Panel recommends water filtering devices for cancer prevention

LISLE, IL, May 19, 2010 (Water Tech) — In its official annual report, the President’s Cancer Panel recommended the use of home filtering devices to decrease exposure to cancer-causing agents, according to a press release.

In the report, titled “Reducing Environmental Cancer Risks: What We Can Do Now,” the panel stated, “Individuals and families have many opportunities to reduce or eliminate chemical exposures. For example, filtering home tap water or well water can decrease exposure to numerous known or suspected carcinogens or endocrine-disrupting chemicals.”
“This reaffirms what independent testing shows,” said Peter J. Censky, executive director of the Water Quality Association (WQA). “Home water treatment is a proven final barrier against many harmful chemicals.”

The President’s Cancer Panel is a three-person body that reports to the President of the United States on the development and execution of the National Cancer Program.

To read complete article, go to:
www.watertechonline.com/news.asp?N_ID=74130

Multi-Pure Commentary:
It has long been understood that children are especially susceptible to water-borne carcinogens. This is an historic announcement, which all Multi-Pure distributors should be proud to share.  Multi-Pure has prepared and distributed a press release on this important report, and we encourage you to share this information with others too.  It can be found at:  www.prweb.com/releases/2010/05/prweb4027034.htm

Bill reauthorizes Safe Drinking Water Act state revolving fund

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2010 (Water Tech)  — Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Rep. Edward J. Markey, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, have released legislation that will reauthorize and increase funding for the drinking water state revolving fund (SRF) under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), according to a press release.

The “Assistance, Quality and Affordability Act of 2010” will amend SDWA to increase assistance to states, water systems and disadvantaged communities, encourage good financial and environmental management of water systems, strengthen US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforcement authority, reduce lead in drinking water and strengthen the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program, the release stated.

The drinking water SRF was created in the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments to provide capitalization grants to states to award infrastructure loans to water systems.

“Drinking water infrastructure is a pressing issue in so many of our communities,” said Chairman Waxman. “This bill will increase compliance with SDWA requirements nationwide, protect human health, assist disadvantaged communities and ensure the provision of safe and affordable drinking water for years to come.”

EPA awards $936,000 to upgrade water infrastructure in Village of Jane, Mo.
 
KANSAS CITY, KAN., May 14, 2010 (Water Tech)  — The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $936,000 to the McDonald County, Mo., Public Water Supply District for the construction of a new wastewater collection system in the Village of Jane, Mo., according to a press release.

The project is designed to eliminate 130 septic systems which have been polluting ground and surface waters in the Village of Jane, the release stated.

A series of pump stations and pipelines will be constructed to convey the wastewater to the existing Bella Vista, Ark., wastewater treatment plant.

“It’s always a pleasure to help Missouri communities better protect their water resources. These EPA funds will help build a better system that safeguards the crystal streams and vital groundwater that make the Ozarks a national treasure,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks.

Nitrate contamination rampant in California

SAN FRANCISCO, May 17, 2010 (Water Tech) — According to a California Watch investigation, more than 2 million California residents have been exposed to harmful levels of nitrates over the past 15 years, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The investigation found that the number of wells exceeding the health limit for nitrates went from nine in 1980 to 648 by 2007, the article stated.

State law requires public water systems to remove nitrates, but many rural areas do not have access to the appropriate treatment systems, according to the story.

Lenient regulations have allowed nitrate contamination to spread virtually unimpeded, and scientists believe the problems will continue to worsen if remedial steps are not taken, the article reported.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s  MP750 Plus RO has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 58, to reduce Nitrate/Nitrite.

Contaminated groundwater plume continues to migrate

GRAND ISLAND, NE, May 19, 2010 (Water Tech) — An underground plume of contaminated water is continuing to migrate under Grand Island, Neb., The Grand Island Independent reported.

The water is polluted with degreasing solvents tetrachloroethylene and 1,1-trichloroethane that were dumped at the former Heinzman Engineering irrigation company in the 1970s, the article stated.

In the last year, the migration has caused 22 residences on private wells to be hooked up to city water or install whole-house filtration systems, according to the story.

In order to resolve the problem, a treatment facility is being installed that will pump 2 million gallons of contaminated water a day, clean it and discharge it into the city’s storm drains.
Additionally, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will begin injecting oxidizing chemicals into the groundwater in order to break down the solvents, the story reported.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)  and 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, both VOCs.

Hexavalent chromium found in basements of N.J. homes

GARFIELD, NJ, May 20, 2010 (Water Tech) — High levels of hexavalent chromium have been found in the basements of 16 homes in Garfield, N.J., according to NorthJersey.com.
The carcinogenic chemical seeped into the homes from polluted groundwater, the article stated.

The contamination dates back to 1983, when more than 5,000 pounds of chromium spilled from a storage tank at an industrial facility located in close proximity to the affected neighborhood.

The US Environmental Protection Agency discovered the chromium contamination during a large-scale study of water and air samples from 163 homes in the area, the story reported.
EPA has begun cleaning the basements and will take measures to prevent recontamination, according to the report.

“I try to take things in stride, but the bottom line is the properties will be cleaned and that’s all we hope for,” said Mayor Frank Calandriello. “Is it distressing for property owners? Absolutely.”

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s  MP750 Plus RO has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 58, to reduce Hexavalent Chromium.

Nitrate warning issued in Fremont, Ohio

FREMONT, OHIO, May 21, 2010 (Water Tech) — City officials in Fremont, Ohio, issued an alert after water samples collected Wednesday and Thursday showed the water contained nitrates in excess of the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg/L, The News-Messenger reported.

Tests showed the average concentration of nitrate in the city’s drinking water was 11.35 mg/L, the article stated.

While the water is safe for adults and children older than six months, officials warned that infants can become seriously ill if exposed to high levels of nitrates, according to the story.
Residents were also advised not to boil the water as boiling can make the nitrates more concentrated.

Stephen Lamale, assistant superintendent of the water treatment plant, said the excessive nitrate levels were due to “the amount of rain we’ve had and fertilizers from the fields.”

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s  MP750 Plus RO has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 58, to reduce Nitrate/Nitrite.

EPA takes action against CAFOs for Clean Water Act violations

KANSAS CITY, KAN., May 25, 2010 (Water Tech) — The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken a series of civil enforcement actions against six beef feedlot operations in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska for violations of the Clean Water Act, according to a press release.

The EPA Region 7 actions are part of an increased emphasis aimed at ending harmful discharges of pollutants from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) into the region’s rivers and streams, the release stated.

Runoff from CAFOs contains pollutants such as pathogens, heavy metals, hormones, antibiotics, sediment and ammonia, as well as nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous, all of which can harm aquatic life and impact water quality.

“EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson has made it clear that the protection of America’s waters is an enforcement priority for the Agency,” EPA Regional Administrator Karl Brooks said. “Here in the heartland of America, good agricultural stewards take care of our valuable waters. EPA will use civil enforcement, including penalties when appropriate, to stop illegal practices that pose risks to human health, impact water quality, threaten aquatic life and its habitat and impair the use and enjoyment of waterways.”

Officials hold public meeting to address contaminated wells

ROGERSVILLE, MO., May 26, 2010 (Water Tech) — A public meeting was held on Tuesday to address concerns about well water contamination in Rogersville, Mo., according to ky3.com.

The chemical trichloroethylene (TCE) has been found in 12 area wells and another well tested positive for E. coli bacteria, the article stated.

Public officials ordered the meeting in order to update residents on the ongoing investigation and explain how they can protect themselves, the story reported.

The source of the TCE has not yet been determined.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing filtration systems and bottled water to the affected well users, according to the report.

“It’s just one of those unfortunate things that we just don't have the answers to right away,” said Renee Bungart, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. “That’s really why we’re trying to focus on the home owners, the people who are drinking the water, getting a solution for them.”

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Trichloroethylene (TCE), a VOC.

ALHAMBRA, CA, April 16, 2010 (Water Tech) — The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has entered into the planning stage on how to clean up water contamination under the San Gabriel Valley’s final untreated Superfund site, the Pasadena Star News reported.

The area, which includes the cities of Alhambra, San Gabriel and parts of Rosemead, Temple City, San Marino and South Pasadena, was declared a Superfund site in 1984, but EPA did not complete its full investigation until a few months ago, the article stated.

The investigation revealed dangerously high levels of the carcinogens tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE), according to the story.

“Now we have the data, so we can begin to consider ways to clean it up,” said Lisa Hanusiak, EPA area project manager.

EPA will spend the next several months determining the best means of removing the contamination and will announce its final plan next year.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53 to reduce Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and Trichloroethylene (TCE), both VOCs.

EPA proposes plan to clean up groundwater contamination site

WARREN COUNTY, NJ, April 20, 2010 (Water Tech) — The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a plan to address groundwater contamination in the Washington and Philipsburg areas of New Jersey, according to lehighvalleylive.com.

The plan calls for about 320 homes in Franklin and Greenwich townships to be hooked up to a public water system and the construction of about 10 miles of new water line, the article stated.

According to the story, the proposal, which will cost nearly $14 million in capital expenses and $77,000 in annual costs, affects the Pohatcong Valley Groundwater Contamination Site — a Superfund site that has been contaminated with trichloroethene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE).

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53 to reduce Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and Trichloroethylene (TCE), both VOCs.

UN-Water report focuses on sanitation, drinking water

WASHINGTON, April 23, 2010 (Water Tech) — According to the latest UN-Water Global Annual Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking Water (GLAAS) report, aid commitments for sanitation and water fell from 8 percent of total development in 1997 to 5 percent in 2008, U.S. Politics Today reported.

Released yesterday by UN-Water and the World Health Organization (WHO), the report stated that many countries are still not allocating sufficient resources to water and sanitation despite evidence that achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) would lower health care costs, increase school attendance and boost productivity, the article stated.

Improved access to sanitation and drinking water can increase a country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by an estimated 2 to 7 percent, according to the story.

“Neglecting sanitation and drinking water is a strike against progress. Without it, communities and countries will lose the battle against poverty and ill-health,” said Dr. Maria Neira, WHO director of Public Health and Environment.

The complete findings from the report will be presented today at the first annual High Level Meeting of Sanitation and Water for All, hosted by UNICEF in Washington, D.C., the report stated.

EPA orders 79 Penn. municipalities to update MS4 programs

PHILADELPHIA, April 26, 2010 (Water Tech) —The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sent orders to 79 municipalities in south central Pennsylvania requiring improvements to their Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) programs, according to a press release.

The orders require the cited municipalities to correct problems with their respective MS4 programs and come into compliance with their Clean Water Act permits, the release stated.

“These actions are critical since improperly managed stormwater can wash harmful pollutants into local streams and rivers,” said Shawn M. Garvin, regional administrator for EPA’s mid-Atlantic region. “EPA is committed to gaining compliance with these municipalities for the health of local waterways in Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake Bay.”

EPA completes groundwater testing in Lower Yakima Valley

YAKIMA, WASH., April 27, 2010 (Water Tech) — The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has completed a second round of sampling in the Lower Yakima Valley in an attempt to link the high nitrate levels in groundwater and private wells to possible sources of contamination, according to a press release.

In the first round of testing, which took place between Feb. 22 and March 6, EPA found 21 percent of the 330 residential wells tested had nitrate levels greater than the EPA drinking water standard of 10 parts per million, the release stated.

EPA used the results from the first round of testing to identify locations for the second, more focused round of sampling, which was completed on April 22, according to the release.
The second round included taking water from 29 wells to test for a wide array of contaminants including nitrate, isotopes of nitrogen, bacteria, pesticides, general chemistry parameters and a variety of pharmaceuticals and hormones.

Over the next few months, EPA will analyze and evaluate these samples, which may help link the high nitrate levels in the valley’s groundwater with possible sources of contamination, the release stated.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s  MP750 Plus RO has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 58, to reduce Nitrate/Nitrite.

EPA launches web tools to inform public about Clean Water Act violations

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2010 (Water Tech)  — The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a new set of web tools, data and interactive maps to inform the public about serious Clean Water Act violations in their communities, according to a press release.

The web tools are part of EPA’s Clean Water Act Action Plan to work with states in ensuring that facilities comply with standards that keep that nation’s water clean, the release stated.
The new web page provides interactive information from EPA’s 2008 Annual Noncompliance Report, which pertains to about 40,000 permitted Clean Water Act dischargers across the country and lists state-by-state summary data of violations and enforcement responses taken by the states for smaller facilities.

The new web page also allows users to compare states by compliance rates and enforcement actions taken and provides access to updated State Review Framework (SRF) reports, according to the release.

“EPA is taking another important step to increase transparency and keep Americans informed about the safety of their local waters,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Making this information more accessible and understandable empowers millions of people to press for better compliance and enforcement in their communities.”

High levels of PCBs, DDT found in stormwater runoff

YAKIMA, WASH., May 5, 2010 (Water Tech) — The Washington Department of Ecology (WDE) has found high concentrations of DDT and PCBs in stormwater runoff samples gathered in Yakima and Union Gap, the Yakima Herald-Republic reported.

PCBs were detected in all 13 water samples collected between April 2007 and June 2008, according to the story.

Dieldrin, chlordane and toxaphene and high levels of sediment were also found in the samples, the article stated.

According to Art Johnson, a natural resources scientist for WDE, the levels of DDT and PCBs in the stormwater samples were in concentrations 100 times higher than in the lower Yakima River as a whole.

“I think it is clear that stormwater needs to be addressed in whatever cleanup plans are implemented,” Johnson said.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53 to reduce PCB.

WEST PALM BEACH, FL, March 23, 2010 (Water Tech) — West Palm Beach city officials are considering the installation of a new $63 million water filtration system, the Palm Beach Post reported.

A formal vote to approve the project is expected at the city commission’s next meeting, the article stated.

According to Mayor Lois Frankel, the new system, which will replace the current 100-year-old water treatment system, would save the city $5 million per year.

“This is a very historic situation for us,” said Frankel. “This water system was originally built by Henry Flagler over 100 years ago, and we’re coming into the modern age. We’re very confident now that the water system is better than ever and it’s going to improve dramatically.”

AWWA supports EPA's new strategies for drinking water

WASHINGTON , March 24, 2010 (Water Tech) — American Water Works Association Deputy Executive Director Tom Curtis released a statement in response to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement that it is developing new strategies to protect the nation’s drinking water, according to a press release.

In the statement, Curtis addressed EPA’s desire to encourage the development of new water treatment technologies.

“The water sector has a longstanding commitment to exploring technological advancements that provide safe, healthy water at a reasonable cost to communities and consumers,” Curtis said. “AWWA especially encourages the exploration of technologies that reduce utility energy costs and the water sector’s carbon footprint. We look forward to facilitating partnerships between AWWA members and EPA to encourage advancements that serve public health.”

Curtis also expressed AWWA’s support of the proposed stricter regulations for the carcinogenic compounds tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, epichlorohydrin and acrylamide.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53 to reduce Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and Trichloroethylene (TCE), both VOCs.

New EPA drinking water regulations could impact treatment costs in Nev.

RENO, NV, March 25, 2010 (Water Tech) — The new strategies for safe drinking water announced by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on March 22 could have an impact on local water treatment costs in Washoe County, Nevada, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported.

EPA has called for a tightening of drinking water standards for the toxic solvent tetrachloroethylene, or PCE, which is present in some groundwater wells in the area, according to the story.

Trichloroethylene (TCE), another solvent found in smaller quantities in local groundwater, is also being targeted for stricter regulation, the article stated.

Depending on the exact details of the regulations, treatment could be required at some wells, the story reported.

“We planned for this possibility. We’re prepared for it,” said Paul Miller, water quality chief for the Truckee Meadows Water Authority.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53 to reduce Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and Trichloroethylene (TCE), both VOCs.

Toxic plumes contaminate groundwater in PA

LIMERICK, PA, March 29, 2010 (Water Tech) — Underground plumes of hazardous chemicals from two industrial sites have contaminated the groundwater beneath several dozen residences in Limerick, Pennsylvania, The Mercury reported.

The source of the contamination is believed to be the Teleflex Inc. plant and the former Stanley Stool Works, the article stated.

Officials said that the potentially carcinogenic chemicals — trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), 1,1-dichloroethylene (DCE), 1,2 dichloroethene (Cis) and 1,4-dioxane — threaten the area’s wells and could cause health problems for citizens, according to the story.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53 to reduce Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and Trichloroethylene (TCE), both VOCs.

Report on California water conditions published

SACRAMENTO, March 31, 2010 (Water Tech) — California water experts have announced the publication of a five-volume report on California water conditions, challenges and water resource management, according to a press release.

Titled “California Water Plan Update 2009,” the report comes on the heels of a historic water legislation package passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger in November 2009, the release stated.

Published at five year intervals, the updates of the 1957 California Water Plan are required by law and have been important sources of information for water planners, according to the release.

“The 2009 California Water Plan Update sets forth a blueprint for sustainability and forges a new direction for water management in California,” said Lester Snow, secretary for Natural Resources.

To read complete article, go to: http://aquafornia.com/archives/22759

R.I. floodwaters pose serious threat to public health 

PROVIDENCE, RI, April 2, 2010 (Water Tech) — Rhode Island health and environment officials warned residents of the potential threats posed by contaminated floodwaters, the Associated Press reported.

New England was struck by three days of heavy precipitation this week, causing massive flooding. Rhode Island was hit particularly hard, according to the story.

Raw sewage, garbage and other contaminants are being carried in floodwater to the state’s rivers and streams and may end up in Narragansett Bay, the ocean inlet that is the lifeblood of the shellfishing industry, the article stated.

Treatment plants in Warwick and West Warwick and a pump station in Cranston have been overwhelmed by the flooding, causing even more problems for the state’s citizens, according to the story.

Arsenic in drinking water disturbs Ind. resident

MT. VERNON, ID, April 8, 2010 (Water Tech) — A Posey County, Ind. resident who is disturbed with the amount of arsenic in his drinking water has appealed to the county and state to provide drinkable water, according to an article on wfie.com.

After testing their water for arsenic last year, Todd Thurman and his neighbors found high levels of arsenic, the story reported.

“Everybody went around and had it checked and it ranged anywhere from 13 parts per billion to 77 parts per billion,” Thurman said.

The US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) arsenic standard for drinking water is 10 parts per billion.

Thurman said that higher than normal arsenic levels were found even after installing a filtration system, according to the story.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s MP880 Series has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Arsenic V.

N.M. town enacts action plan to reduce arsenic in drinking water

BERNALILLO, NM, April 9, 2010 (Water Tech) — Bernalillo, N.M., has enacted a Corrective Action Plan to bring the town’s water into compliance with federal regulations, The New Mexico Independent reported.

The action plan, which consists of iron and aluminum treatment systems, came in response to two violations the town received for exceeding the maximum contaminant level (MCL) allowed for arsenic in drinking water, according to the story.

The plan calls for the addition of ferric chloride to well water, in an effort to improve the effectiveness of the existing aluminum-based system at removing arsenic, the article stated.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s MP880 Series has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Arsenic V.

Researchers study link between high arsenic levels in groundwater and IQ

OAKLAND, MAINE, April 14, 2010 (Water Tech)  — Researchers from Columbia University and the University of New Hampshire have been performing tests on elementary school students in central Maine to study the connection between high concentrations of arsenic in groundwater and intelligence levels, the Morning Sentinel reported.

Central Maine school systems have been selected for the study because geological surveys showed the area to have high arsenic content in its groundwater supplies, according to the story.

The researchers need more Maine study subjects before they can draw concrete conclusions, but initial findings indicate that there is a “small differential” between the IQs of children with high arsenic levels in their families’ private well-water supplies and those without it, the article stated.

After evaluating well-water supplies from more than 200 children and their families, the researchers found that 55 of the first 92 wells studied had arsenic levels that exceed federal guidelines, according to the report.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s MP880 Series has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Arsenic V.

(CNN) March 22, 2010 - Contaminated and polluted water now kills more people than all forms of violence including wars, according to a United Nations report released Monday that calls for turning unsanitary wastewater into an environmentally safe economic resource.

"At the beginning of the 21st century, the world faces a water crisis, both of quantity and quality, caused by continuous population growth, industrialization, food production practices, increased living standards and poor water use strategies," the report by the U.N. Environmental Program says.

As a result, "it is essential that wastewater management is considered as part of integrated, ecosystem-based management that operates across sectors and borders, freshwater and marine."

The report defines wastewater as a combination of fertilizer runoff, sewage disposal and other animal, agricultural and industrial wastes.

According to the report -- titled "Sick Water?" -- 90 percent of wastewater discharged daily in developing countries is untreated, contributing to the deaths of some 2.2 million people a year from diarrheal diseases caused by unsafe drinking water and poor hygiene. At least 1.8 million children younger than 5 die every year from water-related diseases, the report says.

To read entire article, please go to:
www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/03/22/united.nations.water.report/index.html

Experts to analyze Hudson River PCB dredging reports

ALBANY, NY, February 16, 2010 (Water Tech) —This week, independent experts will begin analyzing two technical reports on the first year of PCB dredging from the Hudson River, the Times Union reported.

The reports, filed by General Electric and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), delivered the first results from the nation’s largest Superfund cleanup project, the article stated.

GE plants discharged PCBs, now known to be probable carcinogens, into the Hudson River for decades before they were banned in 1977, according to the story.

EPA believes the project, which will dredge another 30 miles of the river, is on schedule to be completed in five years, the article reported.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53 to reduce PCB.

$18.6 million in Recovery Act funds awarded for water system upgrades

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, February 22, 2010 (Water Tech) — Missouri Governor Jay Nixon announced that the Department of Natural Resources has awarded $18.7 million in grants and loans to seven communities for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure upgrades, according to a press release.

A portion of the funding, which was provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will go towards green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency and environmentally innovative projects, the release stated.

The communities receiving the funds are: Joplin, California, Wardsville, Fremont Hills, Carterville, Cassville and Ste. Genevieve.

Complaint filed against L.A. County Flood Control District for stormwater violations

LOS ANGELES, February 23, 2010 (Water Tech) — The California Regional Water Quality Control Board has issued a complaint against the Los Angeles County Flood Control District for stormwater violations and recommended $275,000 in fines, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The complaint alleges that the Flood Control District allowed bacterial pollution to flow into Marina del Rey for over two years, according to the story.

The board cited 186 violations of the district’s storm water permit from 2007 to 2009, the article stated.

“Basically, this makes the water unsafe, unhealthy for recreation,” said Samuel Unger, the water board’s assistant executive officer and principal engineer.

City of Lubbock fined for wastewater violations

LUBBOCK, TEXAS, March 1, 2010 (Water Tech) — The city of Lubbock has been fined $50,580 for environmental violations at its wastewater plant, according to an article on kcbd.com.

According to officials, the plant exceeded the limits of its state permit several times in 2008 and 2009, the story reported.

The city, which denied any wrongdoing but agreed to pay the fine, has been given 730 days to correct the violations, according to the article.

Communities file law suit over atrazine contamination

CRESTON, IOWA, March 9, 2010 (Water Tech) — Sixteen communities in six states have filed a federal lawsuit against the Swiss corporation Syngenta AG and its Delaware-based subsidiary, Syngenta Crop Protection Inc., for polluting water supplies with the agricultural herbicide atrazine, The Iowa Independent reported.

The suit seeks damages to pay for the chemical’s removal from local drinking water, according to the story.

Although atrazine has been banned in Europe for potentially dangerous health effects, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains that the concentrations of the chemical measured in drinking water pose no threat to public health, the article stated.

“What Syngenta can say is that EPA re-registered atrazine in 2006, stating it would cause no harm to the general population,” Syngenta Spokesman Paul Minehart said. “In the current economy many organizations, including water systems, are looking for additional sources of revenue. It is not surprising that some water systems would say they cannot afford additional filtering but, for atrazine, there is no need.”

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53 to reduce Atrazine, a VOC.

Brooklyn officials plead to New York governor for drinking water protection 

BROOKLYN, NY, March 12, 2010 (Water Tech) — Members of the city’s congressional delegation are calling on New York State Governor David Paterson to protect their drinking water supply, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported.

The March 11 story said six members worry companies, drilling for natural gas reserves, will hurt their drinking water source in the Catskills. Water comes from under a large rock formation known as the Marcellus Shale. The water supply, which serves over 9 million people, also comes from Delaware Valley.

Hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) is slated for the water supply areas to try and find sources of natural gas.

Opponent and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke said in the story, “It is imperative that we continue to protect the city’s water supplies from any and all pollutants that threaten public health. As New Yorkers, we must find a balance between ending our dependence on foreign oil and protecting our drinking water.”

Toxic pollution from abandoned chemical plant worse than previously thought

DELAWARE CITY, March 16, 2010 (Water Tech) — New tests have revealed that pollution from a defunct chemical plant near Delaware City is much worse than officials previously believed, The News Journal reported.

Concentrations of benzene, a known carcinogen, in the groundwater around the former Metachem Products plant are thousands of times higher than the federal government’s drinking water safety limit, according to the story.

At least six other toxic chemicals were also found near the site, the article stated.

The abandoned plant is located above the Patomac aquifer, which provides drinking water to residents in Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia, according to the report.
Scientists are unsure about how the contaminated water will travel underground, the article stated.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53 to reduce Benzene, a VOC.

EPA announces new strategies for safe drinking water

WASHINGTON March 22, 2010 (Water Tech)  — In a speech today at the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) annual conference in Washington, D.C., US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced that the agency is developing a broad new set of strategies to strengthen public health protection from contaminants in drinking water, according to a press release.

The new strategies are meant to streamline decision-making, expand protection under existing law and promote cost-effective new technologies to meet the needs of rural, urban and other water-stressed communities, the release stated.

According to the release, the shift in drinking water strategy is organized around four principles: Address contaminants as a group rather than one at a time so that enhancement of drinking water protection can be achieved cost-effectively; foster development of new drinking water treatment technologies to address health risks posed by a broad array of contaminants; use the authority of multiple statutes to help protect drinking water; and partner with states to share more complete data from monitoring at public water systems.
Additionally, EPA announced that scientific advances allow for stricter regulations for the carcinogenic compounds tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, acrylamide and epichlorohydrin, the release stated.

Within the next year, EPA will initiate rulemaking efforts to revise the tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene standards using the strategy’s framework. A revision of epichlorohydrin and acrylamide standards will follow later, according to the release.

“To confront emerging health threats, strained budgets and increased needs — today’s and tomorrow’s drinking water challenges — we must use the law more effectively and promote new technologies,” said Jackson. “That means fostering innovation that can increase cost-effective protection. It means finding win-win-win solutions for our health, our environment and our economy. And it means broad collaboration. To make our drinking water systems work harder, we have to work smarter.”

WOODS HOLE, MA, July 17, 2009 (Water Tech) — Researchers studying the link between exposure to arsenic and a reduced immune response to influenza A virus (H1N1) are reporting for the first time how arsenic exposure affects the severity of the disease, a July 17 Environmental Health News (EHN) report said.

The EHN report reviews the study, “Low Dose Arsenic Compromises the Immune Response to Influenza A Infection in vivo.” The study, initially published online in May by peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives, has been reviewed, revised and accepted for print publication.

At the time of online publication, researchers Joshua Hamilton of Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, MA, and Courtney Kozul of Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH, et al, reported that the study, conducted in mice, concluded that low-level, long-term exposure to arsenic, such as through contaminated drinking water, “significantly compromises the immune response” to H1N1, also known as swine flu. Theirs is the first study to link arsenic exposure to a reduced immune response, as WaterTech Online® reported.

The researchers now are reporting that those mice exposed to arsenic exhibit a decrease in the number of dendritic cells, immune cells that lead the immune system response against infections. Research also showed that exposure changed important immune functions, such as reducing dendritic cell movement into the lungs. These changes predisposed the mice to the severe immune failure following H1N1 infection, the study said.

The results suggest those people most exposed to arsenic through their drinking water may be more susceptible to illness and possibly death when infected with the H1N1 swine flu virus, EHN reported.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s MP880 Series has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Arsenic V.

Most consumers want to buy ‘green,’ study finds

NEW YORK, July 24, 2009 (Water Tech) — New research finds that least 77 percent of consumers in seven major nations say it is “somewhat important” or “very important” for companies to be “green,” and that reduction of toxic substances in products and processes is the most important step companies can take to be environmentally friendly.

The research — done in the United States, United Kingdom, China, Brazil, India, Germany and France — was reported July 21 in an article on theCSRfeed, a weekly online newsletter produced by 3BL Media. The study was conducted by Cohn & Wolfe, a public relations agency, and three management consulting firms, Landor Associates; Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates (PSB); and Esty Environmental Partners. All except Esty are units of global communications service company WPP.

Consumers surveyed in all seven nations believe that green products cost more than comparable non-green products, but they told researchers they also plan to spend more money on green products in the coming year, the article said.

The desire to buy green products and deal with green companies was higher in India, China and Brazil than in the other four countries surveyed, PSB Executive Vice President Scott Siff is quoted as saying. He added: “From a political perspective, this turns the assumptions about [India, China and Brazil] on their heads, and from a business perspective it says the market for green branding and green products may be even bigger than generally thought.”

Across the entire survey, according to Esty Chairman Dan Esty, “Consumers expect companies to recycle, use energy efficiently, reduce packaging and pursue green innovation. So to gain loyalty, a company’s environmental strategy must be comprehensive.”

31 MO systems fail to complete routine testing

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, July 24, 2009 (Water Tech) — Thirty-one drinking water systems in Missouri have “chronically” failed to complete required drinking water testing, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources said in a July 23 press release.

According to the department, each system has at least three major monitoring violations in a 12-month period.

The state requires all public water systems to test for bacteria at least once a month to verify these systems provide safe drinking water to the public; the current list of violators represents 1 percent of the approximately 2,800 public drinking water systems in Missouri.

“Chronic violators are the exception rather than the rule,” the release noted. Violators include public water systems that serve subdivisions and mobile home parks.

Bill would require national MCL for perchlorate

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2009 (Water Tech) — A California member of Congress on July 14 introduced a bill that would amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to require the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set a national primary drinking water regulation for the rocket-fuel chemical perchlorate, according to information on Politics4All.com.

The bill, the Safe Drinking Water for Healthy Communities Act of 2009 (H.R. 3206), was introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier, D-CA, and has 27 co-sponsors. It has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

According to the bill, EPA information “likely underestimates the total drinking water exposure” of perchlorate, and requires EPA to propose a national drinking water regulation for perchlorate within one year. A final maximum contaminant level (MCL) rule would be expected to follow no later than 18 months after the regulation was proposed.

On January 8, the EPA issued an interim health advisory of a maximum of 15 parts per billion (ppb) for perchlorate, noting that it was seeking advice from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) before making a final determination, as WaterTech Online® reported.

The state of Massachusetts established a 2 ppb standard in 2006, and California has a legal limit of 6 ppb for public drinking water.

An EPA health advisory is a recommendation for public water systems, but unlike a primary drinking water MCL rule under the Safe Drinking Water Act, it is not enforceable by EPA.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s  MP750 Plus RO has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 58, to reduce Perchlorate.

Lead-in-water inquiry finds more children affected

WASHINGTON, August 4, 2009 (Water Tech) — Congressional investigators say more than twice as many Washington children as previously reported by health officials had elevated lead levels when “unprecedented levels of lead” were detected in the public supply in 2003, an August 4 story in The Washington Post reported.

The Post reported that the findings are “throwing into doubt assurances by those officials that the lead in tap water did not seriously harm city children.”

The new information was uncovered by a US House subcommittee investigating the performance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It raises concern about whether the agency properly alerted DC residents to a health risk from high levels of lead in the water.

The CDC and city health department had reported dangerously high lead levels in 193 children in 2003; however, lab data gathered by congressional investigators show the actual number was 486. According to the Post report, “Local officials could not say Monday [August 3] whether some children with unsafe lead exposure have gone without intervention to reduce health risks.”

PCB dredging in Hudson River stops, then resumes

FORT EDWARD, NY, August 4, 2009 (Water Tech) — A project to dredge polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from the upper Hudson River on August 3 was temporarily stopped due to high levels of PCBs found in river water samples and to strong river currents, according to local media reports.

Dredging resumed when the flow of the river quieted and levels of the PCBs dropped, according to an August 4 Albany Times Union report.

An August 4 early-morning edition of The Record newspaper reported that the intense current, a result of recent torrential rainfall, “may have had an influence on PCB testing” conducted August 1-2, which found levels around 514 parts per trillion (ppt). That level exceeds the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum limit of 500 ppt.

Several upstate New York communities draw their drinking water from the Hudson or from wells that receive river infiltration into groundwater. The river was contaminated decades ago with PCBs a General Electric Co. electrical insulator factory dumped into the river upstream from the communities.

The Record reported that while no communities are drawing their drinking water from the river without at least a filtration system in place, some area officials said they were annoyed that it took more than 24 hours to get the PCB data and then be contacted.

Stillwater Supervisor Shawn Connelly, whose community is using carbon filtration units to reduce PCB levels in their potable water, is quoted as saying, “Even though we’re on the filter, it still does matter. It’s very alarming that we are only a few months into this and there are already issues.”

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce PCB.

WASHINGTON, June 26, 2009 (Water Tech) — Carbonate aquifers, which provide more groundwater for drinking water than any other type of bedrock aquifer in the United States, are typically low in contaminants, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported in a June 26 press release summarizing the results of a new USGS study.

Carbonate aquifers are underground rock layers typically consisting of limestone or dolomite, and some can contain caves or cause sinkholes. Much of Florida, for instance, is underlain by these aquifers, and the large Edwards-Trinity aquifer is beneath Texas. Carbonate aquifers supply 20 percent of the groundwater used for drinking in the United States.

The USGS noted that radon and nitrate were among the few contaminants with elevated concentrations in samples taken in its study from water wells drilled into carbonate aquifers. Nitrate was the most commonly detected contaminant sampled in these aquifers at concentrations above its federal maximum contaminant limit (for nitrate: 10 parts per million), the USGS said. Nitrate exceeded that standard in 5 percent of sampled wells.

USGS said the types of contaminants found in carbonate aquifers are closely related to land use, such as the use of fertilizers, pesticides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce VOCs.

UNC clean drinking water program gets boost

CHAPEL HILL, NC, June 29, 2009 (Water Tech) — A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) project dedicated to bringing clean drinking water and improved sanitation to homes in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam has received an award worth up to $8.5 million, which will be used to expand the program, according to a June 29 Triangle Business Journal report.

The program — Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Enterprise Development (WaterSHED) — is a joint effort between UNC’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, the Kenan-Flagler Business School and the Kenan Institute-Asia.

The university said its researchers will look for ways to increase the use of water filters in homes that lack potable water, in an effort to reduce the incidence of death from water-related diseases. The release said they also will look for ways to achieve financially sustainable, scaled-up access to safe water sources, including harvested rainwater.

Cancer cluster raises questions about wells 

PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL, July 2, 2009 (Water Tech) — Contamination of residential well water and groundwater has been a concern for residents in The Acreage community here in the wake of dozens of people living within close proximity being diagnosed with brain cancer, local news reports said.

The potential cancer cluster has affected many children. It was resident and mother Jennifer Dunsford who first noticed the coincidences. Dunsford’s 5-year-old son had a brain tumor removed, The Palm Beach Post reported June 21.

Tests on Dunsford’s residential well failed to detect a contamination link; other residents also are wondering if their well water may be contributing to the community’s high cancer rate. Attention is being given to pesticides used on nearby orange groves and potential groundwater contamination, the newspaper said.

US Sen. Bill Nelson, D-FL, asked the Obama administration on June 25 for an immediate federal investigation into the situation, where at least five children have been diagnosed with brain cancer and at least 40 families have been affected, the Naples Daily News reported June 29.

Birds Eye seeks to remedy well contamination

FENNVILLE, MI, July 2, 2009 (Water Tech) — Birds Eye Foods Inc. has announced a plan to expand Fennville’s public water system to private well owners whose water may have been contaminated by excess iron, manganese and arsenic from the company’s wastewater, WLNS.com reported July 2.

The company has been allowed by the state to dispose of its process wastewater onto fields near the wells. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality said recently that metals from the wastewater have seeped into groundwater, as WaterTech Online® has reported.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s MP880 Series has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Arsenic V.

EPA revises Stage 2 DBP Rule

WASHINGTON, July 6, 2009 (Water Tech)  — The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made several minor corrections to the Stage 2 Disinfection Byproducts Rule that was promulgated January 4, 2006, according to the June 29 Federal Register notice.

According to the notice, a requirement for groundwater systems serving 500 to 9,999 people was unintentionally excluded from the final rule. As a result, the rule allowed for less routine compliance monitoring than intended for this category of public water systems (PWSs).

“These PWSs should have been required to monitor for both total trihalomethanes (TTHM) and haloacetic acids (HAA5) concentrations at two locations. Due to the error, they were only required to monitor for either TTHM or HAA5 at two locations,” the notice stated.

Small system’s radium levels concern customers

WOODLAND PARK, CO, July 8, 2009 (Water Tech) — Residents living at the Alpine Village Mobile Home Park are concerned that their drinking water is dangerous to their health, according to a July 7 krdo.com report.

The wells that supply the small system have tested high for levels of combined radium, according to a recent letter sent to residents from the Colorado Division of Water Resources.

One resident, who declined to be identified “over concerns with management,” is reported saying that residents were first notified of the problem last summer. The recent water quality notice was the second notice received.

A representative from Alpine Village told KRDO that he was aware of the problem and that engineers were working to determine how the radium is getting into the water. He said the issue should be resolved within 60 days.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s  MP750 Plus RO has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 58, to reduce Radium 226/228.

Tracing nitrates from groundwater to Chesapeake Bay

ANNAPOLIS, MD, July 13, 2009 (Water Tech) — A new report from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation has found that high levels of nitrates, responsible for ill health if ingested, also are contributing to the ill health of Chesapeake Bay, the group reported in a July 7 press release.
The Foundation’s report, Bad Water 2009, The Impact on Human Health in the Chesapeake Bay Region, said that in the Lower Susquehanna region, 20 percent to 60 percent of drinking water wells exceed the federal nitrate limit.

The report details a case study involving a family in York County, PA. The family’s residential well water contained more than twice the level of nitrates allowed by the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) maximum containment level for public drinking water supplies.

According to the Foundation, nitrates in groundwater move into rivers and the Bay, fueling the growth of algae there, the release said. It noted that in 2008 the US Geological Survey reported that almost a third of Microscystis blooms around the Bay contained toxins in levels sufficient to make the water unsafe for children to swim in.

The Foundation’s report calls on the EPA to “act now to reduce that pollution and the potential threats to human health,” the release said.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s  MP750 Plus RO has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 58, to reduce Nitrate/Nitrite.

Stimulus funds slated for arsenic removal

TORNILLO, TX , July 14, 2009 (Water Tech) — High levels of arsenic in this west Texas town’s drinking water have qualified the town to receive stimulus funds for two water infrastructure improvement projects, KFOX News reported July 13.

The town of 2,000 has received about $6 million in Recovery Act funds: Almost $4 million will be used for a filtration system and $2 million for an arsenic-removal system, the report said.

Tornillo resident Angelina Garcia said that for the past 26 years she and her family have worried about their tap water. “Every month we get a notice in the mail as a reminder not to use the tap water. … [An upgrade system] would be life-changing because we live with concerns about the water,” she is quoted saying.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s MP880 Series has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Arsenic V.

Toronto finds elevated lead in tap water

TORONTO, May 29, 2009 (Water Tech) — The most recent round of water tests here has revealed high levels of lead in seven of 100 residential locations tested, according to a May 29 Mirror Guardian report.

The results from the Ministry of the Environment-regulated tests, performed from last December to April, are consistent with those gathered during a similar testing program carried out during the same period last year.

Health Canada has set a recommended limit of less than 10 parts per billion of lead in drinking water.

The tests are conducted in areas of the city known to have lead pipes and in which homes built prior to the mid-1950s are located.

The city is addressing the problem through its nine-year lead pipe replacement program, the report said.

PFOA found in supply for GA communities

ATLANTA, June 4, 2009 (Water Tech) — Recent testing has revealed the presence of the toxic chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), also known as C8, in drinking water supplies for the Rome and Dalton areas, according to a June 3 news blog on Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB).

According to the news blog, GPB obtained internal documents from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) saying that the testing, which was conducted in March, found PFOA levels at 1 part per billion (ppb).

While that is lower than the provisional health advisory level for PFOA in drinking water of 0.4 ppb set by the EPA in January, it is at least twice the allowable level in other states, such as in Minnesota and New Jersey. It also is higher than a recent research-driven recommended limit of 0.04 micrograms per liter (µg/L), or 0.04 ppb (40 parts per trillion).

PFOA, a synthetic chemical, has been used to make Teflon® and other non-stick coatings, including stain guard for carpets. The EPA reports PFOA “remains in people for a very long time.” It is considered carcinogenic and toxic to the liver. Other studies have linked PFOA to infertility, birth defects, various types of cancers, dementia and stroke, the news blog said.
The carpet industry in Dalton is the suspected source of PFOA in the local drinking water supplies, the GPB item said.

GBP reported that EPA “expects the final results to come in by the end of the summer.”

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Review Multi-Pure’s PFOA Press Release: www.multipureco.com/pfoarelease.pdf

Arsenic cluster remedied with public hookups

WEBSTER, NY, June 8, 2009 (Water Tech) — Some residents in this town in suburban Rochester are getting access to public water supplies after high levels of arsenic were discovered in private wells, according to a June 7 Democrat and Chronicle article.

One project on Van Alstyne Road was approved quickly after it was found that the water in some residents’ wells contained levels of arsenic up to four times the federal limit of 10 parts per billion.

According to the Democrat and Chronicle newspaper, “The arsenic cluster was discovered last fall almost by accident after a physician found elevated levels of arsenic in one resident's blood. Word spread quickly, and dozens of well owners began to bombard Monroe County health officials with requests for arsenic tests. Most have been drinking bottled water ever since.”

In light of the incident, Monroe County officials now are considering a one-time arsenic test for all private wells in the county, an effort that would help determine the extent of the arsenic contamination.

The source of the arsenic still is unknown; although arsenic occurs naturally in underground rock, some sources say the local problem could be the residue of pesticides used for decades on apple orchards that once dotted Webster, the article said.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s MP880 Series has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Arsenic V.

Arsenic removal ordered for OH facility

BREMEN, OH, June 22, 2009 (Water Tech) — The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has ordered the owner of the Central Ohio Boys Residential Academy (COBRA) to install an arsenic removal system after levels of arsenic were detected above the federal maximum allowable level, according to a June 18 report in The Columbus Dispatch.

The federal and state maximum allowable level of arsenic in drinking water is 10 parts per billion (ppb). The Ohio EPA said COBRA failed to monitor for arsenic for certain months in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Arsenic recently was detected in the system’s drinking water at 11 ppb.

The order also requires COBRA, which obtains its drinking water from a groundwater source that contains naturally occurring arsenic, to post required public notices for drinking water violations at its system.

COBRA, a private boot camp for youthful offenders in Fairfield County, must also deliver plans for the arsenic removal system to Ohio EPA for review within 30 days of the order. The system must be installed within 90 days of approval. COBRA’s drinking water must be in compliance with arsenic levels within one year of installation of the arsenic removal system, the report said.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s MP880 Series has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Arsenic V.

MN county’s study enters ‘nitrate’ phase

HASTINGS, MN, June 22, 2009 (Water Tech) — A Dakota County study of drinking water from private wells here is entering its third phase, which will look at addressing high nitrate levels from fertilizers and pesticides, The Hastings Star-Gazette reported June 18.
The Hastings Area Nitrate Study in 2000 concluded that the majority of private drinking wells in the area exceeded the drinking water standard for nitrates. It found the major source of contamination was row-crop agriculture, although there also was evidence of sewage contamination.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s  MP750 Plus RO has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 58, to reduce Nitrate/Nitrite.

FL residents to decide on drinking reclaimed water

TAMPA, FL, June 22, 2009 (Water Tech) — Residents here soon will decide if they want to drink highly treated wastewater, according to a June 23 article in the St. Petersburg Times.
The Tampa City Council on June 23 voted to ask residents on the 2010 ballot if they want treated wastewater to be added to the city’s drinking water supply.

Reclaimed water currently is available for outdoor irrigation in some parts of the city, as WaterTech Online® reported.

The ballot issue came up at a workshop on how to better use the city’s wastewater; Tampa currently dumps 55 million gallons of wastewater daily into Tampa Bay, the article said.

CA city to test active wells for perchlorate

RIALTO, CA, June 23, 2009 (Water Tech) — City leaders here were expected June 22 to enter into a one-year agreement with a laboratory to test the city’s supply for perchlorate and other chemicals, The Sun reported June 22.

Clinical Laboratory of San Bernardino, Inc., which submitted the low bid of $96,438, will test supplies weekly, monthly or yearly depending on the chemical, Peter Fox, the city’s water superintendent, told The Sun.

Fox said the laboratory will test perchlorate levels once a week on two active wells: one at Bloomington Avenue west of Riverside Avenue, the other at Linden Avenue and Miro Way.
This city’s underground drinking water supplies are contaminated by perchlorate, which can interfere with thyroid gland function. It is used to make rocket fuel, matches, fireworks and other materials.

The perchlorate is carried in groundwater more than 5 miles from industrial sites in northern Rialto that date back to World War II, and has forced the closure of water wells and the installation of treatment systems on others, as WaterTech Online® reported.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s  MP750 Plus RO has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 58, to reduce Perchlorate.

Possible VOC contamination prompts state advisory

ROCKFORD, IL, June 24, 2009 (Water Tech) — The Illinois State Health Department has told private well owners in the Bradley Heights subdivision here to have their water tested for volatile organic compounds, WREX reported June 24.

The advisory was issued after routine testing by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency showed some contaminants could be present in the private wells.

The state said there are no problems with Bradley Heights’ treated drinking water, the report said.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s).

US senator calls for EPA to study meds-in-water

WASHINGTON, May 13, 2009 (Water Tech) — US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, announced on May 12 a legislative proposal to study the presence of trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in drinking water and their long-term health effects.

According to Gillibrand’s office, the senator announced the proposal in response to reports of trace levels of pharmaceuticals, such as estrogen and codeine, found in waterways in New York and around the nation.

In March 2008, an Associated Press investigation reported the presence of antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones, among other drugs in drinking water.

Gillibrand’s office said the senator will move her proposal ahead this week when the Senate considers comprehensive legislation to improve water infrastructure across the country. As a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Gillibrand seeks to play a leading role in drafting the Water Infrastructure Financing Act, with the aim of revitalizing the country’s deteriorating sewage and water treatment systems.

“As we upgrade our failing water infrastructure, it is important that we also address the safety of our drinking water,” Gillibrand is quoted as saying. “Right now the federal government does not have adequate data on the long-term health effects of these trace chemicals. Parents count on the government to ensure clean, safe drinking water for all our families.”

According to Gillibrand, her provision will require the US Environmental Protection Agency to study the presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in water, identify exactly what is found and at what level, identify the source, and how to control, limit, treat or prevent their dissemination in drinking water. The EPA would have two years to produce the study.

Widow alleges husband died from contaminated water

CHICAGO, May 15, 2009 (Water Tech) — More legal action faces the suburban Chicago village of Crestwood after the widow of a Crestwood man has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the village and its former mayor, The Southtown Star reported May 15.

The widow is claiming in a lawsuit filed May 14 in Cook County Circuit Court that her husband developed lymphoma after drinking the village’s contaminated water for a number of years.

Lower PFOA advisory level needed: researchers

TRENTON, NJ, May 20, 2009 (Water Tech) — Research on the toxic chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in New Jersey drinking water has led the study’s authors to recommend a health-based drinking water limit for PFOA of 0.04 micrograms per liter (µg/L), according to a May 12 ScienceNews article.

Researchers report online and in an upcoming issue of the journal Environmental Science & Technology that humans are exposed through drinking water to PFOA, also known as C8, at levels approaching concentrations that trigger adverse health effects in laboratory animals.
The researchers recommend a limit of 0.04 µg/L (0.04 parts per billion (ppb) or 40 parts per trillion), which is one-tenth of the provisional health advisory level for PFOA in drinking water of 0.4 ppb set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in January, as WaterTech Online® reported. It is the same as the PFOA advisory set by New Jersey authorities for drinking water in their state.

Chemical maker DuPont, which has manufacturing facilities in New Jersey, has used the chemical to make Teflon® and other non-stick coatings. PFOA is considered carcinogenic and toxic to the liver. DuPont has said it will discontinue use of the chemical by 2015.
In the study, researchers report that PFOA was found in roughly two-thirds of some 30 public water systems sampled by New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection between 2006 and 2008. In five of the sampled systems, PFOA concentrations exceeded a safety limit developed by the researchers — sometimes by a factor of two or three. In each of those instances, the affected water came from groundwater or well water, said toxicologist Keith Cooper of Rutgers University, who was part of the study.

According to ScienceNews, Cooper noted that where contaminated water entered a water treatment plant, “[PFOA] concentrations in the intake water and the output water were basically the same.”

Cooper told WHYY news on May 18 that the levels of PFOA in drinking water he observed raise concerns because the chemical can remain in the human body: “Anytime you have a compound that can bio-accumulate and has a very long half-life in the blood of humans, it has the potential to cause problems.”

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Review Multi-Pure’s PFOA Press Release: www.multipureco.com/pfoarelease.pdf

Study: Arsenic in water vs. lowered H1N1 immunity

WOODS HOLE, MA, May 21, 2009 (Water Tech) — Drinking water contaminated with arsenic may compromise the immune system’s ability to mount a response to influenza A (H1N1) infection, also known as swine flu, researchers say, according to a May 21 ScienceDaily report.

Researchers at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) and Dartmouth Medical School, whose study is reported on in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, said when a person is infected with the flu, they immediately develop an immune response. In a normal response, immune cells rush to the lungs and produce chemicals that help fight the infection.

Morbidity over the course of the infection was significantly higher for the arsenic-exposed animals than the normal animals, the report said.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s MP880 Series has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Arsenic V.

Dry-cleaning chemicals threaten IL groundwater

FOX LAKE, IL, May 27, 2009 (Water Tech)  — After two Fox Lake municipal wells tested positive for levels of dry-cleaning chemicals greater than groundwater standards, Illinois health officials have advised private well owners to test their wells for a host of contaminants, according to a May 26 Chicago Daily Herald report.

State officials reported that levels of two chemicals, dichloromethane and benzene, exceeded standards in Fox Lake wells. Other chemicals, including carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethylene, also were detected, but at levels less than groundwater standards.

The Illinois Department of Public Health said owners of private wells should contact a private laboratory to test their well water for the contaminants, which may have originated at two dry cleaners in the village, the report said.

Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Benzene, Carbon Tetrachloride and Trichloroethylene (TCE), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s).