Water Source Protection Update-2006: A Year of Accomplishments (PDF file, 207K)
• Washington's Cross-connection control rules and definitions (PDF file, 133K)
• Wisconsin releases its 2005 Annual Drinking Water Report, which is titled "Safe Water On Tap" (PDF file, 579K)

Microbiological

• Report on Welsh cryptosporidiosis outbreak in 2005 is released; the National Public Health Service "outbreak team's" report summary (Word document, 100K) and the full report (PDF file, 2.35MB)
  Commentary: The report concludes that there was no treatment or monitoring failure, but the treatment, including reliance on dilution in the reservoir, was not sufficient to protect against the risk of pathogens from sewage in the watershed. The UV treatment installed after the outbreak is deemed to be adequate protection.
• Pennsylvania system assures customers their water is safe despite notice of coliform findings (York Daily Record, December 1)

Chloramines

• San Francisco reports on its investigation of consumer complaints re: chloramines (SFPUC website, Item 8a)
  Commentary: The first 20 minutes of this video of a public meeting of the commission that oversees San Francisco's drinking water system features an excellent presentation by water quality staff and the county health epidemiologist on their review of questions and concerns raised about chloramines by a relatively small number of consumers.

Water Treatment

• New AwwaRF report: Optimization of Membrane Treatment for Direct and Clarified Water Filtration
• Two-agency, $135 million New York treatment plant delayed by politics, urban sprawl, government efficiency, and... (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, December 1) but you can check out one of the agencies' existing water treatment plants
• Tennessee city considers contracting for water treatment plant operations after state citation for significant violations (Murfreesboro Daily News Journal, December 3)

MTBE

• NWRI report: Removal of MTBE from Drinking Water Using Air Stripping: Case Studies (NWRI-USA, PDF file, 0.99MB)
• New York jury sends a message with its $6.3 million verdict on abandoned underground gas tanks (New York Newsday, December 1)

Emerging Contaminants

• The December issue of Environmental Science and Technology is dedicated to emerging contaminants, both biological and chemical

Taste and Odor

• Ohio city says its preparation for potential algae problems is "up to snuff" (Akron Beacon Journal, December 3)

Lead

• Tennessee local health and school officials question safety of bottled water as a safe alternative to school tap water (Nashville City Paper, December 1), but no question is raised at two Massachusetts schools (Metro West Daily News, December 2)
• Elevated lead levels probably coming from home plumbing, say Connecticut water officials (Bristol Press, December 5)

Disinfection Byproducts

• Canadian researchers study nitrosamines in water (Alberta Gateway, November 30)

Manganese

• Woman in California foothills "claims" manganese in water caused her health problems (Auburn Journal, November 30)
  Commentary: Combine low Mn levels, a chiropractor, "hair analyses," quackery, and fraud watch, and you have... a tempest in a teapot?

Calcium/Magnesium and Sodium

• WHO issues guidelines for POU/POE treatment to avoid depletion of calcium and magnesium (WaterTechOnline, November 27)
• Road salt used for de-icing in Wisconsin is impacting water quality in wells and lakes (Wisconsin State Journal, November 30)

Perchlorate

• Fireworks blamed for perchlorate in Massachusetts pond; opens "can of worms" (Boston Globe, November 30)
• Environmental group report questions perchlorate health-effects studies funded by industry (Whittier Daily News, December 3); Environment California issued a news release but the report was not yet available on its website

TCE 

• TCE cleanup at Arizona Superfund site will be expanded (Scottsdale East Valley Tribune, November 30); Scottsdale has an existing operating water treatment plant

NEWS CONTINUES BELOW

Malcolm Pirnie UV Disinfection for Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems With finalization of the Long-Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2ESWTR), ultraviolet (UV) disinfection can be one of the most cost-effective treatment methods to ensure continued regulatory compliance. To help you decide if UV disinfection is right for your water system, Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., can provide assistance throughout the design process, from technology evaluation to construction and startup assistance. Because of our long-time involvement with regulatory agencies, Malcolm Pirnie offers in-depth understanding and expertise in research projects, regulatory compliance, and design of UV disinfection facilities for drinking water and wastewater facilities. We recognize that resources are limited and can help you find alternative sources of funding, the right equipment procurement strategy, and innovative approaches for retrofitting or upgrading existing facilities. For more information, visit our website to meet the UV disinfection experts: Christine Cotton and Sam Jeyanayagam.

• Tap water vs. the alternatives in Southern California
• Canadian officials want action taken against home treatment device firm for misrepresenting tap water safety (Peace Arch News, November 28)

Source Water Protection

• Cooperative efforts touted to look for alternatives for disposing of manure (Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine, December 2006)
• San Diego area water agencies have concerns about quality of source water lake (San Diego Union Tribune, November 29)
• Wyoming city's residents want city to adopt tough ground water protection measure (Laramie Boomerang, December 3)
• USEPA’s December Watershed News

Arsenic

• New Hampshire town goes back to the drawing board on arsenic treatment (Hampton Union, December 1)
• Michigan town moves ahead with arsenic treatment (Bay City Times, December 4)
• Dartmouth researchers find that low doses of arsenic have broad impact on hormone activity (Dartmouth News, December 4)

Infrastructure

• U.S. water and wastewater system costs could soar to $1 trillion (Pennlive.com, November 20)

Ethylene Dibromide

• State agency hands out free water filters to South Carolina town's residents as EDB levels rise; source unknown (WLTX, December 2)

Fluoridation

• New Yorkers speak out against fluoridation (WENY, December 1)
• Alabama utility's vote to stop fluoridating is questioned... including by some who voted to stop (Mobile Press-Register, December 3)
• Florida county commission considers the arguments before a December 19 vote on fluoridation (Treasure Coast Palm, December 5)

PFOA/C8

• Ohio city "up wind" from DuPont considers testing water for C8 (Marietta Times, November 30)
• Perfluorochemicals are everywhere... but what does it all mean? (Lexington Herald-Leader, December 2) (See next item!)

New Chemical Approval Process

• Regulatory system for introducing new chemicals is questioned (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, December 3)

Desalination

• Lawsuit to block proposed Southern California desalination plant is thrown out by judge (Orange County Register, November 29)
• Long Beach, CA's desalination patent approved after four years (Long Beach Press-Telegram, November 29); more on the LB Two-Step

Water Reuse

• Premier's populist plebiscite on policy in Australia: Who should make the tough decisions? (Australian, December 4)

Ground Water

• New WHO publication: Protecting Groundwater for Health
• NGWA's November Ground Water News & Views (PDF file, 2.4MB)

International

• UN report says inadequate drinking water is a leading cause of death in children (National Academies, November 27)
• Ground water polluted in 9 out of 10 Chinese cities (Reuters, December 2)

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