Cities Are Using Depleted Aquifers for Water Storage Areas

Because of the drought, water use in Wichita, KS is running 40% above normal.  The city has devised a plan to store excess water in times of plenty for use when things are dry.

Wichita gets much of its water from the Little Arkansas River, which because of the drought is bone dry.

The plan for the future, which will cost half a billion dollars, is to remove water from the Little Arkansas when it has plenty of water and pump the water to a treatment facility, clean it up, then dump it into the aquifer from which the city draws water. The water is then pumped from aquifer and sent to Wichita water customers.

Pumping back into the aquifer, which currently supplies 40% of Wichita’s water,  is considered a very cheap alternative as compared with building an above-ground reservoir. Apparently, no consideration has been made of how drawing water from the Little Arkansas will affect downstream users.

Aquifer recharging is actually becoming a popular strategy for water management.  The great advantage is that the aquifer becomes a natural storage area for water without the expense of reservoir construction.

Other benefits of Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) programs include: reduced overall operation costs, increased water yields by minimizing evaporation losses, improved water quality, and reducing impacts from long-term drought.  ASR programs can also arrest subsidence and saltwater intrusion problems, and revive springs and river beds for human enjoyment and wildlife habitat.

Here is a larger view of a recharge system (click the picture for a larger version):

 

More information about Wichita

Colorado River ARS Projects.

 

 

Bacteria In Tap Water Can Be Traced to the Water Treatment Process

 Editor’s Note: This interesting article from ENews Park Forest brings up topics that are long overdue for discussion regarding the nature of microbes in water and their relationship to water treatment devices.  In my opinion,  an irrational fear of microbes has lead us to overreact and adopt water treatment strategies of questionable merit.  Bacteria free water should not be confused with healthful water. Bacteria are everywhere.  When we take a short-sighted “kill ’em all” position, we run the risk of killing ourselves. –Hardly Waite,  Gazette Senior Editor.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.–(ENEWSPF)–August 17, 2012. Most of the bacteria that remain in drinking water when it gets to the tap can be traced to filters used in the water treatment process, rather than to the aquifers or rivers where it originated, University of Michigan researchers discovered.

Their study—a unique, broad-based look at Ann Arbor’s water supply from source to tap—could open the door to more sustainable water treatment processes that use fewer chemicals and, as a result, produce lower levels of byproducts that may pose health risks. Eventually, the work could enable engineers to control the types of microbes in drinking water to improve human health like “live and active cultures” in yogurt, the researchers say.

The research, led by Lutgarde Raskin, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, is published online in Environmental Science & Technology and will appear in a forthcoming print edition. Over six months, the researchers sampled water at 20 points along its path from groundwater and Barton Pond sources to residents’ faucets and several more places in the water treatment plant. They harvested bacteria from each sample and sequenced their DNA.

Tap water is teeming with bacteria despite the intensive filtering and disinfection that occur in most of the developed world. That’s not necessarily a problem, the U-M researchers say. It could be an opportunity.

“A major goal right now in drinking water treatment is to kill all bacteria because there’s the perception that all bacteria are bad. But there’s a good bit of scientific literature that says there are good bacteria, innocuous bacteria and bad bacteria. If we can better understand the types of bacteria in the microbial community from source to tap and what processes control it, perhaps we can be more effective at controlling which ones get through,” said Ameet Pinto, a lecturer at the University of Glasgow who worked on this project as a postdoctoral researcher in Raskin’s lab.

Most previous drinking water studies have focused more narrowly on disease-causing pathogens, Pinto said. But bacteria such as Legionella, Salmonella, and E. coli don’t exist in isolation. Their fate is influenced by the microbial community around them.

“The more critical questions are ‘Where do they come from?’ and ‘What determines which ones survive treatment and end up in our drinking water?’ These questions have not been systematically asked until now,” Pinto said.

The study found that the “activated carbon filters” commonly used to remove suspended particles play a significant role in determining which bacteria are most prevalent in treated drinking water.

The relative abundance of Alphaproteobacteria, for example, was found to be around 6 percent in source water, but 38 percent on the filters, and 23 percent of the bacterial community at the tap. This pattern occurred despite regular filter cleaning. These mostly harmless bacteria were able to form biofilms on the filters, slough off into the water and survive the disinfection process.

Water suppliers typically add chemicals such as chlorine to drinking water, but these disinfectants can react with naturally-occurring substances in the water to form potentially harmful byproducts, according to the EPA. Many of these byproducts themselves are regulated.

“Disinfection can form harmful chemicals in drinking water,” said Chuanwu Xi, associate professor of environmental health sciences in the School of Public Health, who participated in this study. “If we can get away with not using so many chemicals and prevent the formation of these byproducts, we should think about limiting their use.”

The researchers suggest that these filters could serve as early indicators of the presence of beneficial and disease-causing bacteria. They could be regularly tested, and pathogens might be contained there to prevent them from reaching the distribution system. The filters also could potentially be re-engineered to support the growth of beneficial or neutral bacteria.

“We hope to begin research to explore how to improve public health by engineering drinking water treatment plants to impact the drinking water microbiome, perhaps by promoting growth of beneficial microbes that outcompete pathogenic microbes,” Raskin said. “We think it is feasible to do this in the long run.”

“Current regulations and engineering practices focus on removing chemical and microbial contaminants from the source water to provide safe and clean water and protect the public from waterborne diseases,” Xi said. “In addition to the protection we have already, there is potential to add benefits to the water we consume everyday for improving our health, for example, by having a positive impact on the microbial community in the human gut. More research is needed to evaluate this potential beneficial impact when we move in that direction.”

The work was funded by the National Science Foundation. The paper is titled “Bacterial Community Structure in the Drinking Water Microbiome Is Governed by Filtration Processes.”

Related Links:

ENews Park Forest

Bacteria in Water

Bacteria Rights

Thousands of Unwanted Horses Are Dying of Drought-Related Causes

Horses require lots of water, and growing the food they eat requires lots of water.  It is, therefore, no wonder that as the drought progresses, the plight of horses is getting worse by the day.

Horses are among the hardest hit victims of the drought.  Although a number of private aid agencies for horses are working to save them, the outlook isn’t good.

While precise figures are hard to come by, rough estimates from the Unwanted Horse Coalition, an alliance of equine organizations based in Washington, puts the number of unwanted horses — those given up on by their owners for whatever reasons — at 170,000 to 180,000 nationwide. This figure is at best a guess because in areas where large populations of wild horses roam, such as on tribal lands,  it is simply too costly to do a head count.

Hay, the mainstay for feeding a horse, costs many times what it did a few years ago, so many people who have managed in the past to feed a horse or two are now unable to because of hay prices.  A 60 lb. bale of hay, which feeds a horse for about 3 days, now costs $8 to $12 a pound.

 

 

Full Report of Horses and the Drought from the New York Times.

Associated Press Research Yields More Information About PPCPs in Drinking Water

The presence of  PPCPs (Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products) in water supplies have been studied by US governmental agencies and also by the World Health Organization, but a considerable amount of research has been conducted as well by the Associated Press. The AP did an extensive 5-month research project on PPCPs in 2008.

Here are the ten most common PPCPs in US drinking water, according to the AP.  Note that results are in tinier amounts than those possible with most conventional testing.  Results are reported in ppt (parts per trillion).

The UL report also went into some detail in its study of possible treatments.  It identified the best treatment strategies as

• Activated carbon
• Biologically activated carbon
• Ozone/advanced oxidation processes
• Ultraviolet (UV) treatments
• Nanofiltration
• Reverse osmosis.

Here are more specific observations about treatments for PPCPs:

• Over 90 percent of steroids can be removed from drinking water using activated sludge, activated carbon, biologically activated carbon, ozone/advanced oxidation processes, UV treatments and reverse osmosis.
• Over 90 percent of antibiotics, antidepressants and antimicrobials can be removed using activated carbon, biologically activated carbon, nanofiltration and reverse osmosis.
• Over 90 percent of anti-inflammatories can be removed using activated carbon, biologically activated carbon, ozone/ advanced oxidation processes, UV treatments, nanofiltration and reverse osmosis.
• Over 90 percent of lipid regulators can be removed using activated carbon, biologically activated carbon, ozone/advanced oxidation processes, nanofiltration and reverse osmosis.
• Under 40 percent of listed PPCPs can be removed through the use of coagulation/flocculation and softening/metal oxides.

The Pure Water Gazette’s  observation:  Of common point of use treatments available to homeowners, activated carbon and reverse osmosis rank in the 90 percent reduction area in all categories.  The obvious conclusion is that a high quality carbon drinking water unit is excellent protection against PPCPs,  and a reverse osmosis unit (reverse osmosis units normally contain at least two high quality activated carbon filters in addition to the reverse osmosis element) is even better.

More From Water Technology Magazine

East Coast Sea Level Is Rising Much Faster Than the World Average

It is not news that sea levels are expected to rise as global warming melts ice and causes water to expand.  It is not unusual that the rise in sea level is not uniform worldwide as factors such a water temperature and ocean currents come into play.

Nevertheless, the rate of sea level rise on the U.S. East Coast is surprising.  In parts of the East Coast, the level of the sea is rising at three to four times the average global rate.  The area in question is roughly from Cape Hatteras, NC to the Boston area.  In this area the level of the sea climbed at the rate of 2 to almost 4 millimeters per year between 1950 and 2009.  Global average sea level rise was about 0.6 to 1 millimeter during the same period.

The situation puts cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New York at much higher risk of flooding.

In these areas gradual sea level rise could cause rapid retreat of shoreline and significant loss of wetland habitats. Also to be expected are more frequent floods.

The cause of the exceptionally rapid sea level rise on the East Coast is debatable.  Some say that fresh water from Greenland’s melting ice is disrupting North Atlantic currents, slowing the Gulf Stream and causing East Coast sea levels to rise.  It is also argued that the rise is part of a 100 to 200 year natural cycle.

The Gazette does not believe, as some have asserted,  that the rise in waters is related to gay marriage rates. Nor do we believe that North Carolina laws requiring that future state sea level forecasts be based on only past patterns will cause Mother Nature to reverse her course.

 

More from National Geographic

Tar Sands Mining Is a Sticky Issue in Water-Poor Utah

Bitumen, a black sticky substance that native Americans used to call “rocks that burn,” is now commonly called tar sands oil. In Utah there is a lot of it. Enough, it is estimated, that if it is mined for oil extraction it could supply US energy needs for three full years. That’s 25 billion barrels of oil.

As with most mining and oil production operations, however, there is a down side. One, the area in Utah where a Canadian company is planning to establish a bitumen mine, is water poor, and tar sands mining is a very water intensive endeavor. Second, water tar mining also uses chemicals that aren’t easy to get rid of, and waste products from the mining process present disposal problems that haven’t been fully addressed.

The proposed mine is expected to use 116 gallons of water per minute on a 24-hour basis. The company,  U.S. Oil Sands,  estimates that as much as two barrels of water will be used for each of the 2,000 barrels of bitumen it expects to produce each day. (Converted into gallons, that means the company needs as much as 168,000 gallons of water to produce 84,000 gallons of bitumen.)

The oil sands region gets only 10 to 12 inches of rain a year and Utah is the second driest state in the nation, behind only Nevada.

The U.S. Oil Sands operation is built around an extraction process that uses d-Limonene (pronounced de-lie-mo-neen),  a liquid with a lemon-like smell made of oils pressed from the skins of oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits. Small quantities of d-Limonene give cookies and candy a fruity taste. It’s also used as an industrial solvent in removing asbestos shingles and cleaning concrete.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has run limited tests on d-Limonene and includes the substance on its Generally Recognized as Safe List. But its report on d-Limonene says that determination was based on small quantities used to flavor foods. In large doses, laboratory rats got sick when exposed to the chemical.

The company says that its technology is proprietary and refuses to discuss d-Limonene or explain how it is used to process oil sands. In documents filed before for the mining commission, U. S. Oil Sands stated that d-Limonene should not be discharged into surface waters and “may be toxic to aquatic organisms.”

Tar sands mining poses many unanswered questions.

For much more information on the tars sands controversy in Utah, see the Inside Climate News.

 

 

 

Savage Shark Eats Man’s Arms Then Throws Him on the Beach to Writhe and Die

As we all know, sharks are savage creatures. Since 1580, there have been approximately 2500 confirmed unprovoked attacks of sharks on humans.  Of those, 475 or so were fatal. That’s more than one person killed by a shark every year!

Humans, a far more advanced species, kill around 100,000,000 sharks each year.

A large percentage of sharks are killed now for the purpose of cutting off their fins to make shark fin soup. Shark fin soup is a Chinese delicacy that is also enjoyed in other parts of the world, including the US. Many of the fins come from endangered species.

The fins are usually removed before the sharks are thrown back into the water alive. The process is known as  “finning”  and it consists of the removal and retention of shark fins and throwing the carcass back into the sea. The shark is most often still alive when it is tossed back into the water. Unable to swim, the shark slowly sinks toward the bottom where it is eaten alive by other fish.

Shark finning has increased over the past decade due to the increasing demand for shark fins (for shark fin soup and traditional cures), improved fishing technology, and improved market economics. Shark specialists estimate that 100 million sharks are killed for their fins, annually.

One pound of dried shark fin can retail for $300 or more. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry. The worst part is that shark fin soup is largely a status dish–something that people eat not because it is nutritious or because it tastes good, but because it costs a lot.

 

B. Bea Sharper on Swimming

 

Gazette Numerical Wizard B. Bee Sharper Reveals the Numerical Facts About Swimming that Harper’s Missed

 

Percentage of swimming worldwide that involves water — 100%.

Percentage of Americans who are afraid of swimming pools — around 50%.

Approximate number of drowning deaths that occur each year — 3800.

Approximate number of these drowning deaths that occur in pools –700.

Approximate number of pool-related emergency department treated injuries that occur each year — 5700.

Percentage of Americans who are afraid of deep, open bodies of water, like lakes — around 66%.

Percentage of Americans who are afraid of the deep end of a swimming pool — 46%.

Percentage of American men who say that they are unable to swim — 21%.

Percentage of American women who say that they are unable to swim — 51%.

Percentage of Americans who say that they are unable to swim — 37%.

Percentage of African Americans who say that they are unable to swim — 62%.

Percentage of Caucasian Americans who say that they are unable to swim — 32%.

Percentage of Asian Americans who say that they are unable to swim — 47%.

Percentage of Hispanic Americans who say that they are unable to swim — 44%.

Rank of drowning as cause of unintentional injury and death in children 1 to 19 — 2.

Factor by which 5 to 19 year old African American children are more likely to drown in a swimming pool than their peers — 6 times.

Percentage reduction in drowning of 1 to 4 year old children which can be attributed to formal swimming lessons –88%.

Reference Source: “More Swimmers Will Result in a Healthier Society, Fewer Drownings and Reduced Healthcare Costs, ” by Thomas Lachocki,  Ph. D..  Paper commissioned by the National Swimming Pool Foundation and reprinted in Water Conditioning and Purification Magazine, August, 2012,

Editor’s Note:   B. Bea Sharper, a big swimming pool fan,  wasn’t bothered that the numerical facts for this piece came from the National Swimming Pool Foundation, but the whole thing seemed a bit awkward to me.  The point being made, if I understood the article,  is that you should get  yourself a swimming pool so  you can learn  to swim so you won’t drown in a swimming pool.  Or that African Americans  especially should get a pool because their children are six times more likely than “their peers” to drown in a pool.  Isn’t this a little like saying you should get your child a gun so he will learn how to handle it and will be less likely to kill  himself with a gun? And as for the 46% of Americans who are afraid of the deep end of a swimming pool, they need to put in a pool so they can overcome their fear of the deep end of the pool. There’s a lesson here somewhere, but I’m missing it. –Hardly Waite, Pure Water Gazette.

 

 

 

 

Budget Cuts Lead to Pay Cuts which Lead to Worker Shortages which Lead to Public Danger and Greater Expense

In San Jose, CA, a rash of resignations driven by recent pay and benefit cuts has left the city’s massive wastewater treatment plant severely short-handed, raising the risk of a catastrophic sewage spill and forcing the city to pay top dollar for contract workers and overtime staff to keep it running.

A recent auditor’s report said, “Fewer people with less experience are now working more hours to operate and maintain the plant.” The reason given is below market compensation for skilled, experienced employees.

The San Jose plant has lost 90 workers — 43 percent of its workforce — in the past three years, according to a city management report that said the shortage has required costly overtime for remaining employees. The city is now considering a very pricey solution: Hiring contract workers.

Contract workers not only cost considerably more but are seldom as skilled as the regular workers they are replacing.

As water treatment and wastewater treatment plants age, cities are increasingly burdened with costly upkeep. Taxpayers seem unwilling to pay for services, creating a very dangerous situation. Political will is usually lacking when it comes to raising utilities prices to reflect the real cost of water because Americans have been conditioned by years of artificially low prices to believe that water should be free.

We must start paying a fair price for the water we use. Water is an area where austerity costs more in the long run.

More information about the Weepy Seepy dilemma.

Missouri Residents Are Angry Because They Weren’t Warned of TCE Contamination

 

Residents at Elmwood, MO in St. Louis County expressed justifiable anger upon learning that the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been aware of serious contamination of their water since an industrial spill in 1988 but has not told them about it until now.

The DNR has been working on the issue since at least 1994,  but residents who have been using the tainted water were not informed of the 1988 spill until August of 2012. The EPA has recently been called in to aid in the investigation. The investigation seems to be mainly concerned with who is responsible for the spill and, therefore, financially responsible for the cleanup. The current occupant of the building where the spill occurred was not the tenant at the time.

The contaminant in question is Trichloroethylene (TCE). It is most commonly used as a degreaser for metal parts.  It can lead to chronic disease and cancer.  Levels once considered safe are now considered unsafe.  Trichloroethene is a manufactured, volatile organic chemical. It has also been used as a paint stripper, adhesive solvent and as an ingredient in paints and varnishes. The chemical can affect the nervous system.

Ten homes in Elmwood were recently tested for TCE contamination and all ten tested positive. Three homes had elevated TCE levels.

Standard water treatment for removal of TCE is activated carbon filtration or reverse osmosis.

The moral: If you’ve been trusting regulatory authorities to assure that your home’s water is safe, it may be time to rethink this.  Every home supplied by a municipality should probably have a good, whole house carbon filter and a reverse osmosis or high quality carbon drinking water system.

More about the Elmwood TCE Issue.

More about TCE.