This week's NEWS

Lots of good quality information out of USEPA on human health research and on the TCR stakeholders meeting. LCR violations in Wisconsin city puts spotlight on lead services. Cross-media transfer of GW contaminant gets attention in Pennsylvania. New chubby aqueous Superhero teaches UK kids about hydration.

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Federal Updates

• USEPA's new website for its Human Health Research Program
  Commentary: There is a wealth of information on what is going on in the world of human health research under the auspices of EPA. A lot of stuff brought together that you won't read about in the daily news. Just as one example: You can click on the National Risk Management Research Laboratory and pick From Treatment to Tap from the revolving screen of projects and then to specific Corrosion Control issues.

State Updates

• From Washington State DOH:
  • New Fact Sheet: The Source Monitoring Waiver Process (pdf file, 2 pages)
  • Water Works Certification Program Guideline (pdf file, 96 pages)
• South Dakota's 19th Annual Environmental & GW Quality Conference March 14-15 in Pierre (Note: Pronounce it "Peer", please!)

Water Security

• NRC report: "Improving the Nation's Water Security: Opportunities for Research" is available from National Academies Press. Panel says improved access to critical information is needed (AWWA Waterweek, March 5)
• Maine water systems practice emergency response (WCSH 6 News, March 5)

Microbiological Issues

• Significant virus reduction claimed for university's new "iron-based" water treatment technology (Terra Daily, February 28)
• West Virginia water district: Membrane filter problems = clear well drained = conserve & boil water advisory (Times West Virginian, March 4)
• Presentations from the USEPA's recent TCR/ distribution system stakeholder workshop
  Commentary: For the great majority of drinking water professionals who were NOT able to be at the EPA January workshop on the TCR, all of the presentations are available. Included are excellent "perspective" presentations covering issues and problems with the existing TCR and its implementation. A good example is the water Industry Perspective on Objectives of TCR Monitoring.

Perfluorochemicals

• Minnesota
  • State issues new health guidelines for PFOA and PFOS; PFBA level reiterated
  • PFCs in private wells concern residents; want more action by 3M (WCCO, March 3)
  • State health experts try to provide risk perspective on PFCs in drinking water (Minneapolis Star Tribune, March 4) and explain that dose matters as does the time of exposure despite what politicians say (St. Paul Pioneer Press, March 4)
  • 3M website addresses the PFC issues
• DuPont notifies stockholders of ongoing federal probe re: C8 (Charleston Gazette, February 28)

Ground Water

• NGWA says Ground Water Awareness Week is March 11-17 and CDC provides additional information

Perchlorate

• New USEPA test methods for perchlorate: 6850 & 6860
• New fingerprinting technique shows promise for identifying source of GW perchlorate  (Environmental Science and Technology, February 28)
• CA county ordered by regulatory board to submit data on extent of perchlorate contamination (Riverside Press Enterprise, February 28)

Water Aesthetics

• One Florida system initiates an investigation of colored water complaints (Florida Today, March 4) and another gets best-tasting water recognition (High Springs Herald, March 1)

Lead

• Wisconsin city has another lead violation and provides notices (Journal Times, March 2)
  Commentary:  Because lead service lines are of the most concern in Racine, WI, the local newspaper can't quite get the hang of the issues as illustrated by this statement: "Houses built after 1940 use copper pipes to connect to the city's main lines, which are entirely lead free."  That is why it is important to look at the official water utility notice.
• Army report says lead bullets are not a threat to groundwater (Cape Cod Times, February 28)

Invasive Species Issues

• Largest CA water supplier drains largest aqueduct; sends out quagga mussel search party (SignOn San Diego, March 6)

NEWS CONTINUES BELOW

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Arsenic

New Hampshire town's water official says the above-MCL arsenic level is "nothing that's harmful" (Foster's Daily Democrat, February 28)
• Central CA city with long history of arsenic problems increases rates to drill new wells.....hopefully low in arsenic (Fresno Bee, March 1)
• New York water utility warns customers about arsenic testing scam (Rockland Journal News, March 3)
• Pass the Rolaids! Test wells at world's largest CaCO3 plant in Vermont show elevated arsenic levels; town's water not impacted (Rutland Herald, March 5)

TCE

• Pennsylvania boroughs agree to put GAC filters on TCE air-strippers (Pottstown Mercury, March 3)
  Commentary:  In a reversal of the "deep pockets" syndrome, where huge industries are the target for environmental remediation because they have lots of money, this small community capitulated to pressure from a crusading muckraker in the Blogosphere and agreed to install GAC on air-strippers to keep... what?....a few pounds of TCE out of the air. Meanwhile, TONS of the stuff is pumped into the ambient air from two large tubing industries.

Fluoridation

• Watsonville, CA council weighs accepting health foundation's $1.2 million fluoridation grant (Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 2) Editorial: Take the money and run....forward! (Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 2)
  Commentary:  A city council person's understatement that "she expects the public hearing will be interesting" brings to mind the old Chinese curse on one's enemy: "May your life be interesting!" The battle over fluoridation in Watsonville has been brewing for years and has included the obligatory trips to the courtroom.
• Balance of power on local health board and fluoridation lawsuit at stake in Massachusetts election (Attleboro Sun Chronicle, March 3)

Desalination

• BOR-funded Arizona desal study looks at using concentrated waste stream for halophyte irrigation (pdf file, 4 pages)
• Northern Calif city adds a partner in proposed desal plant project (San Jose Mercury News, March 5)

Private Wells

• NY county testing mandate may hinge on legal interpretation: Who has the power? (Poughkeepsie Journal, March 6)
• Illinois county health urges well owners to test water yearly (Joliet Herald News, March 4)

Water Newsletters

• Institute for Public Health and Water Research's "At Your Tap" quarterly online newsletter
  Commentary: The IPWR is an interesting group that provides another source of funding for research on water-public health issues. Because the IPWR is funded by a grant from Brita, some might cast a jaundiced eye on the purpose of the group and the research produced. But, a look at the quality of the IPWR's Health & Science Advisory Board should relieve those qualms.

Water Education

• Captain Splosh, brings his "drink tap water" message to UK schools (Hartlepool Today News, March 5)
  Commentary: The school's motives are clear considering that "Improved concentration, calmer behaviour and increased energy levels are just some of the benefits of being well hydrated". The weight-reduction benefits as suggested by one of the IPWR's research projects (see above) apparently haven't rubbed off on the chubby Super Hero.

Water System Recognition

• USEPA Region 4 gives DWSRF Sustainable Public Health Protection awards to systems in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida  (USEPA Region 4 release, February 28)

Water-Related Conferences

• The theme of AMTA's Annual Conference, July 23-27 in Las Vegas is...what else? "Why gamble with your future? Go membranes!" (pdf file, 16 pages)

Bottled Water

• CA bottled water gets OK from a higher power (than the FDA) (Stockton Record, March 1)

Water Reuse

• The latest Water Reuse News
• In Sydney, AU: Another day, another poll.This one says reuse is preferred over desalting plan (Sydney Morning Herald, February 28)

International

• Water wins the Oscar for getting celebrity support; sanitation trails in getting $$$$$ (IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, February 28)
• British Columbia health officers: We need to pay more for safe water! (Victoria Times Colonist, March 6)
• New evidence of water on Mars; can the 1st Edition of Martian WQ Standards be far behind?

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