This week's NEWS

New Health Canada lead guidelines put dueling sampling protocols in the spotlight. PPCPs continue to show up in the headlines but... just what are they? What does it cost to consolidate and eliminate a problem small water system? If a public official ought to get in a little trouble for falsifying one piece of data, how about for faking 500 water quality compliance samples? More good information is available for thinking about a new TCR.

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Federal Updates

• USEPA issues four more TCR issue papers:
  • Distribution System Indicators of Drinking Water Quality (PDF file, 399K)
  • Analysis of Compliance and Characterization of Violations of the Total Coliform Rule (PDF file, 750K)
  • HACCP Strategies for Distribution System Monitoring, Hazard Assessment and Control (PDF file, 630K)
  • Inorganic Contaminant Accumulation in Potable Water Distribution Systems (PDF file, 788K)

State Updates

• Colorado continues its multi-year process of revising design criteria for potable water systems; stakeholder input wanted
• Vermont has an RFP for contractor to delineate Source Protection Areas for all water systems in state (PDF file, 11 K)
  Commentary: The state uses two methods to delineate SPAs, the second of which is the subject of this RFP. That "default radius" method simply involves drawing a 3000-foot radius around each source, but the RFP says it needs to be done by "hydrogeological methods."  Maybe it requires a special pen?
• Indiana gets EPA's tentative approval of its arsenic, radionuclides, and LT1ESWT rules (Federal Register, May 30)

Disinfection Byproducts

• Florida utility faces consumers' wrath as TTHMs are high and water rates proposed to go higher (Orlando Sentinel, June 3)

Water Treatment

• California Central Valley city adds UV facilities to existing water treatment plant (Tracy Press, May 31)
• Waco, TX, proposes dissolved air flotation for algae-caused taste and odor problems, but runs into neighborhood opposition (Waco Tribune, June 1)
  Commentary: The city has completed extensive piloting of the DAF process and provides good information on the proposed facility on their website.
• Cost of New York City's Croton filter plant is more than expected (Water Technology Online, May 30)
• $0.5 million in government help coming to Indiana city for iron/manganese water treatment plant (New Albany Tribune, June 2)
• Illinois city's water treatment and control gets good review in the news (Aurora Beacon News, June 3)
• $1.5 million treatment plant upgrade on tap for Missouri town (Quincy Herald Whig, June 4)
• Chemical supplier hooks up chlorine solution tanker to water treatment plant's acid system; leak forces evacuation in Binghamton, NY (Press and Sun-Bulletin, June 5)

PPCPs

• Presentations from California symposium on PPCPs in the environment (PDF file, 102 K)
  Commentary: The inclusionary definition of PPCPs (from a key Ph.D. w/ ESD-NERL-ORD-USEPA) gives those of us who are not toxicologists, pharmacists, research chemists, or users of neutraceuticals or illicit drugs some new terms to chew on, such as "phood," bepherages," and "excipients." There will be a pop quiz next week. (See Slide #6)  (PDF file, 2.61 MB); be sure to look at the drinking water viewpoint (PDF file, 4.96 MB), especially the last 5-6 slides.

Arsenic

• Filters with nanoscale magnetite may be small-flow solution to worldwide arsenic issues (Environmental Science and Technology, May 30); Rice University nanotech research center addresses arsenic removal
• Indiana school addresses slightly elevated arsenic, but is a new chlorination system the answer? (South Bend Tribune, June 2)
• Rainwater tanks suggested as the solution to ground water arsenic in Australian region (Australia ABC News, June 4)

Microbiological

• Two small systems notify customers of bacterial contamination:
  • In Florida, county issues warning after E. coli found (Gainesville Sun, June 1)
  • In Kansas, town finds fecal coliform and issues BWA (WIBW, June 2)
  Commentary: When people get their water-health advisories via the popular press, the subtleties are important. In Kansas, the message is either they "should" boil their water, or "they might want to." In Florida, the same type of bacterial finding led the county to "recommend that residents drink bottled water and boil water for other uses."  

Lead in Canada

• Lack of funding cited as reason for inadequate lead monitoring in Ontario (Toronto Globe and Mail, June 2)
• Experts say lead testing method Ontario is using is flawed (London Free Press, June 1)
  Commentary: While this may sound like double-talk, it may be the only way the reporter could capture the essence: "...following the guidance of Ontario's Environment Ministry, samples are collected only after running the cold water for five minutes, a method experts say masks alarming levels of lead... Environment Minister Laurel Broten couldn't be reached yesterday, but last month she urged Health Canada to finalize a proposal that called for the sampling protocol her ministry isn't following."
• Expert panel urges more testing of drinking water (Toronto Star, June 5); information on the Ontario Drinking Water Advisory Council's review of Health Canada's new corrosion-control guidelines
  • Health Canada's recommended sampling protocol parallels the USEPA procedures, while the...
  • ODWAC recommends a 30-minute stagnation period before sampling... after initial 5-minute flush
• Lead found in Ontario Legislature's building... as water legislation debated... Hmmm? (Toronto Globe and Mail, May 31) 

Violations

• North Carolina city's monitoring violations were fault of fired employee who falsified testing information (Raleigh News and Observer, June 4); Raleigh's 2006 CCR (PDF file, 811 K) explained the violations.
  Commentary: The city gets full credit for its aggressive investigation, using electronic technology to catch the culprit and take prompt action to fire the employee. However, it is hard to understand (without having all of the facts!) why no criminal charges were brought for this very egregious act ("intentionally falsifying more than 500 water samples over a three-month period") by a water professional charged with protecting the public health and safety. Other somewhat less-serious offenses by drinking water workers in recent years have resulted in criminal convictions with significant penalties.
• New York village criticized for failing to report elevated TCE sample level from well in timely manner (New York Newsday, June 1)

Security

• For the latest security information, check out the Water Security Channel

NEWS CONTINUES BELOW

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Radiological

• Slightly elevated radium levels found in two New Jersey communities' wells (New Brunswick Home News Tribune, June 2)
• Waukesha, WI's search for radium-free water continues: A Tale of Two Cities (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, June 4)
  Commentary: Eminent Domain - two dreaded words that have been the subject of recent controversial court decisions - have been uttered in respect to privately owned potential well sites for the City of Waukesha. The landowner is concerned about how much they will get for the land.  But the neighboring Town of Waukesha is concerned about the impact of new wells. The town and city are about the same size (21-23 sq. miles), but the populations are starkly different (9000 vs 65,000).

Source Water Protection

• Massachusetts towns get legislated $$$$ to help protect 500-billion-gallon drinking water aquifer (Boston Globe, May 31)
• State helps Oregon water systems protect sources (Register Guard, June 4)
  Commentary: There's bad news and good news: The state says they have identified over 1000 human-caused contamination threats to drinking water sources in the state, but through a program to eliminate "legacy pesticides," 125 farmers and citizens turned in over 135,000 pounds of undesirable chemicals.
• USEPA's June Watershed News

PFCs

• Ohio system's customers asked to reduce use to preclude need to activate well with elevated PFOA levels (Marietta Times, June 1)
• PFBA chemical detected in nearly 100 Minnesota private wells (Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 30); a water filter can bring peace of mind (Minneapolis Star Tribune, June 4); state offers guidance on home carbon treatment and sampling (Minneapolis Star Tribune, June 4)

Fluoridation

• Chairman of Poughkeepsie, NY, water board questions need for fluoridation (Mid-Hudson News, June 2)
• Despite the overheated headline, news article gives balanced picture re: ADA's limited advisory on fluoride for infants (St. Petersburg Times, June 4)

Perchlorate in Food

• Perchlorate questions and answers (Food Consumer, June 4) (Note: While this seemingly straightforward Q&A is attributed to FDA, it is not clear that it is an official FDA document.)

Small Water Systems

• Small Connecticut system wants service from adjacent town's system (Hartford Courant, May 31)
  Commentary: But it ain't gonna be cheap! It looks like the cost could average over $40,000 for each of the 23 homes, although it can be paid over 20 years. And these folks have already paid for the small system that is inadequate with shallow wells and high nitrates.

Bottled Water

• Tap water is making a comeback in California (ABC News, May 22)

Desalination

• California looks to the sea for drinkable water (Contra Costa, June 4)
• Seawater desalination project in California 'urgent' (North County Times, June 3); Editorial:  California coastal protection agency needs to make timely decision (North County Times, June 5)

Water Reuse

• WateReuse Foundation's RFP on a study looking for Giardia surrogates 
• The May issue of ReWater, an Australia newsletter on recycled water use for horticulture
• Idaho proposes revisions to wastewater reuse guidance (Idaho DEQ news release, May 25)
• San Diego announces largest sale of reclaimed water (San Diego Union Tribune, June 1)
• "Greywater Guerillas" promoting/installing non-code plumbing systems for gray water use (New York Times, May 30; free registration required)

Private Wells

• Connecticut well owners are being asked to participate in a well-testing program (Danbury News Times, May 31)
• New York town will hold hearing on well-testing proposal (Poughkeepsie Journal, May 31)
• Experts offer private well suggestions (Providence Journal, June 1)
• Kansas well experts recommend testing (Hutchinson News, June 3)

International

• Bonn Charter Drinking Water Principle No. 5 looks at setting drinking water standards (International Water Association, June 2007)
• New EU rules on chemicals industry go into effect; environmentalists say not enough (International Herald Tribune, June 1)
• Algae bloom in key source lake sparks Chinese water panic (China Daily, May 31); water back on in Chinese city (Associated Press, June 4)
• Blue Planet Run Foundation focuses awareness and raises funds for safe water (UN News Centre, June 1); National Geographic issue maps out plight of unsafe drinking water (Media Post, June 4)

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