A Clare-born scientist with Irish Water will lead the utility’s participation in National Science Week 2022 which runs from 13 – 20 November and celebrates science in our everyday lives.

The theme for this year is ‘Infinite Possibilities’, focusing on how science can improve our lives and help us to make positive choices that will impact the environment, our health, and our quality of life. This is especially important during these unprecedented times while we are all try to navigate through a landscape of a rapidly changing climate and energy crisis.

As part of Science Week, Irish Water is profiling several of our most innovative and ground-breaking scientists and the vital work they do in the water and wastewater industry and the role that science plays in safeguarding our water supplies and the environment.

For John Leamy, Drinking Water Compliance Lead at Irish Water, “Science in its purest form is the pursuit of truth.” Originally from Co Clare, he has been based in Kilcormac, Co Offaly for most of his working life. It is John’s mission to ensure that the water that flows from taps in County Offaly, the Midlands, and across the country is clean and safe to drink. He leads an expert team of specialised scientists at Irish Water that have in-depth knowledge into the chemical and physical processes involved in treating water.

Speaking about his role at Irish Water, John Leamy said, “Every year Irish Water conducts approximately. 180,000 tests from 9,000 samples across 730 supplies. This generates a lot of data, which must be analysed, processed, and reported. This data provides valuable information in terms of how water treatment plants are performing in Ireland in order to take action when necessary to ensure water supply adheres to the highest standards.”

John added, “This huge task is then subsequently coordinated in the form of an annual sampling plan – which is rolled out to our local authority partners to implement. The role of science in ensuring clean and safe drinking water to the people in the Midlands and across Ireland can never be underestimated nor taken for granted.”

John has had a varied career to date across a wide range of industries and organisations, however all positions have been rooted in scientific, technical, and engineering disciplines. When he joined the Irish Water family in 2013, he was responsible for delivering Irish Water’s first ever Chemicals Framework and oversaw the migration of all Local Authority electricity accounts to Irish Water. Since 2014 drinking water compliance is what drives John’s passion for finding scientific solutions to protecting Ireland’s water supply.

Irish Water scientist, Clare native John Leamy

John Leamy’s role involves regular engagement with numerous local and national stakeholders.

“The primary purpose of the Drinking Water Compliance team is to ensure Irish Water complies with the law – which in terms of drinking water quality is the Drinking Water Regulations. Irish Water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). and it is their job to supervise Irish Water and assess how we comply with these regulations.”

John would strongly encourage students in the Midlands and across the country to consider a career in science.

“Some of the most significant advances made by humanity have been rooted in science. The technology we all take for granted today started off as an observation that turned into an experiment, that turned into findings, that turned into an application for humankind.”

Living in an uncertain world, where the climate crisis dominates the agenda both in Ireland and internationally, scientists will be at the forefront across many disciplines to provide solutions for the new realities we live in.

John’s interest in science stems from the fact that there are so many options available to students considering a career in science; research, industry, teaching, compliance and above all to face the challenges of a changing climate now and into the future.  For John, delivering safe and clean drinking water in a sustainable manner is essential to future-proof this precious resource for generations to come.

For further information on Irish Water’s events throughout the country as part of Science Week, visit www.water.ie/scienceweek

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Originally Appeared Here

By Linda Greenstein

Many of our communities face challenges that threaten their health and safety due to polluted drinking water. Water quality issues affect all of us. My colleagues and I have worked with health professionals and scientists to develop the best course of action to be taken.

In 2017, I had the opportunity to co-chair the Joint Legislative Task Force on Drinking Water Infrastructure. The task force took testimony from various stakeholders and concluded that lead service lines, combined sewer overflows, and flooding threaten New Jersey residents’ health, safety and economic well-being.

Being co-chair of the task force helped spark my interest in this issue and allowed me to introduce bills and advocate for their passage to make New Jersey’s water infrastructure more reliable, safe and sustainable. I am able to continue this work through my vice-chairmanship of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee.

For example, I first introduced legislation last session, now Senate bill 294, that would create a Water Infrastructure Center at an institution of higher education here in New Jersey. The purpose of such a center would be not only to conduct and house research and policy suggestions but also to help make it easier for residents to access data and other metrics related to their own water supply.

Something I’ve also started to work on this year is developing water quality legislation limiting exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS.

PFAS, at certain concentrations, can pose a risk to public health and the environment. Unfortunately, millions of Americans unknowingly drink PFAS-contaminated water every day, so we have to address this issue like other serious hazardous substance spills.

What I’m working on is a cohesive, top-to-bottom approach aimed at tackling this pervasive substance on all sides: restricting the use of these chemicals in products that have safer alternatives, giving the state the resources to study and address existing contamination, and more.

One of the PFAS bills I recently introduced, S3179, would require landlords to provide notice of elevated PFAS levels in drinking water. Another, S3180, would require certain water purveyors to identify and use alternative water supply sources when PFAS levels get too high. We know that PFAS pose a significant threat to the health and well-being of New Jersey residents. That’s why it is truly imperative that we act now.

In the wake of numerous reports highlighting Trenton Water Works’ failure to meet basic water quality needs, my colleagues and I have been working closely with the state Department of Environmental Protection to resolve these outstanding issues and ensure safe drinking water for Mercer County families.

For years, I have been involved in discussions regarding Trenton Water Works’ ongoing struggles. I’ve drafted legislation, spoken with community advocates, and pushed for common-sense policy. Trenton Water Works provides drinking water to Ewing, Hamilton, Hopewell Township, Lawrence and Trenton. Residents in these towns should never have to boil their water to protect themselves.

I applaud DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette’s recent decision to have the state take over direct operational oversight of Trenton Water Works because this 200-year-old utility is currently failing to deliver millions of gallons of water safely to residents each day. As important as this step is, I’m actively working with the DEP to find legislative solutions that further safeguard this water supply’s future.

Sadly, New Jersey’s aging water infrastructure problems go a lot further than those at the water works. Recently, lawmakers and I were shocked to learn that the funding provided for state lead pipe replacement was severely lacking.

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency is distributing $15 billion nationwide through the federal infrastructure bill to help states replace their lead service water lines. The formula used to distribute the $15 billion has shortchanged New Jerseyans, providing just $48 million — or $138 per lead line replacement — while EPA estimates the average cost for replacing a lead service line is $4,700 per line.

With 48 states set to receive more funding than New Jersey, $138 per lead line is unacceptable, as logic would dictate these funds be distributed to states with the most lead service lines, i.e. the highest areas of need. In response to this shocking error, I penned a letter to the EPA, alongside my colleague, Senator Troy Singleton (D-Burlington), to share our fierce opposition to the disproportionate funding formula. We eagerly await their reply.

Over the last few years, New Jersey has established a reputation for enacting bold, justice-centered policies that equitably safeguard the health of all New Jerseyans. I am very committed to strengthening clean water protections and addressing this public health crisis. Everyone should be able to drink water from his or her tap, but for a lot of families, that is not the reality.

There is not a single, simple solution to address our water quality issues. However, I am confident that, in collaboration with my colleagues, we will continue to work together to protect this basic right.

State Senator Linda R. Greenstein represents the 14th Legislative District, which includes parts of Mercer and Middlesex counties.

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Originally Appeared Here

The last time San Luis Obispo ran critically short of water, the city pumped heavily from wells along Los Osos Valley Road.

The aquifer was so overtaxed by residents and farmers that the ground sank, resulting multi-million dollar lawsuit settlements over damaged businesses and homes.

Since the 1990s, the city has adopted a series of water measures — including rebates for more efficient fixtures, upgrading the sewer plant to deliver treated water to landscaping, and building a pipeline delivering water from Lake Nacimiento.

SLO no longer uses those wells for drinking water.

However, the Los Osos Valley Road area still faces issues with water.

As the Telegram-Tribune reported on March 31, 1989, the city was looking to tap water in that area when it discovered two contaminants — trichloroethlyne and tetrachlorethylene — in the local water supply.

San Luis Obispo Mayor Ron Dunin pours a ration of water at a City Hall during a meeting that took the first step toward water rationing during drought March 15, 1989. David Middlecamp [email protected]

The city was required to treat the water or blend it to use it for drinking at a cost of up to $450,000. The chemicals were said to disperse during sprinkler irrigation

The city is currently leading the Groundwater Enhancement Project, which it described as “an initiative to to ensure responsible use of groundwater in the San Luis Obispo Valley Groundwater Basin.”

“As a first step to improving groundwater quality,” the city said, it’s “conducting a characterization study to monitor a small plume of tetrachloroethylene (PCE), a chemical associated with dry cleaning and industrial operations, that was detected in the basin. “

You can learn more about the study’s findings at a public meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16, at the Ludwick Assembly Room, 864 Santa Rosa St. in San Luis Obispo.

David Eddy wrote this story about sinking San Luis Obispo ground levels, published on March 1, 1991, in the Telegram-Tribune:

Subsidence cracks SLO homes

Several houses in a San Luis Obispo neighborhood are cracking because the ground is dropping out from underneath.

In recent months, many residents of the area near the corner of Los Osos Valley and Madonna roads have seen cracks form and continue to grow, and it’s got them wondering what’s going to happen to their homes.

“We don’t know how bad it’s going to get,” said Susan Leal, eying a quarter-inch crack in the kitchen floor of her Pereira Drive home.

The crack appeared less than six months ago, and now extends nearly the length of the floor. Another large crack runs through the ceiling.

“I’d repair it now,” said her husband Tony Leal, “but it might just keep on cracking.”

Susan Leal nodded, shrugged and then shook her head.

“Every day we get up and see how much farther it’s moved,” she said.

The Leals are by no means alone.

Just down the street, Susan Smith has found cracks in the walls and separations in the tiles in her bathroom floor.

Just before Christmas, she was cleaning her kitchen counter when she noticed it had separated about a half-inch from the wall.

And Smith too, said she is not alone.

“Everyone’s been talking about it being so bad,” she said, adding with a laugh: “My husband and I were going to put on buttons when we visited the neighbors saying ‘SLO Crack Patrol.’ ”

Not all the people who live in the area have had problems however. One-third of the people contacted said that although they were aware of their neighbors’ problems they hadn’t seen any cracks (or) other signs of shifting.

The Leals have no doubt about the cause of the problem. There’s so much water being pumped out of the aquifer below their house that the ground is sinking.

In fact the ground has dropped as much as 10 inches, said City Utilities Director Bill Hetland. The problem is known as subsidence, and is common in the San Joaquin Valley where farmers have pumped out huge amounts of water for crops.

But the problem is new to San Luis Obispo. That’s because far more water is being pumped out of the aquifer in the southern part of the city than ever before — and far more that the state Department of Water Resources considers safe.

Between 1941 and 1989, the city relied entirely on reservoirs for its water supply. When the reservoirs begin to run out, the city started pumping groundwater — 1,770 acre-feet in 1990.

An acre-foot is 325,000 gallons, or the amount necessary to cover an acre to a depth of 1 foot.

Sprinklers irrigate Dalidio property. Wells in the area was discovered to have chemicals TCE and PCE, photo published March 30, 1989. The solvents dispersed in sprinkling and were safe for agriculture but levels were too high for drinking water unless treated. David Middlecamp [email protected]

Farmers pumped out another 5,200 acre-feet last year, and rural residential well owners used another 978 acre-feet.

So although extractions averaged only 5,800 acre-feet per year during the 1980s, nearly 8,000 acre-feet was pumped out in 1990.

According to the state Department of Water Resources, the aquifer’s safe annual yield is only 2,250 acre-feet.

Businesses on Los Osos Valley Road near Highway 101, where most of the heavy-producing wells are located, were the first to feel something wrong. Windows separated from their moldings at one car dealership, and few have popped out. Business owners at Bear Valley Plaza couldn’t get their doors shut at night, and were forced to revert to chaining and padlocking doors.

Chef Em Bashore can no longer open her door all the way because of the ground subsidence Jan. 17, 1991. Due to drought the city of San Luis Obispo was pumping water near Los Osos Valley Road as well as farmers. When the ground in the area sank damaging businesses and houses lawsuits were filed David Middlecamp [email protected]

Em Bashore, the owner of Chef Em’s, said her ceiling hadn’t fallen in, as she feared in January. But she still has problems with ill-fitting doors.

“It’s just gradual,” she said. “There are still little things going wrong.”

Several business owners have mulled legal action because of the problem.

“Of course we’re concerned,” said Hetland. “We don’t want to get sued.”

But he’s not admitting the city is at fault. Hetland noted that most of the water is being pumped out by farmers, and in any case, he said the homeowner’s problems may not be entirely caused by pumping too much water out of the aquifer.

The clay soil in the area, Hetland said, normally contains a lot of moisture. When the soil dries out, as it does in an extended drought, it can compact, causing houses to sink.

“It’s not good soil to build on to start with,” he said.

Fred Potthast, a soils engineer for Pacific Geoscience, agreed that soil compaction could be the culprit.

Though Potthast said he could not comment specifically on the Los Osos Valley Road area, he is familiar with the adobe clay soils that are common throughout the county.

“The soils we have in this area are like a sponge,” he said. “They shrink when they’re dry and they expand when they’re wet.”

Normally, even during the summer, the soil may be dry on top but remains moist just a few inches down.

But because of the drought, the soil is drying at deeper levels.

“We’re seeing bone-dry soil as deep as 3, 4 or 5 feet,” he said.

When the soil dries out deep enough, the footings that hold the house in place begin to lose their support, said Potthast, and the house can begin to slip.

The problem can be taken care of by sinking the footings deeper or by running cables through the house’s foundation, but it’s not done on all houses.

“We’ve seen this problem from Paso Robles to Nipomo,” he said. “It’s happening a bunch.”

Leo Fedewa, a geologist for Cuesta Geotechnical, said to see how clay soil reacts to a drought, look at the dried out, cracked bottom of Laguna Lake.

But as to what is causing the problem in the Los Osos Valley Road homes, it’s impossible to say without doing more tests.

Potthast echoed those sentiments.

“You can’t put your finger on it and say it’s one thing.” he said. “It’s usually a combination.”

Hetland said city employees are closely monitoring the situation. Lately the ground has stopped sinking, as has the water table.

In addition, the city is negotiating with farmers with the idea of paying them to stop pumping so much water out of the aquifer. The city has little choice but to keep pumping — it doesn’t have another source of water.

“But if it’s just the drought drying out the ground, there’s nothing we can do,” said Hetland.

That’s little comfort to the Leals, who believe the problem is caused by too much pumping.

Related stories from San Luis Obispo Tribune

David Middlecamp is a photojournalist and third-generation Cal Poly graduate who has covered the Central Coast region since the 1980s. A career that began developing and printing black-and-white film now includes an FAA-certified drone pilot license. He also writes the history column “Photos from the Vault.”

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Originally Appeared Here

SAN DIEGO — 

Boating and kayaking will be suspended at popular Lake Miramar in Scripps Ranch next week to allow construction of the city’s Pure Water sewage recycling system.

Lake Miramar is key to the large project because it will eventually store all the sewage treated by a purification plant under construction in western Miramar.

The purified water will travel from the new plant to Lake Miramar through a pipeline down Miramar Road and through Mira Mesa. The project will include tunnels under Interstate 15 and the lake.

The 1-mile pipeline will be assembled on barges on the surface of the reservoir before being sunk and permanently installed underwater.

The first phase, starting either Monday or Tuesday and running through early 2023, includes the tunneling. The second phase, starting in mid-2023, includes construction of the pipeline.

During the work, water activities will be prohibited, including the use of boats, canoes, kayaks and float tubes. Shore areas, including picnic and barbecue areas and shore fishing, will remain open.

The last of San Diego’s nine city reservoirs to be built, Lake Miramar attracts an estimated 100,000 people a year for jogging, biking, fishing, boating, picnicking and other activities.

“This pipeline project is a crucial part of the Pure Water program that will be vital to providing drinking water in the future,” said Juan Guerreiro, the city’s public utilities director. “We are focused on limiting the impacts to our facilities while this work is underway, and we appreciate the public’s patience during the construction phases.”

Visitors should expect delays while parking at the lake, city officials said. Once the project is complete, there will be more parking spaces and other upgrades.

Pure Water is projected to provide half the city’s water supply when the second phase of the project is completed in 2035. The prime goal is to reduce the region’s reliance on imported water and its vulnerability to drought.

For details, visit http://scrippsranch.purewatersd.org, email [email protected] or call (833) 647-7973.

For general information about city lakes, go to sandiego.gov/reservoirs-lakes.

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Originally Appeared Here

Drying water sources across Bhutan is one of the critical challenges in meeting Bhutan’s national target of ensuring ‘24/7 access to safe drinking water’ by 2023.

Access to safe drinking water is interlinked with other national goals of public health and hygiene, and environmental management. A survey conducted by the Department of Forest and Park Services (DoFPS) as part of the Strategic Program for Climate Resilience preparatory project in 2019 found that 35% of the 6,555 water sources surveyed are drying up while 2% (147) were reported as ‘completely dried’. Similarly, a recent nationwide survey in 2021 by DoFPS again reported that 25.1% (1856) of 7399 water sources have already dried, while 69 (0.9%) were reported as ‘drying’.

A recent book published by the Tarayana Foundation titled ‘Springshed: Identifying

Recharge Areas of Drying Springs and Lakes with Water Quality in Southwestern

Bhutan’ authored by Jambay and Karma Uden further offers insights into the protection of Bhutan’s critical water drinking water sources. Through this article, the authors and a group of independent water researchers put forward new ideas for improving the management of drying water sources.

Drinking water sources in Bhutan are mainly springs (35%) and stream networks. A common strategy under current water source protection strategies in Bhutan includes fencing and enhancing vegetation cover at the discharge point – the location where the water starts flowing. Recently, interventions such as digging trenches  upstream of the discharge point to increase groundwater recharge have also been implemented in a few places like Trashigang and Pemagatshel. For enhancing the effectiveness of such interventions, we propose the following recommendations based on our field experiences and the latest scientific research.

Changing interventions from discharge to recharge areas – The focus area for the management of water resources should begin by effectively managing the recharge areas. A recharge area refers to a geographical area where rainwater soaks through the ground to reach a groundwater reservoir. Management strategies should be targeted to maintain adequate water levels in these underground water reservoirs to ensure a continuous flow of streams and springs.

Mainstreaming protection of public drinking water supply areas – Critical water supply catchments could be demarcated as critical public drinking water supply areas with a similar status of protection of national parks, to limit development activities impacting the catchment. However, such demarcation should be based on adequate hydrogeological observations. The boundary demarcations for such public drinking water supply areas could then be made available for public use during development and planning. For example, an environmental clearance for any development could use such a database with an online portal to safeguard water sources from all kinds of risks.

Using adequate site-specific hydro-geological data – The plantation of trees cannot be considered a universal solution to reviving drying water sources across different Catchments because of he high variability in groundwater hydrogeology in mountainous regions like ours. Thus, relationship between vegetation cover and shallow groundwater reservoirs needs to be thoroughly investigated. In general, young vegetation may uptake more water than recharging, but mature vegetation would enhance water recharge. However, there are numerous site-specific hydrogeological factors and other physical environmental factors that significantly influence the dynamics of the relationship between vegetation and underground water reservoirs. Thus, it is critical to start gathering relevant data for calculating water balances at national levels. Such data collection could be incorporated with national forest inventory data collection which is conducted every few years. Otherwise, a one-time data collection from a few selected sites along the main river or stream channel such as conducted by National Environment Commission (National Water Resources Inventory 2018) is less valuable.

Reducing disturbance at the source – The minimal disruption to the water abstraction site is critical. Any heavy civil works such as the construction of water tanks or the cutting and planting of trees closer to water sources could sometimes be counterproductive in reviving the drying water sources. The large-scale disturbance near the sources could potentially alter the orientation of the lithology. Consequently, water flow paths may get altered resulting in the drying of the springs and lakes.

Creating data and knowledge repository – The strategy to collect long-term data on hydrology and geotechnical information is key for making an informed decision. A simple start could be to have a national repository of bore-logs from all groundwater explorations being carried out in many places across Bhutan. If those bore logs were generated according to standard scientific procedures, they should have detailed information on soil and hydrogeology on every meter of the hole dug into that area used for groundwater extraction. Analysis of bore logs data in coming years should be critical in the exploration and management of drinking water sources under similar hydrogeological locations across Bhutan.

Applying the concept of ‘springshed’ management – The majority of past scientific investigations in Bhutan in the field of water resource management have applied concept of watershed or river basin management to suit specific objectives.

However, in the case of exploring interventions to halt the drying of water sources, we advocate the application of the principles of ‘springshed’ management. Further, this new approach to springshed management provides a better understanding of the water flow paths as both geological formations of aquifers and springs are given equal importance. We believe the concept springshed management is particularly relevant in addressing drying water sources in Bhutan, as the incline rocks usually guide the water flow instead of horizontal bedrock formations.

The article is published based on personal experiences and observations by a group of water researchers from Bhutan. The group can be contacted at [email protected]

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Originally Appeared Here

The Live Oak City Council recently approved an agreement with an engineering firm to complete an application process for state grants that would help improve the city’s water and wastewater systems.

Currently, the California State Water Resource Control Board is “offering a Drinking Water Planning Grant program that could fund an update of the Live Oak Water Master Plan,” the city said. Additionally, the state also is “offering a Clean Water Planning Grant program that could fund an update of the Live Oak Wastewater Master Plan.”

Both grant programs “will allow for initial planning, design, and environmental work of identified projects” as they relate to the city’s water and wastewater systems.

The last time the city had a Master Plan related to water and wastewater was in 2009. Live Oak City Manager Aaron Palmer said, if approved, the grants would help with future planning.

“The grants are supposed to plan out where we need improvements in the future, where we need storage,” Palmer said Friday. “It will update parts of our water/wastewater master plans. … The grants would give us the money to do the plan.”

While the city will be spending upwards of nearly $150,000 for the application process, because it is considered a “Small Disadvantaged Community,” Live Oak is eligible for a possible reimbursement for costs associated with it, according to city staff.

The grants are necessary because the city is looking for a funding source to update the Live Oak Water Master Plan and Live Oak Wastewater Master Plan. 

For the city’s 2009 Water System Master Plan, it identified water supply capacity, treatment, and piping projects that were needed to meet system deficiencies that were present at the time. According to the city, some projects associated with that plan were completed. They include:

– Well 7: 1,000 gallons per minute with treatment. Master plan identified a need for 2,000 gpm with treatment. A storage tank was not recommended at that time.

– Portions of water line improvements along Live Oak Boulevard 

– First phase of pipeline from Well 7 

– Some pipeline improvements along Larkin Road

Bill Lewis, a wastewater consultant with decades of experience, said during the Nov. 2 meeting that the projects considered will not be directly related to any water quality issues that may exist within the city. Cruz Mora, who was running for a city council seat, brought up the issue of water quality in the city during a candidate forum in late September.

Both Lewis and Palmer said despite complaints from those such as Mora, there were no serious water quality issues in Live Oak.

“The intended scope of this project is not to address the drinking water quality issue with the city,” Lewis said. “I reviewed your water quality reports for the last several years. I might respectfully disagree with the comments that came in a little earlier. Your water meets all state standards. So, there isn’t any question about that.”

Mora had concerns about water quality after the city released information through several internal reports. In the most recent report, two instances of increased levels of arsenic were cited. According to the city, those issues were addressed.

“Well 7 had two samples with result [sic] that were above the limit of 10 ug/L when it was going through startup. … Once the city received notification that the sample [sic] were over 10 ug/L, staff adjusted the process to increase arsenic removal,” the city said in its 2022 Consumer Confidence Report. “… Well 3 had one sample for treated arsenic that resulted in 13 ug/L. … Once the city received notification that the sample [sic] were over 10 ug/L, staff adjusted the process to increase arsenic removal.”

According to the report, Live Oak’s “drinking water meets the federal and state standard for arsenic,” but it does contain low levels. 

“The arsenic standard balances the current understanding of arsenic’s possible health effects against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water,” the report says. “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues to research the health effects of low levels of arsenic, which is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentrations and is linked to other health effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems.”

Palmer said the city’s water meets all state and federal standards and noted that state standards are actually tougher than federal standards.

“I was told if it didn’t meet state standards, the state would work with the city to try and figure it out,” Palmer said. “There is no water quality issue. … I haven’t had any complaints, I have not heard of any complaints. If there were complaints, we haven’t heard anything. … We have natural arsenic in the ground and our wells get hit every now and again. We work together with the state when there’s an issue. The public works director and the state work together to filter out that arsenic. … The state says we’re fine.”

In addition to possible water improvements, the state is making available a Clean Water Planning Grant program that could fund an update of the Live Oak Wastewater Master Plan.

According to the city, the scope of work requested to be funded by the planning grant includes: 

– Replacement of the Pennington Lift Station. This lift station was identified as the next highest priority after P Street Lift Station in the 2019 report. The lift station is in the sidewalk area just west of Live Oak Middle School. 

– Identification of major sources of sewer system inflow and infiltration. The collection system model will also be updated to current conditions. 

– Upgrades to Peach, Ash, Kola, and Musgrave Lift Stations as identified in the 2019 report.

– The wastewater treatment plant has been in service for 11 years. The scope will request planning funds for improvements including equipment upgrades to optimize operations where possible reduce operational expenses.

Palmer said the city has until the end of the year to submit the grant applications to the state.

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Originally Appeared Here

We’ve all woken up in the middle of the night, parched, desperately searching for some water to quench our thirst.

And we’ve all suffered the sudden realisation, as we’re grasping in the dark, that we forgot to bring up a glass with us when we went to bed.

You’re left with just one question: do you go all the way to the kitchen or get a quick swig out of the tap in the bathroom?

And I think we all know the answer to that one. But apparently, we really need to stop doing it.

Yep, according to research from Scottish Water, in partnership with WaterSafe, the safety of the water you drink could depend on the room which you drink it in, and even how old your house is.

One of the main problems is that in older homes the water you get out of your toilet tap will no doubt be decidedly less fresh than its kitchen compatriot.

Drink it in. Credit: Trevor Chriss/Alamy

This is due to the fact that bathroom water is often stored in a tank at the top of the house, which means there is a considerable risk of contamination from birds and other common household pests.

The best way of avoiding an upset stomach or any other health issues is to fill your glass from the fresh mains water, which comes straight out of your kitchen tap.

But that’s not the only problem facing the bathroom tap water guzzlers out there.

In UK properties before 1970, lead was commonly used to make the piping connected to bathroom taps. Over time, this poisonous metal dissolves into the water supply, potentially causing a range of grizzly symptoms.

According to the NHS Inform, in adults, lead poisoning could induce feelings of fatigue, headaches, and memory loss. So, if you are already feeling a little tender, the morning after the night before, that glass of bathroom water might not be your best bet.

After 1970, lead pipes started to be replaced with plastic and copper alternatives which are far safer, but it’s worth checking your own property.

The bathroom tap may not be the best place to get your dose of H2O. Credit: JinOdin/Alamy

Speaking back in 2018, WaterSafe spokesperson Julie Spinks said it was vital to replace lead piping.

She said: “The plumbing in homes is the responsibility of the homeowner, so we are urging all households to spend a few minutes checking if they have lead pipes.

“To safeguard health we would recommend replacing lead pipes that supply drinking water to bathrooms and kitchens with copper or plastic ones.”

But if you were unaware of the potential danger of bathroom tap water, you’re not alone, there are plenty of people out there who didn’t have a clue.

Writing on Reddit, one person asked: “Got a glass last night before bed and my Mrs looked at me like I was absolutely insane. Surely it’s the same water as what you would get in the kitchen?”

Breaking the news to them, one user explained: “In newer houses it is the same as the kitchen. The folk wisdom not to drink from bathroom taps comes from older plumbing systems where the upstairs cold water would come from a header tank in the loft along with potential nasties that may have collected there.”

Some food for thought the next time you get a bedtime thirst, eh?

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Originally Appeared Here

File Photo: Steve Johnson, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Nov 11, 2022 —

Celia ClarkeHigh contaminant levels found in Watertown drinking water for 3rd time this year

The City of Watertown informed residents last week that 2 contaminants were found at above-acceptable federal levels at the city’s water treatment plant. They are byproducts of the disinfection process.

The city has been under an order by the Environmental Protection Agency for several years because of an ongoing problem with high levels of two compounds in its drinking water – total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA5).

City officials have said the situation is not an emergency and there’s nothing residents should do. The EPA says drinking chlorinated water for 20-30 years with contaminant levels above the federal limits is linked to higher rates of some cancers, miscarriages, birth defects, and lower birth weight.

However, the Environmental Working Group which tracks tap water quality across the country says the federal levels for tap water contaminants haven’t been updated for almost 20 years.

The compounds are formed by the interaction between chemicals that control microbial content in drinking water and organic or inorganic matter like tree leaves or algae on surface water. 

And the city’s water comes from the Black River.

This is the third time this year that water customers have received postcards about high contaminant levels. The city’s required to send them out every time the levels exceed acceptable EPA standards.

The city manager says they’ve started a $3 million project to fix the problems. The solutions will also improve Fort Drum’s water which comes from Watertown. The army base dilutes the water before it’s used.

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Avoid ever having a water crisis in your home when you have the TapFresh air-to-water converter. Able to turn air into pure drinking water, this gadget offers 3-level air purification and 3-level water sterilization. Like magic, it draws drinking water from the air by capturing unpolluted fresh water in the air around you. In fact, it can produce as much as 20 liters of water a day—both warm and cold. Additionally, this eco-friendly device doesn’t require a water source. Simply plug it in, and it will begin using the surrounding air! It does so by creating a heat exchange between hot and cold air, shifting the ambient temperature to reach the dew point. This cools the air to turn water molecules in the air into droplets, which you can eventually drink. Finally, it has a smart touch panel for easy control.

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Driving access to clean water and sanitation for all as the climate warms

Water is essential to health, life and our shared prosperity. Yet today, water scarcity affects every continent. 2.2 billion people worldwide currently do not have access to clean drinking water and 1 in 4 people lack access to safe sanitation. If climate change persists without action, 4.8 billion people will be at risk by 2050, due to water stress.

Droughts force people to migrate in search of livelihoods and water and increases the risk of illness, as communities go without access to basic services.

Lack of water access disproportionately affects the most vulnerable and marginalised. In 80% of water-deprived households, women and girls carry the burden of water collection, spending 200 hours a day worldwide on the task.

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 requires access to clean water and sanitation for all by 2030. But to meet this challenge, we’ll need a 4x increase in the pace of progress, and a 3.5x increase in global investment in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

What are we doing about it?

Every day, we sell 20 million products. Water is our biggest ingredient in the manufacture of these products, and our customers often need water when they use them. That’s why water is such a critical part of enabling our purpose and our sustainability ambitions. We’re looking at our impact across the whole water footprint, from sourcing, to manufacturing and consumer use, and in communities where we work.

We’re working to reduce the water we use in our operations and ensure the water we do need is sourced sustainably. We’re developing products that require less water to use and driving more water-conscious behaviour through our campaigns.

We are working with leading partners around the world to drive access to safe sanitation. For example, our work with Water.org has already helped 1.4 million people gain improved access to water and sanitation. We are also working tirelessly to improve access to hygiene through our global schools’ education programmes.

We can all play our part, but we need to work together. To reduce the impact of climate change on health, and the healthcare systems we all rely on, the world needs private sector and public sector to work in partnership.

Planetary health is public health: water access and finance

That’s why at COP27, we’re hosted an event focusing specifically on water access and finance. The event brought together eminent experts from global bodies, including the UN 2023 Water Conference, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), Girl Rising, and more.

This event built on our conversations at COP26 and New York Climate Week and looked towards the upcoming UN Water Conference in March 2023. We will discuss how we can drive the 3x increase in annual funding that will be needed to reach SDG 6, and the systematic and legislative change required to make it happen.

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We recognise that we don’t have all the solutions to this challenge, but we want to be a partner to national healthcare systems, be it through our education on hygiene behaviours, self-care products, support for communities through our Fight for Access programmes on health, water and sanitation, or improvements within our own supply chain.

David CroftGlobal Head of Sustainability, Reckitt

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