Hydraulic Fracturing, Fracking, Is Taking Its Toll on Groundwater

Water News in a Nutshell.

 

In a Nutshell:  Although the EPA is attempting to discover if fracking contaminates groundwater, it won’t have an answer for several years.  In the meantime, study after study, plus tons of  “anecdotal evidence,” show that fracking pollutes wells.  Here from Duke University is yet another strong piece of research that establishes fracking’s link to ruined wells.

New evidence that fracking may contaminate drinking water was published on June 24, 1013  in a study sure to add fuel to the fight over the controversial method of extracting natural gas from cracks in rocks.

Researchers at Duke University analyzed 141 drinking water samples from private water wells across the gas-rich Marcellus shale basin in northeastern Pennsylvania.

They found methane concentrations were six times higher and ethane concentrations were 23 times higher at homes within a kilometer of a shale gas well.

Propane was detected in 10 samples, all of them from homes within a kilometer of drilling.

Fracking not only pollutes water. It also requires vast amounts.

“The methane, ethane and propane data, and new evidence from hydrocarbon and helium isotopes, all suggest that drilling has affected some homeowners’ water,” said study author Robert Jackson, an environmental sciences professor.Two previous studies by Duke scientists found direct evidence of methane contamination in water wells near shale-gas drilling sites in northeastern Pennsylvania.A third study conducted in Arkansas by US Geological Survey scientists found no evidence of drinking water contamination from shale gas production.The ethane and propane contamination data are “new and hard to refute,” Jackson said.

“There is no biological source of ethane and propane in the region and Marcellus gas is high in both, and higher in concentration than the Upper Devonian gas found in-between,” he said in a statement.

Hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, has led to a massive expansion of natural gas production in the United States but has been banned in other countries such as France due to environmental concerns.

The gas is extracted after cracking open hydrocarbon-rich shale by pumping water, sand and chemicals into the deep wells at high pressure.

So far there has been no evidence found of well water contamination by fracking fluids.

However, the researchers said it’s possible that faulty well construction led the drinking water to be contaminated by gas released during the process.

“Our studies demonstrate that distances from drilling sites, as well as variations in local and regional geology, play major roles in determining the possible risk of groundwater impacts from shale gas development,” said Avner Vengosh, a professor of geochemistry and water quality at Duke.

“As such, they must be taken into consideration before drilling begins.”

The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Source: iafrica.com

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Bottom Drain Backwashing Filters Are Ideal for Summer Homes, Hunting Cabins, and Other Locations Where Tanks Must Be Drained For Winter

Pure Water Products’ residential-sized backwashing filters are now available with a bottom drain feature that allows easy draining of the filter without removing the control valve.

 The tank comes with a convenient garden hose fitting so that drain water can be directed outdoors or to a drain.

This feature is especially valuable for those who need to drain the water from filters that are not used in winter.

With this filter the tank can be drained completely and quickly without the need even to disconnect it from plumbing.  The tank setup includes a bottom grid installed inside the tank to hold the media so it will not leave the tank as the tank is drained, a valve to release water from the tank, a garden hose connection so that the drained water can be directed to a drain or outdoors, and a vacuum release port to allow water to leave the tank.  The vacuum port can also be used to replenish media in neutralizing filters without removing the filter’s control valve.

The tank can be supplied with any standard filter style, such as carbon, catalytic carbon, birm, calcite, Filter Ag, ChemSorb (Micro Z), or multi-media.

It is available in the most popular size, 10″ X 54″, only.

More Information:  Pure Water Products, 940 382 3814.

Changing the Filter Media in Home Water Filter Tanks: The Hard Part Is Getting the Old Media Out

Home tank-style water filters, either backwashing filters or simple “in/out” units that do not backwash, are essentially trouble-free performers, but eventually, usually after a few years of service, the filter medium inside the tank has to be removed and replaced. Removal is usually the hard part of the job.

Professional water treatment dealers often have special tools and tricks to make media change easy. They also may have a couple of muscular young guys who are used to dealing with heavy tanks.

Here are a few tricks for homeowners, who usually have none of the above.

If the filter is small, and if it is installed in an easily accessible location, the job can be pretty easy.  If the filter is large–like a 13″ X 54″ tank, for example–and/or if it is installed in a hard-to-reach spot, the job won’t be easy.

After you have turned off your water supply to the filter and disconnected it from your plumbing, you can open the filter by simply screwing the control head off of the tank.  It’s like a lid on a bottle. No tool is needed, but if it’s on tight it may be a two person job, with one holding the tank and the other screwing off the control head. Tip: If your filter has a Fleck 2510 control valve, don’t remove the clamp just above the lip of the tank. Screw the entire head, clamp and all, out of the tank.

With a small tank that’s easily accessed, the best strategy is to muscle the tank outdoors or to a floor drain, invert it and dump out the water and media inside. If you’re outdoors, it’s very easy to tilt the tank to a 45 degree angle and insert a garden hose, with water running, into the tank to rinse out the media.

However, if the tank is large and heavy, and especially if it is installed in a cramped space where is would be hard to remove, a

A 1.25″ vacuum wand will fit even into tanks where the riser tube cannot be removed.

suggested option is the use of a small wet vacuum, often called a “shop vac.”   Using a shop vac you can suck the water and the spent media from the tank  without moving the tank.  Depending on the size of your shop vac and the size of your filter tank, you’ll have to empty the shop vac a few times to accomplish the task.  It can be a messy job, but it’s much easier than moving a heavy filter tank.

Before you start the job, be sure that the vacuum cleaner’s wand will fit into the mouth of the tank.  Standard tanks have a 2.5″ opening at the top. You may be able to pull the center tube (riser) out of the tank to make the job easier. However, if you have a “Vortech” style tank with a fixed riser, you’ll have to work around it.  With a fixed-riser tank, you’ll need a vacuum wand that’s no larger than 1.25″ in diameter. As the picture shows, you can nudge the riser to the side to get the vacuum wand into the tank.

When the tank is empty, you may want to rinse it by using a garden hose if you have it outdoors or by adding water then vacuuming it out if your tank is being serviced in place.  It is normally not necessary to sanitize the tank before adding media, but if you want to, add a couple of spoonfuls of household bleach, refill with water, and let it stand for a few minutes before removing the water.

When the tank is ready to reload, if you have a removable riser reinsert it into the tank and be sure it goes all the way to the bottom and stays there while you pour in the gravel underbed and the media. (No gravel is needed in fixed-riser Vortech tanks, like the one in the picture.)

A useful tool for filling the tank is a media funnel; if you don’t have one, you’ll have to improvise.  Before you pour in the media, be sure to close off the top of the riser with tape or a small plastic bag to prevent media from going into the tube.  Pour in the gravel (if needed) first, then the media.  In most cases you’ll end up with a tank that’s about 2/3 full.

When the media is loaded,  lube the o ring at the bottom of the control valve and the o ring inside the center hole of the valve where the riser tube will slide with silicone grease. Be sure the tank threads are clean as well as the threads on the control valve. Clean away any media that may have fallen into the threads.  Screw on the head securely, but don’t over-tighten.  Reconnect your plumbing and you’re ready to go.

Most filter media needs some “soak” time after the tank has been refilled.  A good soak and a good rinse before water is sent to the home will prevent filter media from entering service lines. Although there are many ways to start a filter with new media, a good practice that works well in most cases is fill the tank slowly with the valve in backwash position,  give it a long soak, then, still in backwash, run water at half speed into the filter, gradually increasing the speed.  Give it a long backwash to clear out media “fines” (small particles) before putting the control into service position to send water to the home.

Media loads for most residential size tanks

Gravel load for non-Vortech tanks is indicated.  No gravel is needed in Vortech tanks. Some media (Filox, for example) are sometimes loaded a bit lighter than the list indicates.

8″ X 44″ tank. 10 lbs. gravel, 3/4 cu. ft. of filter media,

9″ X 48″ tank. 13 lbs. of gravel, 1 cu. ft. of filter media.

10″ X 44″ tank. 16 lbs. of gravel and 1.25 cu. ft. of filter media.

10″ X 54″ tank. 16 lbs. of gravel and 1.5 cu. ft. of filter media.

12″ X 52: tank. 20 lbs. of gravel and 2.0 cubic feet of filter media.

13″ X 54″ tank. 35 lbs of gravel and 2.5 cubic feet of filter media.

The Largest Dam Removal in California History Begins: Tearing Down the Historic San Clemente Dam

Introductory Note:  The dam is a perfect example of the many things in our lives that are “mixed blessings.”  For that reason, dams are always controversial. In one of my favorite novels, Paradox, Rey by Pio Baroja, progressive Europeans bent on saving the world go to Africa to build a dam.  Among people and animals there are mixed reactions. The dam helps some and hurts others:  the frogs love it, but the snakes hate it; poor people who get cheap electricity love it, but poor people who lose their homes hate it.  The dam provides water for irrigation, but it covers up much valuable farmland.  It provides water for cities, but it forces abandonment of other cities.  It helps one species of fish but hastens extinction of another.

If we are allowed to generalize, we can say that dams are mainly an advantage to the rich and a burden for the poor.  But there are exceptions even to that.

Dams are not permanent.  They eventually die, choked by the sediment they have collected,  and have to be removed.  They are an advantage to the generations that benefit from their use but often a burden to the generations that pay for building them and tearing them down.

This month, June of 2013, the official tear down of the historic San Clemente Dam in California begins.  The article below is from Water Efficiency Magazine.–Gene Franks

Elected Officials, conservation groups and community leaders from across the state gathered in Carmel today to celebrate the groundbreaking to tear down San Clemente Dam. The event, hosted by California American Water in partnership with the California State Coastal Conservancy, NOAA Fisheries and The Nature Conservancy, included state and federal representatives as well as leadership from various nonprofit organizations that contributed to the dam removal effort.

“This project will be the largest dam removal in state history,” said Rep. Sam Farr, D-California. “It marks the beginning of a new era for this river, its inhabitance and the community it benefits. The project itself also marks a new way forward in terms of public-private partnerships and working together to accomplish major infrastructure endeavors like this one. This model could be applied to other dams in the state that have exceeded their useful life.”

“After years of hard work, it is an honor to join the project team and other dignitaries to celebrate the removal of the antiquated San Clemente Dam and restoration of the Carmel River Watershed,” said state Sen. Bill Monning, D-Carmel.

Since it was built in 1921, the San Clemente Dam has impacted people and nature along the Carmel River. As a result, once vibrant steelhead runs have dramatically decreased and lives and property below the dam are threatened with the possible collapse of the seismically unsafe structure.

The antiquated dam does not provide significant water storage for the community and given the state’s requirement the dam to be seismically safe, is more of a risk than a benefit. The reservoir is over 95% filled with more than 2.5 million cubic yards of sediment and a remaining water storage capacity of only about 70 acre-feet.

Bringing the dam removal project to fruition was made possible by a strong partnership between California American Water, the owners and operators of the dam, and the California State Coastal Conservancy and NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. Additional federal, state and local agencies and elected officials at all levels played key roles in the project’s design, approval, and funding. The estimated project construction cost is $83 million. Forty-nine million dollars will be provided by the company and $34 million will come from the State Coastal Conservancy and NOAA Fisheries. The conservancy will raise its portion of the funding from various public and private sources, including a $1-million contribution from The Nature Conservancy.

“In 1850, an estimated 12,000 to 20,000 Steelhead climbed the Carmel River each year,” said Buck Sutter, National Marine Fisheries Service habitat conservation director. “But today, less than 100 make it over the dam. This project will enable the Steelhead to make a viable return as well as the river’s other threatened wildlife.”

“The State’s rivers are the lifeblood of California’s diverse ecosystems and economy. Restoring them benefits both people and nature,” said Brian Stranko, Director of the North and Central Coast Region, The Nature Conservancy. “This groundbreaking project sets the precedent for other dam removal and river restoration projects in California and nationwide.”

The removal project includes an innovative engineering approach of rerouting the river around accumulated sediment.

“Our approach eliminates the cost and environmental impact of transporting the sediment to a different location, while also avoiding increased flood risk for downstream property owners,” said California American Water President and Chief Operating Officer Walter Lynch.

Granite Construction was selected through a competitive procurement process to design and build the three-year construction project. Granite will also perform five years of post-construction monitoring and maintenance activities to ensure that the project objectives are met and the restoration project is successful.

“In my twenty years in local government, this is the most unique public-private partnership I’ve ever seen,” said Monterey County Supervisor Dave Potter. “All the parties benefit. The environment, the river – they’re the biggest winners.”

Removing the San Clemente Dam and restoring the Carmel’s nature flow will have many benefits including:

Permanently removes the public safety risk posed by the potential collapse of the outdated San Clemente Dam, which now threatens 1,500 homes and other public buildings in the event of a large flood or earthquake.
Aides in the recovery of threatened South-Central California Coast steelhead by providing unimpaired access to over 25 miles of essential spawning and rearing habitat.
Expands public recreation by preserving over 900 acres of coastal watershed lands, resulting in over 5,400 acres of contiguous regional park land for low impact recreation.
Restores the river’s natural sediment flow, helping replenish sand on Carmel Beach and improve habitat downstream of the dam for steelhead.
Reduces beach erosion that now contributes to destabilization of homes, roads, and infrastructure.
Re-establishes a healthy connection between the lower Carmel River and the watershed above San Clemente Dam.
Improves habitat for threatened California red-legged frogs.
The Carmel River and San Clemente Dam project is the first of its kind, paving the way for similar projects here in California and throughout the country,”said Secretary for Natural Resources John Laird. “Thanks to public-private cooperation, this project will help restore 25 miles of sensitive steelhead spawning habitat and create open space for all Californians to enjoy”.

Reference:  San Clemente Dam Removal Official Website.

Reference: Water Efficiency Magazine.

A great environmentalist has said that the best thing an individual can do to help the planet is to serve his dog for dinner.  That may sound radical, but the idea has merit. Dogs are without question the worst news possible for planet Earth. These pampered gluttons consume vast amounts of resources, contribute nothing useful in return, and, worst of all, leave behind piles and piles of the foulest dung imaginable. And they are not at all particular about where they leave it.

Gazette numerical wizard B. Sharper has written at length on the damage done to water supplies by droppings by the world’s far-too-numerous canines. Here are a couple of Bea’s findings: 

According to a Seattle study, the percentage of watershed pollution that can be attributed to dog wastes–20. 

It is about this last item, the irresponsible 40% who don’t pick up after their slobbery mutt, that I want to speak.  Forty percent is a lot of people, when you consider that 60% of American families now have at least one dog, and some have way more than one.  An article in Stormwater suggested some ways to try to make the irresponsible responsible.  Although the Stormwater article does not mention my own “serve your dog for dinner” remedy, here are a few of their ideas:

Turn Spot’s Droppings into Something Useful.

From Massachusetts to the UK, dog waste is being converted into fuel to power everything from streetlights to homes. At Pacific Street Dog Park in Cambridge, Mass., a methane digester known as The Park Spark project transforms dog droppings into methane, which powers a lamppost. The park provides biodegradable bags to dog walkers, and encourages people to drop waste into the digester’s feeding tube. Across the pond in Chester, England, renewable energy company Streetklean is using a similar anaerobic digestion system to convert dog poo into energy that heats and powers residences.

DNA Testing.

It’s not uncommon for cities or apartment complexes to fine people who leave dog waste behind, but some properties take clean-up duty more seriously than others. For example, Twin Ponds apartments in Nashua, N.H. is one of many properties that requires tenants with dogs to use a “PooPrints” pet DNA sampling kit when they move in. If feces is found on the grounds, property managers simply send the sample to BioPet Vet Labs, learn the dog’s identity and fine the resident.

I, Tiger Tom, believe it would be entirely reasonable to require DNA samples from all dogs to be held in a national dog crap identification registry to be consulted  any time an unidentified dog chunk is found in a public place. Here is a low tech variation on the same idea in which the public act as detectives to bust the irresponsible dog owner: 

The small town of Brune, Spain, has reported a 70-percent decrease in dog waste since its  campaign in which it returned dog poo to the rightful owner. For a one-week period, volunteers approached dog owners who left their pet’s droppings behind and struck up a conversation with the goal of learning the dog’s name. “With the name of the dog and the breed it was possible to identify the owner from the registered pet database held in the town hall,” a spokesman from the council related. When the guilty dog owner’s address was confirmed, the poop was placed in a box labeled “Lost Property” and delivered via courier to the person’s home.

Similarly,  the Blackburn City Council in England announced a program to publicly post the names and photos of people who don’t clean up after their canine criminals. The city called on the public’s help, asking residents to be the eyes of ears of the pilot program by snapping culprits’ photos and reporting them to the council. The report does not mention if capital punishment was an option after identification of the mutt owner. Most of the schemes are way too nice.  In Mexico City, dog owners get free WiFi for picking up after their mangy mastiff. “When people deposit bags of dog droppings into a special bin, it calculates the weight, and Internet portal Terra gives everyone in the park free minutes of WiFi. The greater the weight, the more time people have to surf the Web.”

These, of course, are cutesy non-answers to a real problem.  A steamy pile of dog dung isn’t just a disgusting inconvenience: when it makes it into the water supply, it carries major bacteria and cysts.  USA Today says that you can measure the canine population by measuring the fecal matter in the water:

From mutt to blue-blooded champion, all dogs harbor so-called coliform bacteria, which live in the gut. The group includes E. coli, a bacterium that can cause disease, and fecal coliform bacteria, which spread through feces. Dogs also carry salmonella and giardia. Environmental officials use measurements of some of these bacteria as barometers of how much fecal matter has contaminated a body of water.

I, Tiger Tom, say that polluting the public water supply is an attack on the public.  Dare I call it terrorism?

Source Reference : Stormwater

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Hard facts about six common water treatment-softening myths

by Rosie on the House (Rosie Romero)

Water News in a Nutshell.

 

In A Nutshell: Popular home building and remodeling expert Rosie Romero, who hosts a syndicated radio show in the Phoenix area called Rosie on the House,  gives some advice about “common water treatment-softening” myths.  Then Gene Franks, of  Pure Water Products, offers some advice about Romero’s advice.

Arizona has hard water; that’s a given. But once you accept that fact, you have to decide what to do about the water at your house.

Here are the basics: The U.S. Department of Interior defines water as being slightly hard when it has from 1 to 3.5 grains per gallon of calcium and magnesium bicarbonates occurring naturally in the water. In Arizona, hardness levels can exceed 20 grains per gallon, but these levels are not dangerous. After all, about 80 percent of the water in the United States is considered hard.

What homeowners don’t like is that these minerals can cause scale to build up inside plumbing and appliances. The useful life of a dishwasher and a water heater can be shortened as a result. The harder the water, the grayer the “whites” look when you do laundry.

Some of us don’t like the taste of the water either. You can just use carbon filtration to improve the taste. But a reverse osmosis system or distillation unit can do even more to clarify your water by combining carbon filtration with removal of dissolved solids or what some people call “floaties.”

When it comes to the hardness of the water, however, we recommend buying or renting a water softening system to handle the issue. That’s the only way to end or minimize scale on shower walls as well as mineral build-up in appliances and your water-heater. In the process, you can eliminate dry skin problems and cut back on use of soaps, detergents, shampoos, and fabric softeners.

If you’re doing your homework before you buy or rent, you’re likely to hear many myths about what water treatment does and doesn’t do said David Perry, executive director of the Arizona Water Quality Association, a non-profit trade organization. Here are some of the claims you may hear and why you should discount them:

Myth No. 1: You can soften water with a salt-free system.

That is just not possible. Systems that say they are no-salt softeners are actually just scale inhibitors. Some can decrease the scale inside appliances but some will hardly affect that scale at all. These alternative treatment firms may use magnetic, catalytic, electric or electro-dialysis equipment. Most of these firms offer no independent confirmation that they can remove calcium or magnesium ions from water or reduce scale formation. Often these systems are coupled with a carbon filter to make drinking water taste better. But the best way to reduce hardness in water is by installing an ion-exchange softener. It will remove hardness — the scale-forming calcium and magnesium — by replacing it with sodium chloride or potassium chloride.

Myth No. 2: By removing dissolved solids from water you will deprive your body of healthy nutrients like calcium and magnesium, prevalent in hard water.

The problem with that argument is that the calcium and magnesium in your water are in an inorganic form that your body cannot digest in the way that it can with minerals found in your food or in dietary supplements.

Myth No. 3: Softened water leaves a film on your skin because something has been added to your water.

It’s true that your skin will feel softer and less dry after a shower in softened water because your natural body moisturizing oils are better able to reach your skin’s surface. In addition, those soaps, shampoos and shower gels will suds up faster. After your shower in soft water, you are actually much cleaner than when you shower in hard water.

Myth No. 4: Softeners add extra salt to your water.

That is not really happening because the softening process is an ion-exchange system that removes the salts holding the calcium and magnesium and replaces them with other salts. You’re not really adding to the total salt level in your water. By comparison, an eight-ounce glass of Coca-Cola has 30 milligrams of sodium while an eight-ounce glass of softened water has less than 12.5 milligrams of sodium. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a typical one-ounce slice of bread has between 80 and 230 milligrams of salt, although it depends on the brand.

Myth No. 5: Drinking water purified in a reverse osmosis system or in a distiller will leach essential minerals from your body.

This old and untrue story can be found all over the Internet. Nothing is purged from your body by drinking filtered or distilled water, according to David Perry. The EPA actually advocates use of reverse osmosis to remove some substances from drinking water. Generally, you should also avoid any company that uses scare tactics regarding the safety of your municipal drinking water supply.

Myth No. 6: Water from a reverse osmosis system or a distiller will be acidic.

RO/distilled water does have a lower pH level. That’s because these systems remove dissolved bicarbonate solids but not acid-producing carbon dioxide. Without the bicarbonates to neutralize it, there is carbonic acid in the RO water. But it is not a health concern, nor will it endanger your water pipes. Although the pH level of untreated tap water will be about 7; the level of RO water is about 6. Soft drinks and sports drinks typically have a pH of 2.5, orange juice is at 3 pH and coffee is at 4 pH. We drink all these beverages all the time without major problems.

Before hiring a water treatment contractor: Always be sure that the contractor is licensed, bonded and insured. Does the contractor use trained and qualified technicians for installation and follow-up? Did he test your water before making a recommendation, even if you are on a municipal water source? Do you understand the cost of ongoing maintenance and upkeep?

Source: Ktar.com

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Hard Facts about “Hard facts about six common water treatment-softening myths”

by Gene Franks

This is a good article with lots of good advice, but water treatment isn’t always an exact science and there is room for disagreement.

The definition of “slightly hard water” as water that has 1 to 3.5 grains of hardness is not a mandate by the U. S. Department of the Interior that everyone with “slightly hard water” needs to buy a water softener.  The industry recommendation for residential use where a softener is needed used to start at 7 grains per gallon.  It keeps inching its way down.  The town where I live and do business has 7-grain water.  I do not have a softener in my home (although I could have a free one if I wanted), and we do not recommend softeners for our local customers (but we are happy to sell them upon request).

The need for a water softener is a personal choice.  There is a point where scale damage to appliances and pipes makes owning a water softener practical, but some would prefer to replace appliances to owning a softener.  For others, getting rid of water spots on dishes is worth any sacrifice; for them a water softener is essential,  even if their water is only slightly hard.  In borderline cases, the type of appliances and the temperature you keep your water, might be deciding factors.  (The hotter the water, the faster scale forms, and tankless water heaters need more scale protection than traditional tank-style water heaters.)

As for the Six Myths:

1. The statement is true but misleading.  No reputable seller of no-salt alternatives to conventional softeners claims that his or her product “softens” water.  Alternatives are sold as scale preventers, not softeners,  and there is ample documentation to back the claims of many such products. We sell conventional softeners, but we also sell a TAC product with equal enthusiasm.  Customer satisfaction with the product is high.  The technology is widely accepted in Europe and its effectiveness has been demonstrated repeatedly.

2. No argument with that.  The “low mineral” myth is promoted mainly by sellers of products other than reverse osmosis.  The argument against softeners is that they take out “essential minerals” and overload the water with sodium.

3. That isn’t the way the “myth” is usually stated.  Most often,  those who do not like softened water complain of a slick or “slimy” feel to the water.  I have seen no evidence that either softened or un-softened water is more healthful for the skin.  While it is true that soaps and shampoos lather better and seem to work better in softened water,  their improved effectiveness might actually damage the skin by stripping away natural oils.  One thing that is true is that with softened water less soap is needed.

4. The answer plays with the technical chemical definition of salt.  The real-world complaint is that softeners add sodium, which they do, in place of calcium and magnesium.  I agree that as a health issue this is no big deal and that the amount of sodium in softened water is nothing compared to the sodium in a can of green beans.

5.  I agree that the “RO leaches minerals” myth is nonsense.  Its popularity demonstrates that if you say something long enough, no matter how implausible, people will begin to repeat it and believe it.  If RO water leached minerals from the body, the world would be full of boneless blobs dying in the streets.

6. Again, the pH myth, which is related to the mineral leaching myth, is so dumb it doesn’t deserve an answer. Nevertheless, it is widely promoted.  The pH of RO water is temporarily low because the buffering agents that have been balancing the carbon dioxide have been taken away.  The pH jumps back to normal as soon as the water contacts almost anything else.  In fact, if you swallow RO water, your body has corrected the pH to whatever it needs it to be before it reaches the stomach.  Every day we take in many foods and beverages whose pH levels range from high to low, but the body deals with them easily.  To say that you should not drink RO water because of its pH is like saying you should eat nothing but turnips because they alone have a pH level that’s ideal for the stomach.

  Ocean Tides

 Editor’s Note:  Science (our religion) is mainly a cataloging of events and objects and assigning them a cause.  It uses the moon to explain the periodic bulging and surging of the ocean that we call tides.  This may be, but I believe someday we may discover that it is the tides that cause the moon.

Most of the information below is adapted from an interesting website called Keith’s Moon Page.–Hardly Waite.

SuperMoon over New Jersey, June 22, 2013

The word “tides” is a generic term used to define the alternating rise and fall in sea level with respect to the land, produced by the gravitational attraction of the moon and the sun. To a much smaller extent, tides also occur in large lakes, the atmosphere, and within the solid crust of the earth, acted upon by these same gravitational forces of the moon and sun.
Tides are created because the Earth and the moon are attracted to each other, just like magnets are attracted to each other. The moon tries to pull at anything on the Earth to bring it closer. But, the Earth is able to hold onto everything except the water. Since the water is always moving, the Earth cannot hold onto it, and the moon is able to pull at it.

Each day, there are two high tides and two low tides. The ocean is constantly moving from high tide to low tide, and then back to high tide. There is a period of about 12 hours and 25 minutes between the two high tides.

When the moon is full or new, the gravitational pull of the moon and sun are combined. At these times, the high tides are very high and the low tides are very low. This is known as a spring high tide.

Spring Tides

Spring tides are especially strong tides (they do not have anything to do with the season Spring). They occur when the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon are in a line. The gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun both contribute to the tides. Spring tides occur during the full moon and the new moon.

Neap Tides
During the moon’s quarter phases the sun and moon work at right angles, causing the bulges to cancel each other. The result is a smaller difference between high and low tides and is known as a neap tide. Neap tides are especially weak tides. They occur when the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun are perpendicular to one another (with respect to the Earth). Neap tides occur during quarter moons.

Winds and currents move the surface water causing waves. The gravitational attraction of the moon causes the oceans to bulge out in the direction of the moon. Another bulge occurs on the opposite side, since the Earth is also being pulled toward the moon (and away from the water on the far side). Ocean levels fluctuate daily as the sun, moon and earth interact. As the moon travels around the earth and as they, together, travel around the sun, the combined gravitational forces cause the world’s oceans to rise and fall. Since the earth is rotating while this is happening, two tides occur each day. 

More About Tides

• The gravitational force of the moon is one ten-millionth that of earth, but when you combine other forces such as the earth’s centrifugal force created by its spin, you get tides.
• The sun’s gravitational force on the earth is only 46 percent that of the moon. Making the moon the single most important factor for the creation of tides.
• The sun’s gravity also produces tides. But since the forces are smaller, as compared to the moon, the effects are greatly decreased.
• Tides are not caused by the direct pull of the moon’s gravity. The moon is pulling upwards on the water while the earth is pulling downward. Slight advantage to the moon and thus we have tides.
• Whenever the Moon, Earth and Sun are aligned, the gravitational pull of the sun adds to that of the moon causing maximum tides.
• Spring tides happen when the sun and moon are on the same side of the earth (New Moon) or when the sun and moon are on opposite sides of the earth (Full Moon).
• When the Moon is at first quarter or last quarter phase (meaning that it is located at right angles to the Earth-Sun line), the Sun and Moon interfere with each other in producing tidal bulges and tides are generally weaker; these are called neap tides.
• Spring tides and neap tide levels are about 20% higher or lower than average.
• Offshore, in the deep ocean, the difference in tides is usually less than 1.6 feet
• The surf grows when it approaches a beach, and the tide increases. In bays and estuaries, this effect is amplified. (In the Bay of Fundy, tides have a range of 44.6 ft.)
• The highest tides in the world are at the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, Canada.
• Because the earth rotates on its axis the moon completes one orbit in our sky every 25 hours (Not to be confused with moon’s 27 day orbit around the earth), we get two tidal peaks as well as two tidal troughs. These events are separated by about 12 hours.
• Since the moon moves around the Earth, it is not always in the same place at the same time each day. So, each day, the times for high and low tides change by 50 minutes.
• The type of gravitational force that causes tides is know as “Tractive” force.

Adapted from Keith’s Moon Page.

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 Egypt Believes that It Owns the Nile; Ethiopia Does Not Agree

 Editor’s Note: The following is excerpted from a Voice of America article. The dispute over Ethiopia’s dam on the Blue Nile is not new, but the tensions are festering.–Hardly Waite. 

A rift continued  between Egypt and Ethiopia over a plan by Addis Ababa to build a huge dam on one of the tributaries of the River Nile, while an announcement by South Sudan that it has chosen more than a dozen potential dam sites along the river evoked little concern from Nile Basin Initiative countries meeting in Juba.

Egypt, which under a colonial-era law controls the biggest share of the Nile’s waters, has been at loggerheads for months with Ethiopia over a plan by Addis Ababa to build a 6,000-megawatt dam with a 63 billion cubic meter reservoir on a tributary of the Nile. Cairo is worried that the dam would reduce the amount of water available in Egypt.

But Ethiopian’s Minister of Water, Alemayehu Tegenu, said his government is not ready to back off of its plans.

“The Nile is a common resource. The Nile is a gift to the population of the all Nile Basin Countries. We will not allow a single country to have full control of our shared resources. Conflicts and tensions over the utilization of the Nile are not helpful and will not lead to sustainable utilisation,” Tegenu said, adding that the new dam will help to solve power supply problems in Ethiopia.

Construction on the dam started two years ago on Ethiopia’s  Blue Nile River, whose basin accounts for about 75 percent of the water flowing into the lower Nile River.

A rendering of the Grand Renaissance Dam under construction in Ethiopia on the Blue Nile. Its completion is expected to profoundly change the allocation of water resources in Africa.

Egypt’s Deputy Minister for Water Resources Ahmad Bah Eldein insisted his government does not want to deny any country the opportunity to make improvements, but said that Cairo would not overlook the security of its own people.

“Egypt has never been and will never be against the development of our brothers in the Nile Basin countries as long as this process doesn’t impact Egypt’s water security or hinder the spirit of cooperation amongst us,” he said.

Representatives of the two countries did not reach an agreement on the issue at the meeting, but said they will continue to discuss it.

Meanwhile, an announcement by South Sudan that it has  chosen 16 sites along the Nile to develop hydroelectric dams brought little concern from other NBI countries.

Six of the 10 NBI countries have already ratified an agreement that would replace the colonial-era laws that gave control of most of the Nile waters to Egypt and Sudan.

Akec announced earlier this week that South Sudan will sign the agreement, too, but Sudan and Egypt have both refused to put their names to it.

The Nile Basin Initiative member states are Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

Reference: Voice of America

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How Will Artificial Grass Affect Water?

 Editor’s Note:  In earlier Gazette’s we looked at the ins and out, the ups and the downs, of the complicated fake vs. real Christmas tree issue.  Artificial grass, which is growing rapidly in popularity, may be an even more complex water issue than Christmas trees.  Imagine, for example, the impact on storm drain systems if just 10% of a city’s homes had lawns that did not soak up rainwater.  Here’s a perceptive piece from the Wall Street Journal. — Hardly Waite.

 Artificial Grass:  It’s Not Just for Stadiums Any More

by Alyssa Abkowitz

Artificial grass, long considered the bad toupee of landscaping, has gotten a makeover. Manufacturers have developed new “yarns” that make synthetic grass look less shiny and more natural.

Factory-Made Artificial Grass

Today, six companies make artificial grass in the U.S., and residential sales have increased about 30% a year for the past five years, according to the Association of Synthetic Grass Installers.

Homeowners can have a full lawn of artificial grass installed or use it in specific areas: between pavers in a driveway, in a courtyard, around swimming pools and under swing sets. There are even varieties of synthetic grass for pet owners that include a drainage system, says Brian Karmie, co-founder of manufacturer ForeverLawn in Uniontown, Ohio. Companies also offer specialty grass for putting greens, which use tightly curled fibers instead of straight ones to simulate real putting surfaces, says Nick Vena, vice president of synthetic-grass distributor Purchase Green in San Dimas, Calif.

In recent years, synthetic-grass makers have introduced yarns with a lower luster, skinnier blades and a softer feel to make the appearance and feel of the grass more realistic. While artificial lawns only hit the residential market about a decade ago, they’ve been used in sports arenas regularly since the 1970s.

What is it? Typically made from polyethylene, synthetic grass is made on carpet machines and bound with a polyurethane or latex backing. The grass fibers have short, curled brownish fibers mixed with green and yellow blades that typically are 1¾ inches long. The quality is measured by the product’s face weight, or the weight of the fibers per square yard. Artificial-turf face weights range from 40 ounces to 93 ounces. High-end residential lawns typically use 80- to 93-ounce face weights.

Installation takes about two days: one day to excavate and grade 3 inches to 5 inches of soil, and another day to roll out the carpet and affix it to the ground. Then a sand infill is brushed into the grass to weigh it down and increase its durability, says Bryce Bartlett, director of sales for synthetic-grass installer Conservation Grass of Dallas.

Pros: There isn’t a lot of maintenance—no mowing or watering required—, and most artificial yards last 15 to 20 years. Homeowners with pets may hose down the lawn once a month with a cleaning solution that eats odor-causing bacteria. Owners can brush the blades with a broom to get them to stand up straight if the lawn starts to look matted down. Some states, such as Arizona and California, offer water-conservation rebates for installing synthetic grass.

Cons: Prices can be high, with large, high-quality lawns costing as much as $100,000. Also, the grass gets hotter than natural grass; on a 100-degree day, synthetic grass can reach 108 degrees, says Tony Vena, CEO of Purchase Green.

Price: The lowest-price, 40-ounce face weight is about $1.50 a square foot; the lushest face weight, of 93 ounces, about $4.50. Costs, with labor, range from $7 to $20 a square foot. With labor, costs typically range from $12 to $20 a square foot.

Resources: Association of Synthetic Grass Installers, Conservation Grass, Forever Lawn, Purchase Green, Synthetic Turf Council.Websites: www.asgi.us, www.syntheticturfcouncil.org, www.purchasegreen.com, www.conservationgrass.com, www.foreverlawn.com, www.synlawn.com.

Reference: Wall Street Journal.

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