This week's NEWS

Another really dumb idea in the world of "exotic" bottled water. Water violations in the UK bring criminal charges. In Mississippi, it's NOT illegal to treat the water. Things are looking up for Tampa Bay desalination plant. Ohio's TCR changes may provide preview for EPA review? Water treatment issue range from changing disinfectants to pumping good water after bad... with a few stops in between.

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Federal Updates

• The official, final modifications to the Lead and Copper Rule (Federal Register, October 10)
• USEPA will develop regulations for geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide (USEPA News  Release, October 11); information on EPA's UIC program re: CO₂ sequestration
  Commentary: The regulations are planned in 2008; meanwhile, the 2007 guidance (PDF file, 454K) is in effect."Injection of fluids, including solids, semi-solids, and gases (e.g., CO₂) into the subsurface falls under EPA’s authority under the... SDWA to ensure that injection activities do not endanger underground sources of drinking water... EPA has determined that the Class V experimental technology well subclass provides the best mechanism for authorizing pilot GS projects." 

State Update

• Washington proposes to adopt the Federal LT2ESWTR and cleanup their regulations (PDF file, 686K)
• Utah's Fall 2007 Open Line newsletter (PDF file, 1.35 MB)
  Commentary: Hopefully, all states are following Utah's example of "freezing the certification status of military personnel called to active duty." It's the least that should be done.
• Ohio is proposing to amend its existing Total Coliform Rule (PDF file, 19K); proposed changes to the MCLs (PDF file, 11K); monitoring requirements (PDF file, 18K) and public notification (PDF file, 55K)
  Commentary: Among other important changes, Ohio "...proposes to remove language from the rule indicating that failure to monitor with repeat samples is a maximum contaminant level violation... a public water system will still accrue a monitoring and reporting violation that will require Tier I public notification."  In light of the ongoing review process of the federal TCR, the public comments (PDF file, 52K) Ohio has received are interesting. 
• California has a new version of its Drinking Water Regulations (PDF file, 1.6 MB) to go along with the latest California drinking water statutes (PDF file, 767K)

Water Treatment

• Corpus Christi, TX, BWA problem blamed on inadequately planned switch to free chlorine (KRIS TV, October 9)
• Ohio city wisely phases in new two-stage softening plant gradually (Delphos Herald, October 14)
• California district approves design of plant to treat ground water for perchlorate, nitrate, and PCE; will also expand filter plant (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, October 9)
• California water agency tries putting in "good water after the bad" to address Fe/Mn problems in ground water (Sierra Sun, October 11)
• Chlorine dioxide leak at South Carolina filtration plant corrected quickly; 1500 evacuated nearby as precaution (Charlotte Observer, October 15)

Disinfection Byproducts

• Mississippi town's well chlorination to address T&Os leads to TTHM violations (Jackson Clarion Ledger, October 10); state will issue compliance order and will work with town on solution (Jackson Clarion Ledger, October 11)
  Commentary: Ground water high in organic matter leads to color and, sometimes, odors that are not acceptable to consumers. High chlorine doses can lead to elevated DBPs, but it is not illegal to try to make the water more palatable: "For years, Terry's Public Works Department has altered the supply... to clear up the water's brownish tint and neutralize its odor - a violation of federal regulations."
• Study results will help in further studies on TTHM exposure via showering (Environmental Health Perspectives, October 11)

Microbiological

• Re-tests are negative in Virginia system... so the first samples must have been "compromised"? (Herndon Connection, October 10)
• State lifts month-long BWA in Missouri system; BWA resulted from poor control and operation of system (The Examiner, October 10)
• Cryptosporidiosis NOT related to drinking water:
  • Outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in Wichita not controlled (KSN, October 14)
  • Few Wisconsin cases related to swimming pools and daycare (Lake Country Reporter, October 16)

Legal Matters

• Welsh Water pleads guilty to supplying "unfit" water in 2005 crypto incident (Drinking Water Inspectorate new release, October 11)
  Commentary: UK law makes it a "criminal offence for a water company to supply water which is unfit for human consumption... Prosecutions are taken forward where... there is reliable evidence that water unfit for human consumption was supplied, that the company does not have a defence that it took all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence, and that such a prosecution is regarded as being in the public interest."  It is interesting to note that the "relevant" regulations will be changed to reduce a repeat of the water supplier's "mistakes."
• Cross-connection between recycled and drinking water systems results in California lawsuit (News 10, October 11)
• Water at Merced, CA, jail spurs lawsuit over arsenic (Modesto Bee, October 12)
• Ground water contamination lawsuits:
  • Modesto, CA, settles for $20 million... not quite the $100 million the jury gave, but better than the judge's $7.5 million (Modesto Bee, October 13)
  • Corporation added to Nebraska lawsuit (Grand Island Independent, October 12)

Arsenic

• Arizona city will install proprietary treatment on its wells... in the town next door (Prescott Daily Courier, October 12) 
• New York utility decides not to use new well even though arsenic below MCL (White Plains Journal News, October 13)

Lead

• High drinking water lead levels reportedly found at five Toronto schools (680 News, October 10)

Fluoride: Naturally Occurring

• Washington city looks at options for dealing with elevated fluoride level in well (Columbia Basin Herald, October 10)

NEWS CONTINUES BELOW

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Radiological

• Drought and conflict lead Georgia town to activate old wells with uranium concerns... with treatment (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 16)
• Tritium well testing expands near a South Carolina nuclear station (Rock Hill Herald, October 12)
  Commentary: Even when there is no suggestion of a problem in ground water offsite from the power plant, one item in the Q&A gives a hint about what it means to live near a nuclear power facility: 
  • Should I have taken my KI pill?
    No. The KI pill (potassium iodine pill) is designed to protect your thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine. KI should only be taken in the event of a nuclear emergency, when directed by health officials.

PFOA

• Scientists say that DuPont distorted results of C8 health study (Charleston Gazette, October 14); feds end criminal investigation; no charges will be filed (Charleston Gazette, October 16)

Source Water Protection

• Federal money goes to non-profit to help protect Tulsa, OK, drinking water source (KOTV, October 5)
• California reservoir's urbanized watershed creates aesthetic problems... and "political issues" between agencies (San Diego Union Tribune, October 14)
• Satellite conference on Targeted Watershed Grants: Pacific Northwest Success Stories on October 17 (PDF file, 240K)

Bottled Water

• Bottled water from the rainforest (Business Week, October 1)
  Commentary: What a stupid idea! The misguided proponent thinks "...the allure to consumers... will be ...minimalist bottles shaped like rain droplets. His source? Brazil's Amazon rainforest, which (he) calls 'probably the last place on Earth that holds boundless mystery and mystique.'"  So leave it alone!
• Pressure rises against bottled water (Business Week, October 9) as campaign is launched to get people to Think Outside The Bottle, but bottled water association says tap vs. bottled is not the issue
• Suburban D.C. water agency says 'fill your bottles with our great water' (Washington Post, October 14)

Water Reuse

• California water agency mandates use of recycled water: 107 billion gallons of fresh water will be saved (Riverside Press Enterprise, October 12)
• California city looks at issues involved in proposed $74 million recycled water plan (Orange County Register, October 12)

Underground Storage Tanks

• North Carolina joins California with very stringent UST law to protect ground water quality (Winston-Salem Journal, October 14)

Private Wells

• California prison funds homeowner's hook-up to public system after PCE affects private well (Amador Ledger Dispatch, October 12)
• New Jersey residential wells tested for arsenic (Express-Times, October 16)
• Solution to TCE in Maryland private wells divides community (Baltimore Sun, October 16)

Desalination

• Troubled Florida desalination plant passes more operational tests (St. Petersburg Times, October 16)
• Another Southern California agency signs up to buy treated water from proposed ocean desalting plant (North County Times, October 16)

International

• Scottish Water plans major improvements for Edinburgh area, including improving an 1879 water treatment plant (Edinburgh Scotsman, October 15)

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