AWWA publishes fifth edition of Plain Talk About Drinking Water
DENVER, January 25, 2010 (Water Tech) — The American Water Works Association (AWWA) has announced the publication of the fifth edition of its best-selling book Plain Talk About Drinking Water, according to a press release.
The book addresses 231 common questions about water in an easy-to-follow question and answer format, the release stated.
Plain Talk About Drinking Water was written by Dr. James M. Symons, a University of Houston professor who has published more than 100 technical articles on drinking water and related subjects, according to the release.
The book is available at AWWA’s online bookstore.
EPA orders Illinois dairy to comply with Clean Water Act
CHICAGO, January 27, 2010 (Water Tech) — The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reprimanded an Illinois dairy for unauthorized waste discharges, according to a press release.
After an inspection in April, the EPA found that Westridge Dairy, a concentrated animal feeding operation in Red Bud, was not taking the proper measures to prevent the discharge of animal production waste and that the facility did not have a state wastewater discharge permit, the release stated.
The dairy was ordered to cease all unauthorized waste discharges, comply with the Clean Water Act and apply to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for a wastewater discharge permit, according to the release.
EPA Water Division Director Tinka G. Hyde said, “When pollutants from livestock manure and other animal production waste discharge into waterways they can create a threat to public health and harm water resources.”
Oklahoma business fined for violating Clean Water Act
DALLAS, January 29, 2010 (Water Tech) — The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined Pilgreen Fuel and Farm Supply of Waurika, Oklahoma, $1,450 for violating the Clean Water Act, according to a press release.
The facility failed to comply with federal Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations outlined under the Clean Water Act, the release stated.
An investigation of a bulk storage facility discovered that the business had no SPCC plan and that workers had not received any training regarding the operation and maintenance of equipment to prevent discharges or on discharge procedure protocols, according to the release.
Pilgreen has provided EPA with certification that all identified deficiencies have been corrected, the release stated.
Officials said that it’s important that all oil production and bulk facilities comply with SPCC regulations because a spill of only one gallon of oil can contaminate 1 million gallons of water.
State officials order Duke Energy to test for toxins in groundwater near coal plants
CHARLOTTE, NC, February 3, 2010 (Water Tech) — North Carolina state officials have ordered Duke Energy to test groundwater around ash ponds at its coal-fired plants for potentially toxic metals, The Charlotte Observer reported.
According to the North Carolina Division of Water Quality, Duke Energy has already discovered contaminated groundwater near its ash ponds, and the agency ordered the tests in order to see if the contamination has extended to local lakes, the article stated.
The ash produced from burning coal contains toxic metals that can pollute groundwater, rivers and lakes, according to the story.
“All those things we know are in coal, they’re not being tested for,” said Catawba Riverkeeper Andy Merryman. “There's no reason that facility should be discharging into the same water supply that nearly 1 million people use.”
Hospital bans bottled water
BRIDGEPORT, CONN., February 4, 2010 (Water Tech) — St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport has banned the sale and distribution of bottled water in the building, the Connecticut Post reported.
The ban was implemented in order to lessen the environmental impact of the hospital’s patients, visitors and workers, the article stated.
“We were going through about 350,000 bottles a year, just in the bottles sold to employees and visitors,” said Deborah Ventricelli, St. Vincent’s corporate director of food and nutrition. “That’s a lot of plastic.”
The hospital began a “friendly education campaign” on Jan. 1 to encourage employees to rethink their use of bottled water and to warn them of the impending ban, according to the story.
Ventricelli said there are water dispensers throughout the hospital that are served by the public water supply.
Drinking water tests reveal high nitrate concentrations
FREMONT, OHIO, February 5, 2010 (Water Tech) — Samples of Fremont’s water supply showed the average concentration of nitrate was 11.6 mg/L, a level which exceeds the Ohio Administrative Code’s maximum concentration level of 10 mg/L, The News-Messenger reported.
In response to the test results, officials have issued a nitrate alert. They will notify residents when the nitrate levels are back to normal, according to the story.
Nitrate contamination is usually caused by runoff of agricultural fertilizers or from human or animal wastes, the article stated.
Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s MP750 Plus RO has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 58, to reduce Nitrate/Nitrite.
Navy holds meeting to discuss possible contamination of Waller Mill Reservoir
WILLIAMSBURG, VA, February 10, 2010 (Water Tech) — Navy officials will hold a public meeting on Feb. 17 to announce the findings of an investigation into the possible contamination of Waller Mill Reservoir from Camp Peary, the Daily Press reported.
Officials said that traces of chemicals from an abandoned disposal site at Camp Peary might have leaked into the reservoir, according to the story.
Navy scientists analyzed samples of soil, sediment, surface water and fish tissue for the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), the article stated.
According to the state Department of Health, PCBs do not readily dissolve in water, but can accumulate in fish, causing health problems for people who consume them.
Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure Drinking Water Systems have been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Chlorine.
EPA sues city of Memphis for violations of Clean Water Act
MEMPHIS, February 10, 2010 (Water Tech) — The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation filed a joint federal lawsuit against the city of Memphis for violations of the Clean Water Act and the state Water Quality Control Act, The Memphis Flyer reported.
A review of records from the city’s wastewater treatment and collection programs showed 1,170 wastewater overflows in which a total of 23 million gallons of raw sewage leaked into the Mississippi River and its tributaries, according to the article.
Additionally, 45 million gallons of wastewater was leaked in April 2008 after a sewage line break, the report stated.
City attorney Herman Morris said, “In an effort to demonstrate our full cooperation with the EPA, our immediate and urgent steps lie with developing a consent decree to correct the concerns that are raised in the lawsuit.”
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