House candidate calls for investigation into drinking water contaminants
WILMINGTON, DEL, July 30, 2010 (Water Tech) — Former Delaware Lt. Gov. and current U.S. House candidate John Carney has requested that a working group be assembled to study the link between contaminants in the state’s groundwater and cancer rates, The Associated Press reported.
Carney called for the investigation after a newspaper reported that little has been done to inform residents about pollution threats to their drinking water, the article stated.
“When you talk to people up and down the state, they’re convinced the cancer rates are caused by contaminants in the environment,” Carney said.
EPA files complaints against 10 wastewater treatment plants
PHILADELPHIA, July 30, 2010 (Water Tech) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently filed administrative penalty complaints against 10 publicly owned wastewater treatment plants operated by nine municipalities in Pennsylvania for failing to comply with the Clean Water Act, according to a press release.
The 10 plants’ Clean Water Act discharge permits require them to periodically reevaluate their industrial pretreatment programs and submit information from that reevaluation to state and federal regulators.
The complaints allege in part that the plant operators failed to conduct the sampling needed to reevaluate the pollution limits they set for industrial users, the release stated.
EPA to hold public sessions on changes to water quality standards
WASHINGTON, August 3, 2010 (Water Tech) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold two public listening sessions on potential changes to water quality standards regulation before proposing a national rule, according to a press release.
The current regulation, which has been in place since 1983, governs how states and authorized tribes adopt standards needed under the Clean Water Act to protect the quality of their rivers, streams, lakes and estuaries.
Potential revisions include strengthening protection for water bodies with water quality that already exceeds or meet the interim goals of the Clean Water Act; ensuring that standards reflect a continued commitment to these goals wherever attainable; improving transparency of regulatory decisions; and strengthening federal oversight.
The public listening sessions will be held via audio teleconferences on August 24 and 26, the release stated.
What's in Your Water? New studies have found a host of nasties in H2O. WH investigates what's really flowing from the faucet.
By: Camille Noe Pagan, Women's Health (August 4, 2010)
Chlorine
How'd it get in there? Most treatment plants dose tap water with chlorine to kill things like parasites and viruses found naturally in freshwater sources.
Harmful effects: In small doses, chlorine is literally a lifesaver: It zaps dangerous contaminants. But studies show that long-term exposure to chlorine by-products can lead to miscarriage or birth defects, says Gina Solomon, M.D., a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Your action plan: Chlorine by-products evaporate naturally, so let your glass of tap sit for five minutes before drinking it. Another option: Buy an inexpensive charcoal filter (a freestanding pitcher, a faucet attachment, or a built-in fridge device).
Lead
How'd it get in there? Water facilities strip out nearly all traces of the heavy metal, but if you live in a home built before 1975, chances are you have pipes that contain lead, which can leach into your water.
Harmful effects: Even a small amount is bad news; lead can trigger irritability, anemia, and nerve damage. Women trying to conceive should be especially careful: Lead poisoning can cause miscarriage and a host of fetal problems.
Your action plan: Lead can seep into water that's been sitting stagnant in pipes, "so run your tap for two minutes to flush it out," says James M. Symons, M.D., author of Plain Talk About Drinking Water. (Rather than waste that water, use it to wash your hands or the dishes.)
Bacteria
How'd they get in there? Gnarly bacteria like E. coli can make their way into water from human and animal waste that runs into reservoirs from broken pipes and sewage systems.
Harmful effects: "Just a tiny bit of bacteria can make you sick," says Suzanne R. Steinbaum, D.O., an internist in New York City. The last time you had a "24-hour stomach bug," it was likely caused by waterborne bacteria. Most people recover quickly, but pregnant women can be laid up for days.
Your action plan: Purifiers nix most bacteria. But if your immune system is compromised, first boil your water for five minutes.
Hormones and drug by-products
How'd they get in there? Every time you pop a pill—whether it's a Tylenol or Xanax—traces of it come out in your pee. And (ick alert!) that urine can eventually find its way back into our tap water. Scientists haven't yet figured out how to remove most drug by-products from water.
Harmful effects: "Traces of things like aspirin probably aren't a big deal," says Solomon. However, the presence of prescription drugs "may contribute to the growth of antibiotic-resistant illnesses like MRSA, and hormones from meds like birth-control pills could be affecting pregnant women and their babies in ways we don't know yet."
Your action plan: Filters are fairly useless against drug residuals. So for now, just sit tight: The Environmental Protection Agency is assessing what regulatory action to take.
To read complete article, go to:
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100261687>1=31036
Pharmaceuticals contaminate Delaware’s drinking water
NEW CASTLE, DEL, August 4, 2010 (Water Tech) — A recent study of Delaware’s drinking water revealed the presence of prescription drugs and personal care products in the supplies of every major water utility tested, The News Journal reported.
The results showed traces of pharmaceuticals including analgesics, antibiotics, anti-convulsives and hormones in water used both by public and private companies, the article stated.
Overall, 17 different drugs were found in 101 samples of treated and untreated water from public systems and tests of 95 shallow farm irrigation wells detected 14 compounds, the story reported.
The concentrations were far below levels that could cause immediate health effects, but there is concern about the unexamined risks and cumulative effects from such pollutants.
“I would consider it to be very significant potential impact,” said Jennifer Sass, a senior scientist in the Washington, D.C., office of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
“Especially for things like endocrine disruptors, mood stabilizers, hormones. These drugs work naturally in the body at very low levels.”
Mich. residents warned of high arsenic levels in drinking water
RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI, August 5, 2010 (Water Tech) — Residents of Davison Hills mobile home park in Richfield Township, Mich., have been warned that their drinking water contains high levels of arsenic, WJRT-TV reported.
The arsenic level in the drinking water in the park is 30 parts per billion (ppb), three times the federal standard of 10 ppb, the article stated.
The problem can be traced to unusually high levels of arsenic in the surrounding groundwater.
“We have no idea if it is even safe because you can’t detect a smell,” said Braxton Koch, a local resident. “I don't have a test that I can run my water through. I wish I did.”
Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s MP880 Series has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 53, to reduce Arsenic V.
Calif. water company issues warning about contaminated well
SAN BERNARDINO, CA, August 9, 2010 (Water Tech) — Baseline Gardens Mutual Water Co., a private water company serving 424 homes near San Bernardino, Calif., issued warnings to customers last week that its well is contaminated, The Press-Enterprise reported.
Testing revealed high levels of perchlorate and nitrate, which are used in the production of explosives and fertilizers, the article stated.
The company has been receiving emergency supplies from neighboring districts, but warned that water should be conserved or else the contaminated well will have to be turned on again.
“The biggest thing, some of the neighbors were wondering about showering in it. It gets in your pores,” said local resident Michael Velarde.
Multi-Pure Commentary:
Multi-Pure’s MP750 Plus RO has been certified by NSF International, under Standard 58, to reduce Nitrate/Nitrite and Perchlorate.
Report: More bottled water coming from the tap
By: Wendy Koch, USA Today (August 12, 2010)
As U.S. sales of bottled water decline, a report Thursday finds that almost half of those in polyethylene terephthalate plastic bottles, better known by the initials PET, now come from municipal tap water.
Filtered tap water makes up an increasing share of bottled water - rising from 32.7 percent in 2000 to 47.8 percent in 2009 - as the share of spring-sourced water declines, according to analysis of industry data by the nonprofit consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch.
"These are the numbers the bottled water industry doesn't want you to see," Wenonah Hauter, the group's executive director says in a statement.
"More and more bottled water is basically the same product that flows from consumer taps, subsidized by taxpayer dollars then poured into an environmentally destructive package and sold for thousands of times its actual value," she says.
The industry's International Bottled Water Association did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
The data, which come from the Beverage Marketing Corp's annual report on bottled water, attribute the increase in tap-sourced water to Nestle Pure Life's switch from spring water to tap water in 2005. They also show that U.S. sales of bottled water increased sharply from 2002 to 2007 but have since fallen.
EPA launches web forum on drinking water quality issues
WASHINGTON, August 18, 2010 (Water Tech) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a web-based discussion forum to gather public input on how the agency can improve protection of drinking water, according to a press release.
EPA seeks input from water professionals, advocates and anyone interested in drinking water quality issues about best solutions for issues facing the nation’s drinking water.
The discussion forum will feature a series of topics based on the four segments of EPA’s drinking water strategy: Addressing contaminants as groups rather than one at a time; fostering development of new technologies; using the existing authority of several statutes to protect drinking water; and partnering with states to share more complete data.
The forum will be open for discussion for about a month, with each topic area being discussed separately, the release stated.
“We look forward to reviewing the ideas and feedback from the public,” said Peter S. Silva, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Water. “This online discussion is for anyone who wants to share their input on protecting drinking water and improving public health.”
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