This week's NEWS

You too can use YouTube to help make your choice in drinking water. UV may be the solution for California open reservoir compliance. Your point-of-view on POU depends on which side of the Potomac your Washington is on. Direction and funding of USEPA research are assessed by SAB. Should lead testing in schools be state-mandated? Pioneering Stanford professor Perry McCarty wins major award. Some good news on crypto illness in UK but not from Ireland.  Who's supposed to clean up the mess: Utilities or regulators?

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Federal Updates

• The Science Advisory Board reviews directions and budget for USEPA's research program (PDF file, 204 K)
  Commentary: SAB expresses serious concern with the funding and direction of EPA's research program: "...the resulting research funding decisions appear to be incremental rather than strategic, causing research programs to focus more on yesterday’s issues and less on new and emerging environmental problems."  Specifically, for drinking water (p. 13), emphasis is placed on the intersection of drinking water research with watershed, human health, and homeland security research programs.

State Updates

• Kentucky invites applicants to apply for 2008 DWSRF
• Washington's March Water Tap newsletter (PDF file, 773 K)
• MRWA's April Technical Assistance Times talks turkey about operator succession (PDF file, 263 K)

Compliance Issues: Use of POU/POE Devices

• Washington DOH outlines its position on using POU/POE for SDWA compliance (PDF file, 92.3 K)
  Commentary: In a word, the answer is... No! ...which runs counter to the USEPA's position. The reasons for the state's position, which are outlined in detail, provide fertile ground for discussion – and argument.

Microbiological

• Five hospitalized and cases rising in Galway, Ireland, cryptosporidiosis outbreak; BWA issued (Galway First, March 26); study indicates cryptosporidiosis declined in the UK after new regulations implemented (Emerging Infectious Diseases, April 2007)
• Can waste from pigs who get feed containing antibiotics increase the level of antibiotic-resistant organisms in receiving water? (Environmental Health Perspectives, March 22)

Water Treatment

• Approval sought for UV treatment of water from Southern California district's open reservoir (North County Times, March 25); ammonia in Virginia water system attributed to unspecified water treatment plant problem (NBC 4 DC News, March 27)
• California city can't seem to find an algae-control option NOT opposed by local environmental group (Napa Valley Register, March 25)

Laboratory Issues

• Lab analyst in Erie County, NY, says lab supervisor changed E. coli result (WIVB News, March 14) 
  Commentary: It is emphasized that, at this stage in the story, this is an "allegation" by a whistleblower and an investigation is underway. It is of concern when a drinking water lab microbiologist is so fearful about retaliation that she will only be interviewed in silhouette. 

Manganese

• $2 million filter could solve the manganese problem in the Wisconsin "well from hell" (Wisconsin State Journal, March 20)

Lead

• New York State Assembly considers (for sixth straight year) a bill requiring schools to test for lead and copper (Suffolk Life, March 21) and, wouldn't you know it, schools in New York's capital city have elevated lead results (Albany Times Union, March 23)
  Commentary: USEPA has provided guidance on lead testing in schools and information on state programs (PDF file, 386K), but there is no national regulation.
• Canadian city will warn about lead in water, but says lead-pipe replacement is too costly (CBC Canada News, March 27)

Bottled Water

• For the definitive answer to the Tap vs. Bottled question, go – where else? – YouTube!; local tap water bubbles up in San Francisco Bay area restaurants in protest to bottled water's anti-environment image (San Francisco Chronicle, March 20)
• And while we are talking about bottled water in California... FDA re-issues arsenic alert on Armenian mineral water (Food and Drug Administration, March 24)

Arsenic

• USEPA's Sergeant Joe Friday version of arsenic info: Just the facts, Ma'am! (PDF file, 268 K); New York county health starts hunt for source of arsenic in utility's wells (White Plains Journal News, March 25)
  Commentary: Is a water utility responsible for the investigation of the origin of ground water contamination? Or is there a reason that taxpayers pay hundreds of millions of dollars for agencies that are charged with controlling the discharge of waste and protection of ambient water quality? RCRA, CERCLA, and other ABC laws were necessarily passed to provide for the needed investigations and clean-up programs. Of course, the water utility has a vested interest in cooperating with these agencies.
• Pitt grad wins $1 million for arsenic treatment innovation (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, March 22)

TCE 

• Quebec judge okays class-action lawsuit against Canadian military on TCE in drinking water (Montreal Gazette, March 25)
• A long saga about a small New York rural community's long-standing ground water contamination problem... and the government response (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, March 25)

Fluoridation

• Wisconsin town's fluoridation debate: Pro-Dental M.D. vs. Con-Chiropractor (WKBT news, March 22); Op-Ed: Maine's state health director rebuts anti's arguments, one by one! (Bangor Daily News, March 23); Maine professional health groups concerned about town's recent vote to end fluoridation (Ellsworth American, March 22)
• Maryland county health sends advisory letter re: ADA's guidance on infant feeding (Carroll County Times, March 26)

NEWS CONTINUES BELOW

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1, 4 Dioxane

• Treatment of Pennsylvania town's VOC-contaminated well does not remove dioxane... where to dump the treated water? (Pottstown Mercury, March 23)
• Court-ordered "no well" zone in Michigan will be expanded (Ann Arbor News, March 26)

Perfluorochemicals/Legal Issues

• Lawsuit against 3M hinges on big question: Who was harmed? Plaintiffs seek class-action status (St. Paul Pioneer Press, March 25)

Desalination

• Test of Yuma, AZ, desalting plant is a model of cooperation (San Diego Union Tribune, March 26); Editorial: Stalling is California county's best strategy in public vs. private ownership of desalting facility (Monterey County Herald, March 24); Australia: "Desalination plant will run, never mind the details" (Sydney Australian, March 23)
• Desalination is key part of Israeli water balancing act (Jerusalem Post, March 22)

Radiological

• $140 million pipeline to convey Lake Michigan water to Wisconsin suburbs with radium problem faces added delay (Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter, March 26); will soil bacteria have the "apatite" to eat up citrate so chemical barrier can form to stop migration of strontium from Hanford in Washington? (Columbian, March 22)
• Debate heats up about potential radioactive threat of Los Alamos lab to ground water sources in New Mexico (Los Alamos Monitor, March 23)

Perchlorate

• Oregon watermelons tested; low perchlorate levels found (Tri-City Herald, March 21)
• Perchlorate clean-up at Massachusetts fire academy is running slow (Barnstable Patriot, March 23)

Source Water Protection

• There's more than manure being spread on Wisconsin county's farmlands (Green Bay Press-Gazette, March 27)
• Hydrologist outlines options to provide wellhead protection for New York community (Millerton News, March 22)
• Ontario Canadians are not waiting for new provincial water protection rules (Tillsonburg News [Canada], March 26)
• Free webcast, March 28, on using USEPA Internet Tools for Watershed Management
• Animal carcasses near a Massachusetts water source raise questions about degree of hazard (Boston Globe, March 25)
  Commentary: The succinct answer: "Aesthetically, it's horrible... but in reality, it's low-impact, although we don't want to see a slaughterhouse next to the reservoir."

Water Reuse

• WateReuse Foundation announces three RFPs; deadline is May 7
• Major recycled water treatment and distribution project is launched in central coastal California (Monterey County Herald, March 22)

Miscellaneous

• Everything you might want to know about the Washington, D.C., area's complex water system... a fascinating history! (Washingtonian Magazine, March); low-cost invention could improve ground water cleanup method (Ventura County Star, March 25); drink water but without the additives! (New York Times, March 27); New Hampshire community has arsenic, excess fluoride, water outages, boil water advisory... and infighting! But building permits keep on flowing! (Concord Monitor, March 25)
• What's good for France is... what for the USA? (TIME Magazine, March 16)

International

• Stanford professor Perry McCarty wins Stockholm Water Prize
• European Commission warns Ireland of fines for E. coli contamination of drinking water sources (Dublin Irish Times, March 23)

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