This week's NEWS

What if you issued an informative water quality report to everyone, but nobody read it? Why keep on doing the same old thing? Not everyone is. Research–quick and to the punch–by AwwaRF and comprehensive in Australia. Every adverse event provides lessons to be learned... blame is the least important aspect. Water quality monitoring should be a function of where you live... or should it? Who is competent to analyze drinking water samples? What does Doonesbury know about bottled water, anyway?

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Federal Updates

• USEPA seeks input from SAB on "how to measure the effectiveness of the drinking water regulatory program?" (PDF file, 377K)
  Commentary: With help from the NDWAC, EPA is trying to translate data on compliance with regulations into real health outcome information.   
• USEPA's FY 2007 Performance and Accountability Report (Note: Drinking water is covered in Section II, Goal 2, pages 67-71.)

• Ohio's November Drinking Water Source Protection Update newsletter (PDF file, 461K)
• Oregon proposes numerous rule changes, including LCR, GWUDI, and fees: Notice (PDF file, 46K); summary of changes (PDF file, 45K); and the complete new rules (PDF file, 1.2MB)
• New York gets nod from EPA on a bunch of new state drinking water regulations (Federal Register, December 3)

• Massachusetts city's new filtration plant finally ready to go to work (The Republican, November 29)
  Commentary: Northampton has operated under a state-issued consent order (and "waiver of filtration") since 2001. The water treatment plant was to have been completed by August, 2005, but construction didn't get started until the end of that year. While the news article states disinfection byproducts have been a problem, the city's CCR (PDF file, 1.06MB) indicates compliance.
• California city will build ground water softening plant to replace facility damaged in 1994 quake (Simi Valley Acorn, November 30)
• North Carolina city's water treatment plant fails TOC requirement; monthly monitoring initiated (Shelby Star, December 3)
• Oklahoma city seeks $29 million loan to upgrade 1934 water treatment plant (Muskogee Daily Phoenix, December 4); Merle Haggard would be proud!

• Water tasting in Utah is an "art form" (Deseret Morning News, December 2)

• Researchers say "place" affects water quality... and should affect monitoring requirements (University of Iowa, December 4); Economics of place-based monitoring under the Safe Drinking Water Act (Environmental Monitoring and Assessment journal; PDF file, 327K) (Note: This is Part I of a three-part series.)

• USEPA Region 8 touts its enforcement actions in:
  • Utah 
  • Wyoming 
  • Montana
  Commentary: Few states crank up their PR machines to publish the routine and regular citations and enforcement letters for monitoring and other violations as do some EPA regions. Maybe they should? The states do produce a required annual report on compliance, but the reports don't make for scintillating reading.

• If you've got Sweetwater in California, you'll want to read about it all year long... in two languages (PDF file, 15 pages, 8.45MB – note large file size)
• If you've got it, flaunt it! Texas city says its water is "Pharr out!"
• Another water quality calendar... with pin-ups! Bryant, TX's water quality heroes fight such villains as Crypto and Backflow!
  Commentary: Proof positive that CCRs, AWQRs, and water websites do NOT have to be boring. These examples are from people who have heard the legitimate arguments that "nobody reads these things" and want to change that.

• Problems with Florida town's BWA? Lessons were learned (Bradford County Telegraph, November 29)
  Commentary: In Lake Butler, Monday-morning quarterbacking–which is an absolutely essential activity after any significant drinking water event–raised questions about: a) The way bacti samples are collected; b) the advisability of storing drinking water sample bottles at the sewage plant; c) the geographic applicability of a public notice relative to the locations of positive samples; d) the closing of public facilities during a BWA; and e) the effectiveness of notification methods.
• Maine town is required to issue precautionary BWA for new "not-yet-sampled" source (Sun Journal, December 4)

• UK Drinking Water Inspectorate has issued guidance for water quality analysts to address recruiting problems; the guidance document (Microsoft Word Document; K)

• AwwaRF introduces a new fast-track research program (PDF file; 28K)
  Commentary: This important new RRR program provides a "mechanism through which AwwaRF can respond rapidly to urgent, immediate, or unforeseen research needs... focus primarily on determining the extent of an issue and setting the stage for additional research, if warranted, under one of the other AwwaRF research programs."  Projects will be limited to $50K with a maximum duration of 6 months.  Pre-qualification guidelines (PDF file; 27K)
• The annual report for Australia's CRC for Water Quality and Treatment provides a wealth of information on an impressive list of programs (PDF file, 3.3MB)
• Nanoparticles: Between a rock and.... a wet place? (Science Daily, December 1)

• Ten years of ground water monitoring by California desert water agency: Perchlorate levels have decreased (Santa Clarita Signal, November 27)
• California state regulatory staff recommends tough changes to proposed clean-up order (Morgan Hill Times, November 27)
  Commentary: After extensive input from affected cities and water agencies, the Regulatory Board staff "revised the proposed cleanup order to require Olin to implement aggressive and prompt groundwater cleanup... has not accepted Olin's alternative cleanup goal of 6 ppb and requires a cleanup to 'background,' or non-detectable levels, but also states, 'It is not prudent at this time to establish a cleanup level.'" (Note: California recently adopted a drinking water MCL of 6 ppb.)
• U.S. researchers find that perchlorate may harm nursing infants (Eureka Alert, November 30); monitoring of UK water supplies for perchlorate to be initiated (London Daily Telegraph, December 4)
  

• Minnesota revises water intake information (PDF file, 19K) for its ground water chemical risk assessment process

• Training opportunities for operators of community and tribal water systems; online and classroom courses (Note: There are many courses available that are not yet included in this list.)

• Australian dentists support fluoride in bottled water (Sydney Australian, December 2); Fluoride FAQs
• Many in San Diego County get fluoride in water for first time as regional wholesaler begins treatment (San Diego Union Tribune, December 2)

NEWS CONTINUES BELOW

Malcolm Pirnie UV Disinfection for Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems With finalization of the Long-Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2ESWTR), ultraviolet (UV) disinfection can be one of the most cost-effective treatment methods to ensure continued regulatory compliance. To help you decide if UV disinfection is right for your water system, Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., can provide assistance throughout the design process, from technology evaluation to construction and startup assistance. Because of our long-time involvement with regulatory agencies, Malcolm Pirnie offers in-depth understanding and expertise in research projects, regulatory compliance, and design of UV disinfection facilities for drinking water and wastewater facilities. We recognize that resources are limited and can help you find alternative sources of funding, the right equipment procurement strategy, and innovative approaches for retrofitting or upgrading existing facilities. For more information, visit our website to meet the UV disinfection experts: Christine Cotton and Sam Jeyanayagam.

• Vermont symposium on disinfection byproducts research (PowerPoint presentations are under the Training and Exams section)

• Politicians want answers from CDC on TCE contamination data (House Energy and Commerce release, November 26), and in a related article, a reporter's simplistic look at TCE and PCE in some Los Angeles-area water (Los Angeles Times, December 3)

• Warning! This news article should be taken with a huge grain of salt! EPA samples Florida island homes. Half have high lead level? The water is safe to drink? Water system will replace home fixtures before next EPA sampling? (Northwest Florida Daily News, November 29)
• Vermont town finds lead slightly over action level in two houses; 90th percentile value is 0.152 ppb (Rutland Herald, November 30)

• UK health agency report says ICRP's tritium hazard rating should be doubled (New Scientist, November 29)
• South Carolina information on tritium

• Maryland family initiates class-action lawsuit based on illnesses alleged to be related to drinking water contaminated by fly ash (Baltimore Sun, November 29)

• Proposal to ease West Virginia's process for protecting drinking water use of rivers gets expected mixed reaction (Charleston Gazette, November 30)
• Connecticut drinking watershed group runs into conflict: Higher-density affordable housing vs. drinking water protection? (Danbury News Times, December 3)
• University study indicates breaches in clay layers result in risk to Memphis water supply (ABC Eyewitness News, November 30)

• High nitrate levels close two wells in Nebraska town; central treatment system may be the answer (KHAS-TV, December 4)
• USGS study: Rivers near La Pine, Oregon, Are Vulnerable to Nitrate Contamination from Septic Systems (USGS new release, November 29)

• DuPont extends bottled water deliveries in Ohio town, but will continue to pay for bottled water until no positive C8 findings in public system (Marietta Times, December 1)

• Doonesbury: "Bottled water is the triumph of perceived need over reason" (Doonesbury, December 2)

• Victoria, AU: 600 home-estates and two golf courses added to recycling plant's service grid for irrigation, toilet-flushing, etc. (Victoria media release, December 1)
• San Diego city council will look at overriding mayor's veto of a small-scale pilot study on potable reuse (FOX 6 news San Diego, December 3)

• Victoria, AU, will provide 24-hour protection at catchments... to protect against fires (Sunday Herald Sun, December 2)
• Asia-Pacific leaders tackle water quality and health problems related to poor sanitation, global warming, natural disasters (Monsters and Critics, December 4), and UN chief warns of water wars (Sydney Australian, December 4)

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