This week's NEWS

Here's a toast (with tap water!) to a happy National Drinking Water Week! Excess caustic soda feed blamed on operator error. Who doesn't want to know what's in the bottled water... and where it came from? On the legal front, the beginning of one significant action, the end's in sight on another, and one that won't go away. Using gas chlorine? AMWA webcast is a must-see!

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Federal Updates

• USEPA has updated its Public Notification Rule web page
• USEPA seeks comments on proposal to initiate an ICR re: Proficiency Testing Studies for Drinking Water Laboratories (Federal Register, May 3)
• National Drinking Water Advisory Council will meet May 23-25 in Maryland (Federal Register, May 4)

State Updates

• Oklahoma's 2008 DWSRF Intended Use Plan is subject of a May 23 public meeting (PDF file, 169 K)

National Drinking Water Week

• USEPA – and Thirstin' – celebrate National Drinking Water Week: May 6-12
• CDC notes National Drinking Water Week
• In Utah, it's the law!
• Missouri's Governor makes proclamation
  Commentary: Missouri "expresses its appreciation for the men and women who work to provide safe drinking water to residents and visitors of Missouri."  A big AMEN! to that and not just in the "Show Me" state!

Legal Issues

• Birmingham, AL, utility sues to stop company's discharge of "bromide" to water source (Birmingham News, May 3); update: Company agrees to stop discharge (Huntsville Times, May 8)
• California utilities reach long-term $70-$100 million settlement of lawsuit about perchlorate contamination of ground water (Santa Clarita Signal, May 3)
• Precedent-setting California legal case re: "fear of cancer" standard is revived with new lawsuit over old contamination (Monterey Herald, May 6)
• GRAC's June 1 Groundwater Law Conference in San Francisco will cover NDMA, perchlorate, and ground water contamination issues

Disinfection Byproducts

• California utility meets drinking water standards for TTHM, but residents want lower levels (CBS 5 News, May 3)
• Report shows water quality in Washington lake has deteriorated due to nutrients/algae, but city's TTHM levels have decreased (Bellingham Herald, May 7)

Water Treatment

• AMWA schedules webcast training on chlorine gas: Security and alternatives
• State officials tie Massachusetts city's caustic overdose to operator error (Boston Globe, May 3), and City of Spencer reports on corrective action taken (PDF file, 779 K)
• Lawrence, MA, operates under state consent order after violations re: chlorine dioxide system at brand new water treatment plant (Eagle Tribune, May 4)
• Madison, WI, mayor wants investigation into repeated chlorine failures (Wisconsin State Journal, May 6)
• Florida town gets state help with its rusty water (WTVY News, May 7)

Water Research

• $2.9 Million in Small Business Innovation Research projects for new technologies includes drinking water applications (USEPA news release, May 2)
  • Automated pathogen sampling/concentration system and the Completed Phase 1 of the project
  • Improved rapid detection of pathogens and the Completed Phase 1 of the project
• Indiana University study finds premature births may be linked to seasonal levels of pesticides and nitrates in surface water (News-Medical, May 7)

Arsenic

• USEPA study shows arsenic in Utah mining area is natural, not from local smelter (Tooele Transcript-Bulletin, May 5)
• Idaho city's arsenic problem buried under concern about adequate quantity; blending may be solution (Twin Falls Times News, May 6)
• Promises and more promises! India has severe arsenic in drinking water problem (Hindustan Times, May 5)
• Global extent of arsenic in drinking water assessed with case histories (IRC Water & Sanitation Centre)

Security

• Atlanta proposes to pay $6.4 million for land "overlooking" water treatment plant to prevent undefined security problem (Atlanta Journal Constitution, May 7)
• USEPA has updated security info:
  • Water Security Initiative 
  • Water Contaminant Information Tool  
  • National Performance Measures

Infrastructure

• New York town signs on to "an offer they couldn't refuse": $20 million in improvements with no increase in cost? (Buffalo News, May 3)

Lead

• Ontario, Canada's chief water inspector "recommends" municipalities test for lead at consumer taps (Ottawa Citizen, May 3)
• USEPA has a new DVD: What schools should know about testing for lead

Perchlorate

• AWWA goes on the record re: proposed U.S. legislation mandating perchlorate regulation (PDF file, 28 K )
  Commentary: The letter includes the following: "...decisions should be made in a deliberative regulatory process, not a political one, and we recommend this decision be made by EPA rather than by Congress. The standard setting process detailed in the Safe Drinking Water Act is sound, and setting standards through a science-driven process rather than a political one..."
• Some in Southern California perchlorate-impacted ground water basin think Federal standard would help with cleanup (Pasadena Star-News, May 2)
• Research: Fireworks shower perchlorate into water bodies (Environmental Science and Technology, May 2)
• Oregon study concludes that few high perchlorate tests of produce or milk were erroneous (Northwest News Channel, May 5)
• Perchlorate pump-and-treat cleanup facility in California desert area delayed, but legal settlement assures funding (Los Angeles Daily News, May 7) (Note: See Legal Issues for more on the settlement)

NEWS CONTINUES BELOW

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Fluoridation

• Northern California wholesaler weighs fluoridation question:
  • Requests input from its 7 retailers: 2 now fluoridate and 3 more are in favor (Eureka Reporter, May 2)
  • Board hears some pros and cons but will wait for official retailer input (Eureka Times Standard, May 4)
• Corning, NY, may cancel plan to start fluoridating because supporters haven't raised the $$$$ (Elmira Star Gazette, May 4); update! The $$ does get raised and fluoridation is approved (Elmira Star Gazette, May 8)
• South Australia wants fluoride added to bottled water to address tooth decay in children (Sydney Australian, May 3)
• Fluoridation opponents get their voices heard at a Massachusetts town board meeting (Cape Cod Times, May 8)

Bottled Water

• Editorial: Customers have a right to know what's in their bottled water... legislation supported (Fresno Bee, April 30); what the heck is in those water bottles? (San Francisco Chronicle, May 4); California Senate Bill 220

PFCs

• Disposal questions pushed 3M to initiate extensive research on PFCs in 1990s (Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 2)
• Minnesota governor signs bill mandating health agency set maximum limits on two PFCs (Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 5)
  Commentary: The bill requires the state set maximum concentration levels in drinking water in 90 days... irrespective of whether they have enough data and good enough science to do it. Go figure!
• Teflon chemical C8 found very widespread in infant blood testing (Columbus Dispatch, May 2)

Nitrate

• Nebraska town's drinking water has low nitrates... except for 3 businesses and 1 residence (Beatrice Daily Sun, May 3)
• California city provides bottled water to private well owners near sewage disposal without accepting responsibility (Desert Dispatch, May 3)
• Michigan township holds public forum to increase awareness of nitrate problems (Gaylord Herald Times, May 4)

Microbiological

• E. coli found in California mountain system (Bakersfield Californian, May 3)

Source Water Protection

• USEPA's May Watershed News

Tasty Water

• NRWA's "Great American Water Taste Test" says Three Rivers Fire District, MA, has the best-tasting water in the U.S.

POU Devices

• NSF and California officials announce plans to expedite certification (NSF news release, May 3)

Water Reuse

• Australian Cooperative Research Center's statement on water recycling

Conferences

• "Emerging Contaminants of Concern in the Environment" is subject of AWRA Conference June 25-27 in Vail, CO... bring your skis?

Private Wells

• Illinois officials say private wells should be tested after municipal wells show TCA contamination (Chicago Tribune, May 5); and another Illinois area's private wells impacted by industrial solvents (Joliet Herald News, May 7)
• High MTBE levels found in more Maryland private wells (Frederick News-Post, May 5)

International

• Poll finds Irish public is not thrilled with water quality (Mayo News, May 3)
• U.S. military sites in Seoul, Korea, notified of high mercury levels (Stars and Stripes, May 7)
• China announces plans to spend almost $4 billion to improve dams and rural water quality (Planet Ark, May 8)

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