Australian coal miner South 32 has released fresh plans to extend the life of its mine, which lies beneath Sydney’s drinking water catchment.

Key points:

• Opponents say the drinking water catchment will be put at significant risk if South32 is allowed to go ahead with the plan
• Business Illawarra is backing the proposal, which it says will create jobs and benefit local industry
• The final determination is yet to be made and the Environmental Impact Statement will be on public display until mid-June

The company wants extract an additional 5.2 million tonnes of coal per year from its Dendrobium colliery in the Illawarra, until 2035, using the longwall method.

It is also seeking continued use of its existing mine infrastructure, with upgrades and extensions, until 2041.

The expansion proposal had already been granted State Significant Infrastructure (SSI) status after the miner’s original plan to extract 78 million tonnes of coal until 2048 was rejected by the Independent Planning Commission last year.

It is the first time a mining project has been given the declaration.

“It’s a now a political process, not an evidence-based scientific process,” New South Wales Lock the Gate coordinator Nic Clyde said. 

“We think this is such a damaging proposal.

“We’re calling on whoever wins the federal election on May 21 to use their powers under the Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act to reject the proposal.

“This is a highly disturbing situation in NSW — it’s unprecedented and the risks are very great to the Sydney and Illawarra drinking water catchment.”

‘Significant water loss’

In its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) the company said it had reduced the proposed mining footprint by about 60 per cent, reduced surface water losses by 78 per cent and had agreed to offset the water losses, which were estimated to be less than one per cent of the Avon and Cordeaux catchment yields.

“Certainly any reduction of the impact on the drinking water supply is a good thing,” Mr Clyde said.

“The simple fact is South32 want to continue longwall mining that will further damage a special area of the water catchment and will still result in significant water loss.

“It just doesn’t make sense to risk these areas and our fresh water supply in perpetuity.”

Water New South Wales was critical of the company’s original plans to use the longwall method rather than considering the less-destructive board and pillar technique. 

South32 wants to extract 5.2m tones of coal from its Dendrobium mine until 2035.(Supplied: South32)

Economic benefits

South32 said the extension would create 100 jobs during construction and ongoing employment for 700 workers with an estimated benefit of about $649m to the state’s economy.

Business Illawarra executive director Adam Zarth said the organisation had “advocated strongly and consistently for the project”.

“It will provide an essential source of high-quality metallurgical coal to BlueScope to sustain the region’s steelmaking industry, as well as the Port Kembla Coal Terminal,” he said.

“The Illawarra business community strongly supports our local resources sector as a necessary part of the supply chain … and understands its important contribution to our regional economy.”

South32 acknowledged research was being conducted into the use of hydrogen in steelmaking but said there was presently no “economically viable alternative” to metallurgical coal at a commercial scale.

“Our revised mine plan considers feedback from the Independent Planning Commission and minimises environmental impacts while enabling the continuation of mining activities at the Dendrobium Mine,” vice president of operations Peter Baker said.

“The project would ensure the continued supply of metallurgical coal for steelmaking and help support thousands of additional jobs linked to the local mining and manufacturing industries.”

The EIS will remain on public exhibition until June 14, ahead of the final determination from NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts.

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Originally Appeared Here

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KGPE) – A small town in Tulare County has been fighting for safe drinking water for more than 40 years. Tooleville, a two-block community about two miles west of Exeter, is home to many farm workers.

Tooleville residents have no access to drinking water, as it has been contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals. Advocates say the solution is to consolidate the water system with Exeter.

Consolidation would mean running a mile-long pipe to connect both communities, but Exeter leaders say their own system needs investment.

“One of the big things that we identified right from the beginning was a good feasibility study that would identify all the improvements that need to be done, the cost of those,” said Exeter City Administrator Adam Ennis.

Last summer, the state stepped in. The Water Resources Control Board sent a letter to Exeter, asking them to draft a voluntary consolidation plan within six months.

The deadline expired in March, and there is still no solid plan to address the town’s water issues. But has been some progress.

Ennis says they’ll need around $15 million to fix their own system and for the consolidation.

Michael Claiborne with the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability says depending on when the state agrees to fund the project, the consolidation project could be completed in a few years’ time.

“I think the state can move quicker here and complete a consolidation in two to three years,” explained Claiborne.

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JUNO BEACH — Loggerhead Marinelife Center CEO Kyle Van Houtan resigned Tuesday morning, according to a news release from the center issued Tuesday afternoon. 

Van Houtan started the job in July 2021. Shortly after, the center discovered issues with water quality that lead to the death of three sea turtles. 

While Van Houtan said the center was addressing issues with sea turtle tank salinity and small bubbles in the water, staff decried his communication style. More than a dozen staffers have resigned from the center since Van Houtan’s start, The Palm Beach Post reported April 27.

The center announced that former County Administrator Bob Weisman and former Chief Financial Officer of Florida Jeff Atwater will to chair an operational improvement committee following the departure of Van Houtan.

“While we have been committed to supporting Dr. Van Houtan, we understand his decision, thank him for everything he has accomplished in his time with us, and wish him the very best,” Loggerhead board chairman Brian Waxman said Tuesday. 

Read our report on the issues:What happened to the turtles at Loggerhead Marinelife Center? Why the tanks are empty.

Who was Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s embattled CEO?

Prior to joining Loggerhead, Van Houtan was the chief scientist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California.

Previously, he was the marine turtle assessment program leader for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He holds a doctorate degree in ecology and environmental ethics from Duke University. 

But his communication style may have contributed to resignations by outgoing Loggerhead staff members and is the basis of at least one lawsuit.

In late March, the center’s former marketing director sued Loggerhead, accusing Van Houtan and the center’s management of misleading her and the public about the water-quality issues in the tanks. 

In the lawsuit, Marilu Flores called the experience a “nightmare” and detailed attempts by Van Houtan to cover up water quality issues, such as hiring a crisis management firm and directing staff members “not to tell anyone” about the center’s problems.

Now the mass resignations have put the center’s permits at risk.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issues permits to “qualified individuals” to handle sea turtles instead of institutions, and staff members say at least 20 full-time employees have resigned or are in the process of resigning their positions.

Loggerhead has 30 days to hire new “qualified individuals” who can hold the permits, or the center is at risk of losing them and its abilities to host and rehabilitate turtles. 

This story will be updated. 

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@katikokal

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Researchers at MIT have developed a portable desalination unit that can turn seawater into drinking water with the press of a button.

Who said science isn’t cool?!

The suitcase-sized device weighs less than 10 kilos and requires less power to operate it than a phone charger.

The machine, which can be charged using a portable solar panel, uses techniques called ion concentration polarization (ICP) and electrodialysis that – in short – zaps the water with electricity in order to remove salt molecules, bacteria and viruses.

This eliminates the need for replacement filters and high-pressure pumps, which current commercially available desalination units require.

The suitcase-sized device can be charged using a portable solar panel (Credit: YouTube/J-WAFS at MIT)

By using this technique, it automatically generates drinking water that exceeds World Health Organization quality standards – and that, folks, is pretty nifty in our books.

The prototype can currently produce an impressive 295ml of drinking water per hour.

Interestingly, when researchers ran field tests at Boston’s Carson Beach, the device was able to fill a plastic cup with drinking water in about half an hour.

Senior author Jongyoon Han, professor of electrical engineering and computer science and of biological engineering, said of the development: “It was successful even in its first run, which was quite exciting and surprising.

“But I think the main reason we were successful is the accumulation of all these little advances that we made along the way.”

The researchers’ next aim is to make the device easier to use and improve its efficiency. It currently can produce 300ml of water per hour and requires only 20 watts of power per litre.

It can produce almost 300ml of drinking water per hour (Credit: Pexels)3 months ago

Junghyo Yoon, first author of research published in Environmental Science and Technology, added: “Right now, we’re pushing our research to increase that production rate.”

Speaking about their developments thus far, Han said: “This is really the culmination of a 10-year journey that I and my group have been on.

“We worked for years on the physics behind individual desalination processes, but pushing all those advances into a box, building a system, and demonstrating it in the ocean, that was a really meaningful and rewarding experience for me.”

It uses a technique called ion concentration polarization (ICP) to desalinate the water (Credit: YouTube/J-WAFS at MIT)

Their hope is that one day the unit could be deployed in remote and severely resource-limited areas to help refugees and those after experiencing natural disasters.

They also believe it could be a great resource aboard seafaring cargo ships and soldiers carrying out long-term military operations. Really the list is endless should they commercialise their invention.

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Originally Appeared Here

The City of Iqaluit in Spring 2021. Photo: Kaylia Little

Infrastructure in the Arctic is a topic that is growing in importance. Due to the harsh climate and often remote nature of settlements in the Arctic, communities struggle to have their basic needs met. The precarity of Canada’s Arctic infrastructure was highlighted most recently by the contamination of Iqaluit’s water supply. The slow reaction time to assess the situation and the slow move to a solution demonstrates a gap in Canada’s Arctic security and disaster preparedness. Iqaluit is a territorial capital, but it is often an afterthought of the Federal government as demonstrated by the over two-year delay of Prime Minster Justin Trudeau’s first visit, which happened in 2017.1)Sharp, G (2017) Prime Minister Trudeau’s first official trip to the Canadian Arctic. The Arctic Institute, March 9, https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/prime-minister-trudeaus-first-official-trip-canadian-arctic/ Accessed on March 23, 2022 This is further validated by its housing crisis, subpar telecommunications infrastructure, poor waste management, limited health infrastructure, and now a water crisis created, in part, by a lack of understanding of the infrastructure needs of the climate. As climate and environmental changes increase the strain on already limited infrastructure, issues like these will become more frequent. Addressing the water infrastructure gap in the Canadian Arctic will require a well-funded and climate-informed approach to ensure that it meets the needs of current and future generations.

Context

In early October 2021, residents of Iqaluit, Nunavut began to notice a foul taste and smell coming from the tap water. Typically, the water in Iqaluit is safe to drink. At first, reports were limited to a community Facebook group, but eventually an official complaint was made to the City of Iqaluit. The initial testing of the city’s water supply found no evidence of fuel or other contaminants. Residents were reassured by the mayor that the water was safe to drink. This news received mixed reactions, with some residents being reassured and others not convinced. Complaints and worries continued to be shared on the community Facebook group. The continued concerns led to a second round of testing of the water supply, which revealed the presence of fuel in the water, making it unsafe for drinking and even for bathing for babies and pregnant individuals. For a remote community, this was a devastating blow, as bottled water had to be flown in from southern Canada. The City of Iqaluit and Government of Nunavut began distributing free water jugs and bottled water. Others took to the Sylvia Grinnell River, which is a trusted natural source of fresh water. After confirming the presence of fuel in the water supply, it took two months for officials to find the source of contamination, which was identified as a 60-year-old fuel tank that was buried next to the water treatment plant. Due to the prolonged water crisis, the Canadian military was dispatched to Iqaluit to set up a temporary water treatment site on the Sylvia Grinnell River.2)Meral J (2021) Canadian Armed Forces now providing potable water to residents of Iqaluit”. CBC News, November 9, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/iqaluit-water-canadian-armed-forces-emergency-1.6243307. Accessed on January 30, 2022 In the end, it took over two months for the contamination to be identified and removed from the water of Iqaluit. In January 2022, a new “Do Not Consume” order was issued after fuel contamination was discovered once again.3)Nunatsiaq News (2022) Boil water advisory issued for Iqaluit, Nunatsiaq News, January 19, https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/boil-water-advisory-issued-for-iqaluit/. Accessed on January 30, 2022

The issue

Infrastructure in the Arctic faces numerous challenges which directly impact the quality of life and health of residents, as well as economic development opportunities in the region. Canada’s Arctic infrastructure, specifically the infrastructure in the territorial capital of Iqaluit, is aging and limited. As noted by Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated’s (NTI) 2020 infrastructure report, the gap between Nunavut and the rest of Canada is large and widening. This gap is sometimes difficult to quantify because the Canadian federal government does not collect data on all forms of infrastructure in Nunavut, such as solid waste disposal.4)Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (2020) Nunavut’s Infrastructure Gap, https://www.tunngavik.com/files/2020/10/2020.10.20-Nunavuts_Infrastructure_Gap_Report_vf.pdf. Accessed on January 30, 2022 This represents one of the many challenges for sustainable development in the North, as the lack of reliable data means there is no baseline. More specifically, according to NTI’s report, Nunavut’s drinking water infrastructure is below the Canadian national standards. NTI’s assessment was in line with Ecojustice’s 2019 evaluation which gave Nunavut a “D” on its water infrastructure, the lowest of any Canadian province or territory. The low grade was due to its low water treatment standards and limited infrastructure.5)Ecojustice (2019) Waterproof 3: Canada’s Drinking Water Report Card, https://ecojustice.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Waterproof_Essentials_web_corrected_Dec_8.pdf. Accessed on January 30, 2022 Only 14% of Nunavummiut are served by piped water. 6)Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (2020) Nunavut’s Infrastructure Gap, https://www.tunngavik.com/files/2020/10/2020.10.20-Nunavuts_Infrastructure_Gap_Report_vf.pdf. Accessed on January 30, 2022 Rankin Inlet, Resolute Bay, and parts of Iqaluit are the only Nunavut communities served by piped water. The National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health states that the reason for Nunavut’s reliance on trucked water is due to the lower investment required for construction and maintenance, although operating costs are higher.7)National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health (2014) Small Drinking Water Systems: Who Does What in Nunavut?, https://www.ncceh.ca/sites/default/files/SDWS_Who_What_Nunavut.pdf. Accessed on January 30, 2022 Furthermore, NTI reported that 85% of Nunavut’s drinking water infrastructure is in poor condition.8)Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (2020) Nunavut’s Infrastructure Gap, https://www.tunngavik.com/files/2020/10/2020.10.20-Nunavuts_Infrastructure_Gap_Report_vf.pdf. Accessed on January 30, 2022 The systemic under-funding and under-investment in Nunavut’s drinking water infrastructure demonstrates a lack of commitment from the Federal government. The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment endorses the use of a multi-barrier drinking water filtration system. However, none of the water plants in Nunavut utilize this standard, instead relying on chlorination.9)Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (2020) Nunavut’s Infrastructure Gap, https://www.tunngavik.com/files/2020/10/2020.10.20-Nunavuts_Infrastructure_Gap_Report_vf.pdf. Accessed on January 30, 2022 In addition to the subpar state of water infrastructure in Nunavut, the cost of operating and maintaining these systems is ten times the national average.10)Statistics Canada. Operation and Maintenance Costs of Drinking Water Plants. Biennial Drinking Water Plants Survey, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3810010301. Accessed on January 30, 2022 The combination of deteriorating infrastructure and high operating costs mean that investments in upgrades are not feasible due to underfunding from the Federal government.

Water crises like the recent fuel contamination are not new to residents of Iqaluit. In 2019, the City of Iqaluit spent $330,000 in two and a half weeks thawing frozen water pipes.11)Jane G (2019) City of Iqaluit says climate change is contributing to its water pipe woes. Nunatsiaq News, March 18, https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/city-of-iqaluit-says-climate-change-is-contributing-to-its-water-pipe-woes/. Accessed on January 30, 2022 The freezing of the pipes was directly caused by climate change, the effects of which are much more apparent in polar regions. Instances like these are becoming more frequent in Iqaluit, which declared water emergencies in both 2018 and 2019 due to historic lows in the City’s potable water reservoir, Lake Geraldine. These emergencies were caused by a combination of low precipitation, leaking infrastructure, and population growth.12)Jackie M (2019) City of Iqaluit declares 2nd water emergency in 2 years. CBC News, August 6, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/lake-geraldine-city-iqaluit-water-emergency-1.5235383. Accessed on January 30, 2022 The government of Canada acknowledges in its Arctic and Northern Policy Framework that the Canadian Arctic is warming at three times the global average.13)Government of Canada (2019) Canada’s Arctic and Northern Policy Framework. Canada’s Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1560523306861/1560523330587#s0. Accessed on January 30, 2022 The Framework discusses funding investments in transportation, education, and nutrition – all much needed areas of investment but it does not provide specific targeted funding for increasing the safety and resiliency of water infrastructure in Arctic and northern communities. Although Goal 2 of the Framework is “Strengthened infrastructure that closes gaps with other regions of Canada”, there is no mention of improving drinking water infrastructure in the North.

Estimates from the City of Iqaluit in 2019 stated that a full replacement of the city’s piped water system would cost $55.2 million, with another $106.3 million budgeted for road upgrades for the parts of the city that receive trucked water.14)Jane G (2019) City of Iqaluit says climate change is contributing to its water pipe woes. Nunatsiaq News, March 18, https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/city-of-iqaluit-says-climate-change-is-contributing-to-its-water-pipe-woes/. Accessed on January 30, 2022 For comparison, the total budget for City was only $83.2 million (operating and capital budgets combined).15)City of Iqaluit (2019) City of Iqaluit Budget 2019, https://www.iqaluit.ca/sites/default/files/2019_budget_1.pdf. Accessed on January 30, 2022 In June of 2021, the Nunavut Housing Corporation estimated that the price of building material in Nunavut had increased by 40% to 50% since 2020.16)Jackie M (2021) Skyrocketing building costs delay critical housing projects in Nunavut. CBC News, June 18, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/housing-nunavut-covid-costs-1.6070096. Accessed on January 30, 2022 With the increasing cost of materials, it is appropriate to assume that the upgrade estimates from 2019 would be at least double, if not more. The price Iqalummiut pay for underinvestment in water infrastructure is not insignificant. A new bypass system was installed as a result of the water emergency in 2021, which cost $100,000 and is only for temporary emergency use.17)David V (2022) ‘Nobody knows for sure’ how Iqaluit’s water became recontaminated, says Patterson. Nunatsiaq News, January 27, https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/nobody-knows-for-sure-how-iqaluits-water-became-recontaminated-says-patterson. Accessed on January 30, 2022 In November 2021, the federal New Democratic Party leader, Jagmeet Singh stated in a speech in Iqaluit that the latest estimate to fix the City’s water infrastructure was at least $180 million.18)The Canadian Press (2021) Jagmeet Singh calls on federal government to pay $180 M cost of Iqaluit water crisis. CTV News, November 16, https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/jagmeet-singh-calls-on-federal-government-to-pay-180m-cost-of-iqaluit-water-crisis-1.5668091. Accessed on January 30, 2022 The increase in cost and lack of action by the Canadian federal government continues to demonstrate an absence of commitment to the Canadian Arctic.

Conclusion

Water emergencies such as those in 2018, 2019, and again in 2021 and 2022 cause added stress to community members and often facilitate a reduction in the quality of public services. For example, in 2019, the Quebec ombudsman stated that water shortages in Nunavik compromise the quality of health care in Inukjuak.19)Jane G (2019) Water shortages at Inukjuak clinic compromise quality of care: Quebec ombudsman. Nunatsiaq News, August 26, https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/water-shortages-at-inukjuak-clinic-compromise-quality-of-care-quebec-ombudsman/. Accessed on January 30, 2022 Thus, extended water crises can weaken already limited health infrastructure in Inuit communities like Iqaluit which are already facing extra pressure due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, water crises and other infrastructure emergencies can negatively impact small business and entrepreneurs. Restaurants and coffee shops either need to remain closed due to the inability to use water in the kitchens or accept additional financial burden if they choose to purchase bottled water to maintain operation.

The most recent water emergencies have made some residents lose confidence in their public bodies. For example, an Iqaluit resident penned a public letter to the Premier of Nunavut, along with other Ministers, and the federal member of parliament requesting a public inquiry.20)David V (2022) Looking for accountability, Iqaluit resident urges public inquiry into water crisis. Nunatsiaq News, January 26, https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/looking-for-accountability-iqaluit-resident-urges-public-inquiry-into-water-crisis/. Accessed on January 30, 2022 The Government of Nunavut will be conducting a third-party review of the incident, but there are concerns that this will not be transparent. A former cabinet minister suggested that a public review might increase confidence in the government.21)David V (2022) Looking for accountability, Iqaluit resident urges public inquiry into water crisis. Nunatsiaq News, January 26, https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/looking-for-accountability-iqaluit-resident-urges-public-inquiry-into-water-crisis/. Accessed on January 30, 2022 The mayor of Iqaluit has spoken in support of either a third-party review or inquiry.22)Nick (2022) Should there be a public inquiry into Iqaluit’s water crisis? The GN doesn’t think so. CBC News, January 11, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/public-inquiry-iqaluit-water-crisis-1.6309692. Accessed on January 30, 2022

The impacts of Iqaluit’s decaying and limited water infrastructure go beyond those felt during a crisis. The current water source that the City relies on restricts its growth. No new building developments can be added to the current water source.23)Jackie M (2022) Surging housing prices in Iqaluit have many feeling hopeless. CBC News, January 4, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/housing-iqaluit-infrastructure-1.6303663. Accessed on January 30, 2022 Iqaluit and Nunavut have a well-documented housing shortage, which is caused by a myriad of issues including water infrastructure. The complexity of infrastructure issues cannot be overstated, but the Canadian federal government’s lack of a comprehensive plan to address the deficits with a committed budget demonstrates the systemic inattention to issues facing northern and Arctic communities. If Canada wants to support a strong, safe, and resilient Arctic it needs to commit to long term plans to rebuild Northern infrastructure. Any new infrastructure must be climate informed and built with a rapidly shifting environment in mind.

Kaylia Little is a PHD Candidate in Sustainability Management at the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development at the University of Waterloo.

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Originally Appeared Here

03/05/2022  Burkert Fluid Control Systems

From bottled drinks to textile manufacturing processes, optimising the quality and safety of water requires reliable measurement of nitrates and dissolved organic impurities. Continual, online monitoring provides the greatest reliability in measurement, and new sensors from Bürkert offer a cost-effective solution to enhance water quality and reduce the time required for testing.

Greg Wainhouse, Industry Account Manager for Water Applications at Bürkert, looks at the challenges of nitrate and organic impurity monitoring.

To ensure public health, the quality of the water we consume, whether straight out of the tap, from bottled spring water, or from processed drinks and foods producers, has to achieve safe limits of its compositional elements. One group of compounds present in water that must fall within safe limits includes nitrates (NO3-), and while naturally occurring in vegetables and the human body, excessive levels present a risk to health. With up to 50 parts per million (ppm) considered safe for children, and adults with immune system vulnerabilities, the UK and EU have set this figure as a maximum level within water for consumption. In addition to nitrates, drinking water must also be disinfected to leave only safe levels of bacteria.

Critical for the food and beverage industry, taste is also impacted by nitrate levels and organic impurities. These compounds and organic matter also have to be closely monitored to ensure end-product quality for other sectors that rely on pure water, such as pharmaceutical production. Even industries that only use water to enable a process have to ensure that nitrate levels don’t adversely affect the end result, for example in textile and paper manufacture, where colour can be affected.

The challenge of reliable testing

The most common source of nitrates in water is from agricultural production, with nitrates from fertiliser and manure seeping into the ground, running into the feed of boreholes, streams, natural springs, and reservoirs. Whether capitalising on the benefits of a local source for provenance and taste, like for bottled spring water and beer, or using a private source to remove the higher cost of supply from the utilities, organisations with their own water supply take on the responsibility of testing for nitrates and organic impurities. Even for water utility companies, in water source areas susceptible to higher nitrate concentrations, they also need to be able to check quickly and accurately to ascertain whether more precise nitrate testing is required.

For most organisations, the financially viable and typical nitrates test method is a periodic spot check, with a sample taken at intervals, rather than continuously. Dependent on the end users’ capabilities and facilities, samples can be tested with their own analysers, or they can be sent to a lab for analysis. To monitor organic impurity bacteria levels, the five-day jar test is the typical check for pollution of a biological oxygen demand (BOD), with a two-to-three-hour test to check chemical oxygen demand (COD) organic. Both tests measure a sample from just a single moment of time. Whether an individual sample is tested by the end user or sent to a lab, environmental conditions don’t stay the same for long and a changing situation, such as overnight rain, could quickly increase the level of nitrates and impurities. Any water produced between test results has the potential to be wasted if parameters are found to have been exceeded, therefore reducing this time period to almost zero saves any wastage.

Online monitoring

To increase the frequency and accuracy of measuring nitrates and organic impurities in water, giving a more reliable overall picture of the levels, Bürkert has added two new sensor probes to its online, real time water analysis system. The Type MS09 nitrate sensor provides constant, high accuracy measurement of nitrate with precision between 0-50 mg/l. Utilising a xenon flash lamp to measure nitrate by UV optical absorption, organic and turbidity compensation removes negative influences to optimise measurement reliability.

In addition, the MS08 SAC254 sensor, utilising spectral absorption coefficient (SAC) UV light at 254 nm, provides optical absorption measurement of organic impurities with reliable LED technology. Providing continual monitoring of dissolved organic compounds, including BOD and COD matter, the sensor also measures TOC (total organic carbon) with monitoring of activated carbon filters to determine saturation levels.

Plug and play integration

Continual, automated monitoring removes the resources required for periodic testing as well as the delay awaiting lab-based test results. This technique also safeguards against the potential of high volume scrappage. The sensors are also quick to install and configure, featuring plug-and-play operation with Bürkert’s online water analysis system via the included fieldbus gateway. With no moving parts, the sensors are also maintenance-free and optical measurement ensures long-life operation.

Bürkert’s online analysis system, available in the Type 8905 compact modular platform and the Type 8906 cabinet format, monitors all important water parameters on one platform, now adding nitrates and organic impurities to the measurement of pH, chlorine/chlorine dioxide, conductivity, redox potential, turbidity, and temperature. Based on highly reliable CANbus, the prevalent protocol within the automotive sector, Bürkert’s EDIP network enables fast integration with the PLC and Ethernet-based network of choice.

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Originally Appeared Here

Kelly Creek Community School’s water is again fit for consumption.

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) announced on March 25 that after an inspection of the water system at the school, arsenic levels above the maximum acceptable concentration were detected.

Kelly Creek principal Jamie Burt, in a bulletin dated April 27, stated that routine testing of the school’s drinking water had shown levels of arsenic above the allowable limit.

“The system was immediately shut down and bottled water was made available to staff and students because the maintenance of the system wasn’t expected to be complete before classes resumed following spring break,” stated Burt. “Replacement of the filter medium used in the system at the school has recently been completed. The water was tested again for arsenic on two separate occasions with each test taken several days apart. Each of those tests came back within the expected range for drinking water and the do not use advisory issued by Vancouver Coastal Health was subsequently removed on April 21.”

Burt stated that in an abundance of caution, the water system operating permit issued to the school by VCH has been amended to include monthly testing for arsenic. Previously, it was twice a year.

“We will also continue to test for bacteria each month as we always have,” stated Burt. “Each year, we will produce a drinking water system report, which will be made publicly available through the school district website.”

Burt stated that people with questions or comments are free to contact him at the school.

A VCH media release indicated the health authority wanted to remind all owners and operators of private water systems in the region that maintenance and testing for water quality and contaminants are important safeguards and should be scheduled routinely. 

The release stated that arsenic is a natural element found in rocks in the earth’s crust and may be concentrated in higher amounts in groundwater supplies like drilled wells, rather than in surface water supplies such as lakes, streams and rivers. It has been commonly found in groundwater in the Powell River area and on the Sunshine Coast, which is why regular testing of well-water systems is necessary to ensure increased levels can be corrected long before people can consume enough drinking water for a risk to be posed to human health, the release stated.

While public drinking water systems are monitored regularly, most private wells do not have routine testing for water quality or contaminants, and it is the well owner’s responsibility to test the water for arsenic. Only a chemical test can detect its presence since it has no odour or taste in drinking water. 

Vancouver Coastal Health has a document on well testing at vch.ca/Documents/Testing-Your-Well-Water.pdf.

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The report features information on city water sources and treatments, water management and planning, important notices for sensitive populations, and tables that list levels of water contaminants found in water samples collected.

Levels measured in the report include any biological, inorganic, volatile organic, synthetic organic or radioactive contaminants.

In July, the Water Division is expected to test for copper and lead from homes that are determined to be at a higher risk, the report states. All homes tested below action levels for both copper and lead in a 2019 study. The study is conducted every three years.

The city reported an annual production of clean drinking water from 10 groundwater wells in 2021 was 1.4 billion gallons or 3.8 million gallons per day. 

Printed versions of the 2021 Water Quality Report are available at Lompoc City Hall, the Lompoc Water Treatment Plant, the Lompoc Library, the Dick DeWees Community and Senior Center, and the Lompoc Aquatics Center.

To request a copy of the report to be mailed to a home or business, or for more information, call the water treatment plant at 805-736-1617.

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Lowell, AR – As Drinking Water Week kicks off, Beaver Water District and partners throughout the world are reminding water consumers that high-quality, safe tap water is “There When You Need It.” Drinking Water Week is May 1-7 this year.

Beaver Water District is observing Drinking Water Week by recognizing the vital role tap water plays in daily life, the infrastructure that is required, and the critical work that water professionals accomplish around the clock to ensure the delivery of quality tap water. “Tap water plays an integral role in meeting our daily health, hygiene, and hydration needs,” said American Water Works Association CEO David LaFrance.

To commemorate the week, water utilities, water organizations, government entities, environmental advocates, schools, and others throughout North America and beyond are encouraging consumers to learn more about the importance of water services and water infrastructure. More information about the clean, safe drinking water provided by Beaver Water District to the cities of Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville can be found by visiting bwdh2o.org and following Beaver Water District on social media.

About Drinking Water Week

For several decades, AWWA and its members have celebrated Drinking Water Week, a unique opportunity for both water professionals and the communities they serve to join together in recognizing the vital role water plays in daily lives.

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The good news is that there is more attention than ever before to these issues, what Janice Beecher of Michigan State University called a “critical mass” of task forces, working groups, advocacy organizations, and funding assistance. At the state level, the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy formed the Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate in 2019 to field and investigate citizen complaints about water and sewer failures. The Water Asset Management Council, an expert group established in 2018, is carrying out a legislative mandate to gather data on the condition of municipal water, sewer, and stormwater pipes. It received its first data submissions earlier this year. The Department of Health and Human Services, meanwhile, is incorporating water access into its current three-year strategy for health and equity. 

Trade associations, academia, and local governments are also involved. Last fall, the American Water Works Association, which represents utilities, launched a six-month series of presentations and conversations on water affordability that will culminate in a one-day summit on May 12. The University of Michigan completed its statewide analysis of water affordability in December. The Michigan Municipal League Foundation developed a toolkit for assisting disadvantaged communities in applying for federal infrastructure funds. The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments formed a water infrastructure task force this year to coordinate investments in the region. With the help of a state grant, Oakland County, a member of the task force, brought together community groups to develop water affordability plans for Pontiac and Royal Oak Township.

Communities will not achieve those goals by following tattered playbooks, said Sue McCormick, former CEO of the Great Lakes Water Authority and a current member of the Water Asset Management Council. She emphasized that the next path is carved out of collaboration — not only between governments, but also within departments. Road projects should be coordinated with water main replacements. Communities, rural and urban, ought to band together on regional projects. The objective is controlling costs. 

Where they are in place, cooperative agreements offer much promise. Jim Nash, the Oakland County water commissioner, extolled the savings from a joint stormwater project with Detroit. Oakland will send more of its excess flow to Detroit during rainstorms for treatment, eliminating the need for an $80 million expansion of its own system. In return, Oakland will invest $30 million in storm-buffering green infrastructure in Detroit.

“Both of us together are going to be saving money and both of us together are going to be producing much cleaner water into the environment once we’re done with this,” Nash said. “So everybody benefits.”

Even though the opportunity is present, beneficial outcomes are not assured nor will they be easy to achieve. What’s holding the process back is the sheer number of municipal governments in Michigan, political squabbles between jurisdictions, and a lack of data, especially for rural areas and tiny systems that serve mobile home parks, which have some of the most severe water quality challenges. 

Once pipes are replaced, the next step is civic repair. Rebuilding community trust, after years of inadequate service or foul tap water, is just as difficult, perhaps more so, than the engineering work. Sylvia Orduño, a community organizer for the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization, which advocates for low-income households, sees residents buying bottled water even after their lead pipes are removed.

“How is it that all of this money and investment is being done and yet we still have people that don’t trust the drinking water right here in a Great Lake state?” Orduño asks.

City managers and state officials have a delicate task in front of them, said Sara Hughes, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan who studies water infrastructure. Not only must they weigh present demands and take care not to maintain public support by not surprising residents with high bills. They must also consider how those expensive assets will fare decades down the road as a warming planet inflicts unaccustomed strains of heat, drought, and deluge. 

“If we are making these big investments, we need to make sure we’re thinking about how they perform under a kind of new climate regime,” Hughes told Circle of Blue. 

To Hughes, there is less discussion about climate resilience than there should be. And she would hate to see the opportunity wasted.

“Ten years from now, it would just be such a shame if we’re still not prepared for large flood events, or new runoff patterns to our source waters, or the effects of high heat days on our infrastructure,” she added.

Big changes won’t come about all at once, though. Spring marks the beginning of construction season in Michigan, and a $7.8 million water main replacement in Pontiac is an indication of the near-term direction the state is headed. 

About a mile west of downtown, at an intersection flanked by modest brick homes and apartments, heavy machines perch at the rim of an open pit, their yellow-vested operators pausing mid-day for lunch. 

By the end of a chilly March afternoon, the new water main now visible in the dirt beneath Liberty Street and Murphy Avenue will be buried, and the excavators and bulldozers will have moved down the block, ready once more to split open the cocoa-brown earth and replace another section of worn out pipe.

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