| September 3, 2008 – Volume 9, No. 36 |
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This week's NEWS
AWWA plans TCR webcast. Studies on DBP health
effects yield important findings. E. coliform outbreak (with one fatality) may be linked to Oklahoma restaurant and maybe to well
water. Elevated perchlorate tests in two Massachusetts
systems lead to public notification and... head scratching. Cryptosporidium findings cause big boil water advisory in Wales. A tale of two
cities? No, a tale of two different TTHM notices from one
Texas city. Much ado about something... and that something is
TCE.
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State Updates
Microbiological
- AWWA October 15 webcast: Total
Coliform Rule: Proposed Revisions and Potential Impacts
- Cryptosporidium findings
trigger boil water warning to thousands in Wales:
- Outbreak
of intestinal illness from E. coli possibly linked to
Oklahoma restaurant (Fox News, August 29); bacteria found in water used by the restaurant; more testing needed
to determine if it is the same strain of E. coli (Associated Press, August 30)
Commentary: The source of the E. coli bacteria that may have caused one death
and afflicted over 100 people, all apparently linked to the
restaurant, is being investigated. Epidemiology takes time
and it may be a while before health experts can render a
judgment... and they may not be able to make a clear
determination as to whether the well water is linked. The
fact that the well water, as reported, was only used by the
restaurant for two hours does not, in itself, clear the
water from suspicion.
- E. coli detected in small Washington water system (Peninsula
Daily, August 31)
- Arizona
study shows dangerous protozoan in unchlorinated well sources (Emerging Infectious Diseases,
September 2008) (Editor's Note: The study was previously reported
in the
October 10, 2007 issue of Safedrinkingwater.com NEWS.)
- Four Florida systems get state non-compliance notices for total
coliform positive findings (South Florida Sun-Sentinel, August 30)
Water
Treatment
Arsenic
Disinfection Byproducts
- Two important
prospective-pregnancy outcome studies involving 2000+ subjects over
four-year period yield significant results:
Commentary: The abstracted conclusions of the
two studies are:
1. The
probability of preterm birth was not increased with high DBP
exposure.
And, for the second:
2. Our results do not
suggest an adverse effect of haloacetic acid or total organic halide
exposure on fetal growth. An association of TTHM with SGA was seen
only for average residential concentrations above the current
regulatory standard.
- Texas city issues public notice on THM levels (Waxahachie Daily
Light, August 31)
Commentary:
The city did issue the mandatory
public notice (PDF file, 13 K) for the first-quarter 2008 violation, but
the latest (and almost simultaneous) Water
Quality Update (PDF file, 19 K) on the City of Lancaster's website creates
confusion because it covers the second-quarter TTHM results
that brought the city into compliance.
Lead
- Lead found in testing of
schools in Ohio (WBNS, August 29) and
in Michigan (Detroit Free Press, August 29)
Aesthetics
Fluoridation
Invasive Species
TCE
- ATSDR
concludes no public risk from W.R. Grace TCE contamination site in
Massachusetts... with some caveats (ATSDR media release, August 26)
Commentary:
The conclusion that the TCE in municipal wells doesn't pose a
health risk is quite obviously subject to the proviso of "consistent
monitoring of the... wells by the Acton Water District to ensure
that air strippers are adequately removing VOC contamination and
that the municipal drinking water supply meets all requirements of
the Safe Drinking Water Act." (Note: W.R. Grace is the same
company involved in the Woburn, MA, ground water contamination made
infamous via the book and movie "A Civil Action.")
- A case history of TCE
contamination: Colorful commentary on cleanup of U.S. Army depot in
Anniston, AL
Desalination
Perchlorate
Source Water Protection
Water Reuse
Public
Perception Research
Private Wells
International
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Relevant Links
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