PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality announced last week that it will allocate $3 million in Safe Drinking Water Act funds to test public water systems for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

PFAS are man-made chemicals with fire-retardant properties used for carpet and textiles, food packaging and other industrial needs. Drinking water can expose people to these chemicals which can lead to negative health effects over time, according to a press release.

ADEQ will test water systems that serve more than 3,300 customers, which is the standard set by the Environmental Protection Agency, and fewer than 3,300 people, which account for 90% of the state’s water systems, according to the release.

“Sampling all public water systems is critical to understanding where PFAS is so that steps can be taken to reduce people’s exposure to PFAS in drinking water and to connect affected public water systems to funding sources to achieve solutions,” ADEQ Water Quality Division Director Trevor Baggiore said in the release.

The department has conducted 207 of the 287 system tests done thus far, and PFAS have been detected in 56.

Solutions include installing a PFAS treatment unit, turning off an impacted well so long as other wells are in production and implementing in-home point-of-use water treatment systems, according to the release.

“The PFAS data we’ve collected since 2018, along with our statewide sampling effort over the next year, have well-positioned Arizona to identify and work with public water systems to address PFAS drinking water challenges early,” Baggiore said.

“Our proactive efforts also will ensure that Arizona’s public water systems — including small systems — are able to leverage existing funding sources as well as new sources we expect to become available this fall.”

ADEQ is partnering with the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona to conduct the tests, inform consumers and take steps in limiting exposure.

The EPA announced new drinking water health advisories on June 15 to address PFAS contaminants in drinking water.

The agency is set to propose a PFAS National Drinking Water Regulation this fall.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Huw Merriman called on the government and water industry bodies to prioritise mproving water quality during a question on sewage pollution in the House of Commons yesterday (September 6).

Huw Merriman urged the government and water industry bodies to urgently improve water quality during a question on sewage pollution in the House of Commons on Tuesday (September 6).

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Merriman asked the secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs, if the government would give bathing water beaches with poor water quality higher priority in the new investment programme which is designed to reduce discharges of storm overflows.Mr Merriman said “Today, Bexhill’s beach is red-flagged; yesterday, similarly red-flagged, meaning that people should not enter the sea. It is also the only beach in the area that is not rated ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ for its bathing quality.”

In reply, the environment secretary gave the MP absolute assurance that the government’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction plan, published on August 26, 2022, would prioritise bathing waters in the near term investments.Mr Merriman added: “It is essential for the public health of residents and visitors and for our local businesses that Bexhill beach is quickly brought up to good or excellent bathing water standards.

“I was pleased to hear the Secretary of State’s assurances that poor bathing waters will be prioritised for investment in the government’s new Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan. This must, therefore, mean prioritisation for Bexhill.

“I have been pressing for action for months to end the sewage pollution of our seas and rivers. To keep this high on the government’s agenda and to help understand the issue in more detail, I have also secured a debate in Parliament on sewage discharges in Parliament next Wednesday afternoon.

“The issue is complex. Responsibility lies beyond Southern Water. I want to ensure that each body with a role to play makes a commitments to deliver a solution which improves the quality of our bathing water.”

Southern Water confirmed that sewage was released on September 5 for 50 minutes into the sea at Bexhill and St Leonards.

Both are frequently used as outfalls for sewage to stop overflow after heavy rainfall.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

A flooded filtration plant in Chattooga County, Georgia, has knocked the city of Summerville’s municipal water system offline for days, leaving city officials racing to restore water service as officials from all over the state begin to assess Sunday’s flood damage.

City water should be restored at the end of the week, Janice Galloway, Summerville city manager, said in a phone interview. That could be Friday or even Sunday, but she said she’ll know more when a contractor visits the city’s water treatment plant Wednesday.

There were about 30 people working at the plant Tuesday afternoon to restore service to its 11,000 customers, Galloway said.

(READ MORE: Heavy rains trigger ‘terrible’ flooding across Northwest Georgia)

Until water service is restored, the city is giving out bottled water at City Hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., she said. Water tanks are also available at City Hall 24 /7, she said, but people have to bring their own bottles.

“We’ll close at 5 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday), unless we need to go longer,” Galloway said. “Or as long as we have it available, but there’s a lot, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Galloway said officials are also planning to offer water in the town of Menlo, and at a nursing home and high-rise apartment complex in Summerville.

Outside City Hall, cases of bottled water were distributed, while a few people stopped to fill jugs from water trucks. Inside City Hall, Summerville Mayor Harry Harvey said it could have been worse, but many businesses in downtown were damaged by Sunday’s floods.

“It went up real quick and down real quick,” Harvey said about the flooding.

There is some damage, mainly concentrated in downtown Summerville, but the biggest problem is the water purification system.

Some damage assessments have been delivered to City Hall, but a definitive list hasn’t been tallied, Harvey said.

Chattooga County sole Commissioner Blake Elsberry said multiple state and county agencies are assessing damage to roads, bridges and buildings, while local businesses determine how much flood damage and downtime is costing them.

(READ MORE: Chattooga County, Georgia, to get freestanding emergency room)

“We’re working on damage assessments for businesses to see if they’ve met the threshold for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency),” Elsberry said in a phone interview.

He gave the example of Mohawk Industries — a flooring manufacturer and one of the largest employers in the county — which has paused operations because it runs on city water. Many companies have lost business due to the flood, and reaching that FEMA disaster threshold would make more financial resources available to those affected, he said.

Beyond what’s available in the city, Elsberry said many of the local churches are giving out water. Water distribution sites and other resources are available on the Chattooga County EMA E911 Facebook page and will be soon, Elsberry said, on the county’s website.

At the water treatment plant, Jason Green, plant supervisor, emerged sweaty from the plant’s original tank built in 1952. Usually only two people work at the plant most days, but he said workers from many different city government departments and even other counties have showed up to help.

(READ MORE: Property line feud: Newcomers in rural Chattooga County, Georgia, face harassment)

Galloway said the clear water tanks flooding is the “biggest issue” that’s impeding getting the water system back up and running.

Stormwater from nearby Raccoon Creek — the creek where the plant draws its water — flooded the clear water tanks, he said, so those tanks were being pumped out, and then they have to be sanitized. Clear water tanks are where the treated water is stored before it can be sent into the delivery system’s pipes.

County employees turned off a set of electric pumps before they were submerged, he said, and had fans drying them out Tuesday afternoon. Green said officials won’t know if they were damaged until the pumps are fully dried out.

Another issue was flooded equipment that regulates the pumps pushing filtered water into the clear water tanks. Green said Mohawk was “generous” enough to donate two of its variable frequency drives, and they were also being hooked up Tuesday.

Green said he didn’t know exactly when the water treatment plant would be back online and wanted to let City Hall make the official estimate. He said workers at the plant are working hard and trying to be optimistic.

“People can rest assured that everyone in this city (government) that was available to work was here doing the very best they can to get the system up and running,” Green said. “We’re not going to give up.”

Contact Andrew Wilkins at [email protected] or 423-757-6659. Follow him on Twitter @tweetatwilkins.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

The Pure Water Oceanside project, a purification facility for recycled drinking water that opened in Oceanside earlier this year, is on track to receive nearly $10 million in federal grant money, the city recently announced.

The $9.9 million U.S. Bureau of Reclamation grant will be awarded for final construction of Pure Water Oceanside through the bureau’s WaterSMART: Title XVI WIIN Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects funding program. Although the plant is open and operating, final construction is expected to wrap up by the end of the year.

Oceanside is one of 25 applicants named in the federal appropriations process for the funding, according to an Aug. 23 city news release.

“It is very important to the City that Pure Water Oceanside is affordable for our community,” Water Utilities Director Lindsay Leahy said in the news release. “We have made great strides through the award of multiple grants, loans, and incentive programs through the Bureau of Reclamation, EPA, Department of Water Resources, Metropolitan Water District and the San Diego County Water Authority.”

The $70 million Pure Water Oceanside facility, which began operating in January and was dedicated in March, adds to the city’s drinking water stock as the region and California face serious drought conditions.

The project uses ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and advanced oxidation to provide 3 million gallons per day — more than 20% of the Oceanside’s drinking water supply — using recycled water from the San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility, according to the city. Ultimately, the project will provide more than 32% of the city’s water supply, up to 5 million gallons per day.

“We are thankful for the continued support from the Bureau of Reclamation,” Leahy said. “This funding helps to ensure Oceanside can continue to develop a cost effective, reliable, local water supply.”

The Bureau of Reclamation provides grants through the federal Title XVI program to water districts and communities to reclaim and reuse wastewater and compromised ground and surface water in the West.

Pure Water Oceanside is the first facility of its kind in San Diego County.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Regarding the Sept. 1 front-page article “Water crisis in Miss. exposes another climate vulnerability”:

The federal government cannot wait for catastrophic failures before making the investments necessary for safe water. The water system in Jackson, Miss., has been on the brink of failure for years, with toxic lead pipes and boil orders — but the city’s calls for support were met with resistance at the state level. This intentional disinvestment in a majority Black city is not an isolated occurrence.

As the climate emergency collides with structural racism, Black, Indigenous and other communities of color will continue to suffer from toxic water, service shutoffs and devastating failures unless we act to repair the legacies of harm. We must resist corporate calls for water privatization that would extract profit from devastated communities and exacerbate the crises.

Congress must provide a bold commitment to safe water for every community, with good, family-sustaining jobs for local residents. The bipartisan infrastructure law of 2021 was a down payment on this vision, but it met only 7 percent of what our water systems need. Congress should support legislation such as the Water Act to fully fund our water and investigate civil rights violations in access to safe water, and it must provide direct grants to restore, repair and improve Jackson’s water system.

The writer is director of public water for all at Food & Water Watch.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Hydrogen has huge potential as a clean fuel: it’s abundant (mainly in compounds like water), it doesn’t produce any damaging emissions, and it can also be used to store energy from solar, wind, and tidal sources.

There are challenges in producing enough of the stuff in a practical and affordable way, however. Splitting hydrogen from water can require complicated technology and also relies on pure freshwater – not something that’s plentifully available everywhere.

Now, scientists have come up with a new prototype device that can harvest water from humid air, before splitting it into hydrogen and oxygen.

What’s more, it’s capable of operating in areas where the humidity – the concentration of water vapor in the air – is as low as 4 percent.

“In this work, we corroborate that moisture in the air can directly be used for hydrogen production via electrolysis, owing to its universal availability and natural inexhaustibility,” write the researchers in their published paper.

The device put together by the researchers is a prototype electrolyzer, powered by electricity from renewable energy, to break water into its elements, hydrogen and oxygen. In one test with a solar power source, five electrolyzers were working in parallel.

The electrodes sit on either side of a water harvesting unit, a sponge-like material that absorbs water from the air but which also doubles up as an electrolyte reservoir. Both electrodes are isolated from the air, which means hydrogen and oxygen can be collected as pure gases once the split has happened.

A number of different materials and setups were tested to get the prototype device working at a satisfactory level, and one of the configurations the researchers tried was able to operate successfully for 12 consecutive days.

“This so-called direct air electrolysis (DAE) module can work under a bone-dry environment with a relative humidity of 4 percent, overcoming water supply issues and producing green hydrogen sustainably with minimal impact to the environment,” write the researchers.

Clean drinking water is at a premium in most places, so this device could be used in any location without depleting reserves. However, it’s likely to be of most use in arid or semi-arid regions where there’s not much water around at all.

We’ve seen another important breakthrough in terms of hydrogen fuel production recently, with aluminum and gallium used to split up hydrogen and oxygen molecules in water. Scientists now have multiple avenues to pursue when it comes to making hydrogen power a more widespread reality.

It’s worth remembering that this technology is still in its early stages: different DAE setups and materials resulted in different results in terms of efficiency and power generation. However, the team is confident that their device can be improved and scaled up.

“Further improvement of the surface-to-volume ratio by engineering channels or increasing the aspect ratios of the sponge material will guarantee the rate of water uptake which is essential to the upscaling of the DAE units,” write the researchers.

The research has been published in Nature Communications.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Drinking tap water is a very daily gesture, even more so in summer when high temperatures force you to hydrate continuously. However, when doing so, it is recommended to let the water run for a period of time and not drink it immediately after opening the tap.

The reason behind this lies in the fact that the amount of time water spends in the distribution pipes and sitting in the household plumbing notably favor that water containing certain metals that, in some cases, can be harmful to health.

One of these metals, which Congress restricted its usage for water pipes and plumbing in 1986, lead is of special concern, especially in older buildings and areas where water distribution infrastructure containing this highly poisonous metal hasn’t been replaced. Another is nickel, an element that is not useful for the body and, on the contrary, can be toxic if ingested in high doses.

How long you should run the tap before using the water that comes out

“The amount of time to run the water will depend on whether your home has a lead service line or not, and the length of the lead service line,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency guidance on lead in drinking water. You can contact your local water utility for recommendations on how to flush out your pipes as well to find out whether you have a lead service line, and if so, its characteristics.

The agency recommends running the cold water tap for between 15 and 30 seconds to flush out the pipes of any faucet that hasn’t been used for more than six hours. Another way you can tell when you have flushed out the water that has been sitting in the plumbing is to put your hand under the water flowing from the tap until what comes out is noticeably colder.

If you need to boil water for cooking, drinking or preparing baby formula, you should always use the cold water tap. Hot water can dissolve more lead, more quickly.

Millions of lead pipes remain in America’s drinking water system. Experts say lead from these “underground poisonous straws” can spike suddenly — and the only solution is removal.

But no one knows how many lines exist or where they are. https://t.co/Bh0Ners7Y1

— NPR (@NPR) July 21, 2022

Nickel can aggravate allergies

There are people who are highly sensitive to nickel for whom drinking water with a high content of this metal can experience health problems such as the aggravation of allergic phenomena. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry at the CDC, around 10 to 20 pecent of the population is sensative to nickel.

Since 2005, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) advises not to drink the first jet of tap water. In the US, the level of nickel is less than 100 parts per billion or 0.1 mg per liter. Drinking water in the US generally has between 2 and 4.3 ppb with the highest levels recorded, roughly 72 ppb, were found near a large natural nickel deposit where it is mined and refined.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Sep 06, 2022, 2:11amUpdated 8h ago

By: News 12 Staff

The New York City Mayor’s Office says that there is no arsenic in the tap water at one of the city’s biggest developments.

It was previously thought at there were traces of arsenic in the drinking water at the Jacob Riis Houses in the East Village.

Mayor Eric Adams was at the complex this weekend giving out water to residents.

The mayor’s press secretary tweeted on Monday, “Since Saturday, NYC DEP and [the New York City Public Housing Authority] have conducted additional, more precise testing at both the source and where water is delivered to Riis Houses apartments, and everything previously thought to be positive for arsenic has, so far, now tested negative.”

Additional water testing has been ordered.

NYCHA has released a statement about the issue, which read in part, “NYCA already retains all of our documents and records. We will continue to be transparent with the public throughout this process.”

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

A view of the Ekuma Phase-II housing project built by China Railway No 4 Engineering Group Co Ltd (CREC4), in Cunene, Angola. [SONG WENXUAN/FOR CHINA DAILY]

Projects provide jobs, training for locals, strengthen international friendships

Joao Massaqui Bigi cheered as clean, clear water flowed from the tap at his home in the town of N”harea in central Angola.

“No longer do I need to get up before dawn and queue up to fetch water from the nearest well,” he said, adding that the trip took about half an hour. Having to carry a full bucket of water on his shoulder or in his hands tired him out.

“Having reliable tap water at my fingertips is so convenient,” he said. “I must thank the Chinese company for making this a reality.”

State builder China Railway No 4 Engineering Group Co Ltd, known as CREC4, helped build an urban water project in Bie province to supply households in the cities of Cunhinga, Cuemba and N’harea. It supplies over 70,000 users and keeps water flowing 24/7, officials said. This not only alleviates shortages, but also helps prevent illnesses from unclean water.

In going global, Chinese firms are often told to combine their projects with host country development strategies and help the local people. State-owned enterprises are expected to play exemplary roles.

“Our water projects overseas benefit locals,” said Mao Hui, a senior executive from CREC4 Municipal Engineering in charge of the Bie project.

Construction on the project began in 2016, and it went into operation in 2019, with the plant operated by its builder during a three-year test period. This year, on July 15, it was transferred to local operators.

It covers three stations for water intake, and lifts pumps, one pump station, 9,520 meters of main pipes, three purification plants, four water storage tanks, two elevated storage tanks and urban water supply pipes extending for some 106.3 kilometers.

Mao said CREC4 employed more than 10,000 locals and trained a large number of skilled workers during the process.

Maray Enrique Puentes, who was among the first group of workers they hired, first learned to erect steel frames.

“Aided by my Chinese colleagues, I learned not only such basic skills as tying steel bars and building scaffolding, but also basic Chinese,” Puentes said. He added that his monthly income almost doubled, to 50,000 Angolan kwanzas ($117) a month, and he gained the admiration of family members, relatives and friends.

Joao Baptista Borges, Angolan minister of energy and water, toured the Bie project and lauded CREC4 for making contributions to local drinking water safety and deepening Angolan-Chinese friendship, officials said. They added that he called the company trustworthy.

Mao said since construction started on the project, CREC4 staffers have put in their best efforts to complete the task and bring new hope to local residents.

They were required to overcome many difficulties, including many construction challenges, getting to know the local geography and obtaining building materials, he said.

“For one thing, it was remote,” said project leader Guo Qingsan. “The project is more than 900 km away from the national capital, Luanda, while Cuemba and N’harea are 310 km apart.

“Transporting building materials was difficult. For example, the road between Cunhinga and Cuemba was muddy and full of deep potholes and puddles. It was difficult when vehicles broke down, and terrifying to see warnings about minefields on the side of the road,” he said.

Mines laid during Angola’s 27-year civil war, which ended in 2002, remain a problem in some areas.

“But we stuck to our job and won the respect of locals,” Guo said.

Since starting work in Africa in 2012, CREC4 Municipal Engineering has built water projects that have benefited some 3.5 million users, the company said.

In Angola, the company also built a sewage treatment plant for the New Center of Cacuaco Social Housing Project, the water supply system for the Ekuma new city housing project in Ondjiva and an expansion project for the Luanda water purification plant.

“Our projects in Angola offer a daily water supply of 415,000 metric tons, and treat 26,000 tons of sewage each day,” Mao said.

In Mauritania, CREC4 also built a rainwater drainage system in the port city of Nouakchott, the nation’s capital, as part of an urban drainage project that China donated to the country.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

The intensity of the summer and the long hours of fasting can be draining, and the body has its ways of letting you know when it’s in need of water. Lethargy starts to set in, energy levels deplete and a lips and the tongue start to feel excessively and annoyingly dry. Chugging glass after glass of water may not be the most practical thing to do but there are ways by which you can hydrate without having to consume water, and that’s why choosing foods with substantial water content.

Drink milk

This re-hydrator is actually a great substitute for water. Have a bowl of cereal after iftar with some milk.

Say no to salty treats

A diet based around processed, salty foods can really dehydrate your body, which your body doesn’t need. Our bodies usually only need a small daily dose of salt, which we can get naturally from veggies and some fruits. So try and skip the fried foods and the cheat meal (which let’s be honest, you have every day) and make better choices. Instead have some coconut water, apple slices or some baby carrots.

Wash your face twice a day

And no more. Over-washing your face can lead to drying your skin out and not the other way around, which is a rather common misconception. Washing your face does not essentially hydrate the skin but it can result in stripping your skin of essential oils and can further de-hydrate your skin. Remember to moisturise after you wash your face though.

Chugging to hydrate

Really, chugging down glass after glass is not the trick and it doesn’t help. When it comes to proper rehydration, a gastrointestinal, vascular and general surgeon, advises, “You should sip water slowly, two to three ounces at a time, throughout the day. If you drink too fast, you risk diluting your blood, which may cause faster excretion of water by the kidneys.” Or in layman’s terms, if you drink water too quickly, it will cause your body to expel most of it as urine, which will have the effect of slowing the hydration process, i.e., the opposite of what you wanted to happen. There really is such a thing as water intoxication, known to doctors as hyponatremia. It all boils down to sodium levels: “One of sodium’s jobs is to balance the fluids in and around your cells. Drinking too much water causes an imbalance, and the liquid moves from your blood to inside your cells, making them swell.” In the case of your brain cells, that’s seriously bad news. Admittedly, you’d have to chug a lot of H2O for this to happen. To be exact, it would require drinking at least a gallon of water within the span of just a few hours for symptoms of hyponatremia to occur and in extreme cases (read: extreeeeeme), this has also resulted in fatalities.

SIP ON SOME TEA

It’s a no brainer. Tea is 100 per cent water, but flavoured with herbs. Try not to add sugar, so you can enjoy the benefits. Herbal teas are best.

HAVE SOUPS

Soup is an essential starter at any iftar table. If you have the option, choose a clear soup rather than a creamy one and start your meal with a nice hot bowl. It’s a great way to boost your water intake and energy levels and will keep your body full of water.

WHIP UP A SMOOTHIE

Pick some fruit with high water content such as oranges, watermelon, apples, pineapples, and peaches and make a smoothie! Instead of adding yogurt or milk, try adding water and some ice instead.

GET YOUR GREENS

Although it is nutritionally quite ineffective, the Iceberg lettuce contains 96 per cent water, and is a great addition to any salad if you want to re-hydrate. So if you aren’t a soup person, break your fast with a tasty salad instead. Add some cucumbers and tomatoes to really boost water levels.

EAT WATERMELONS

A watermelon is made up of 92 per cent water, and eight per cent fruit. The fluids that are found in the watermelon include salt, calcium and magnesium, this is everything your body needs after fasting all day. To add a twist, serve with a lemon juice dressing and feta cheese.

MOISTURISE

Yes, you read that right. Make sure you moisturise your skin to keep it looking fresh and hydrated in the morning. The best time to do this would be right after stepping out of your morning shower and then once again before going to sleep. If you have to be outside, sunscreen is essential to keep the moisture locked in.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here