WASDA News Briefs

Since Antiquity, water has represented the very essence of life. Primitive cultures perceived water as a gift from the gods as it rained from the heavens. The most powerful deities worshipped by the ancient Greeks lived in and commanded the waters. In modern times, humans living in industrialized societies have lost touch with the miracle that is water. We turn on the faucet and expect it to be there when we need it. Most Americans take water for granted.

As WASDA members, unlike our neighbors and friends, we appreciate the significance and importance of having a strong and safe water infrastructure. WASDA NewsBriefs are our means to stay on top of key issues and developments concerning this vital industry.

July 2007



"So You Think It's Hot? Southwest to Sizzle for 90 Years"
"L.A. on Verge of Driest Rainy Season While Texas Nears Rain Record"
"The Case of the Disappearing Great Lake"
"VY Discharge Effects Questioned"
"North Florida Out Front in Plan for Water-Wise Homes"
"Rooftop Gardens Helping Boston Go Green"



"Editorial: Desalination Plant Offers Hope for S.A."
"Sens. Nelson, Martinez Fight Seismic Exploration in Gulf"
"Population Increase and Freshwater Demand Drive the Water Recycling and Reuse Market in the U.S."



"After Lobbying, Wetlands Rules Are Narrowed"
"State Seeks Funds for 2 Dams, Maybe a Canal"
"U.S. House Bill Includes Big Wins for Rivers"
"NJ Targets Polluters in 120 Lawsuits"
"Flood Control Pitched for D.C."
"Michigan Launches Surface Water Information Management System"

So You Think It's Hot? Southwest to Sizzle for 90 Years
ABC News (07/06/07) ; James, Susan Donaldson

Researchers at Columbia and Princeton universities are warning that the drought now facing the Southwest could last throughout the century and lead to social conflicts over water in one of the fastest-growing regions of the United States. In a study of 19 computerized climate models from around the globe, the researchers say that even if steps are taken immediately to mitigate global warming, the regional drought will last for decades and could equal the severity of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, which devastated local agriculture and had huge impacts on migration and employment. With five of the 10 fastest-growing states located in the Southwest, potable water will emerge as a tremendous issue, say the researchers. ""Being in the desert is unnatural," says Richard Seager of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Institute at Columbia University. "The whole Southwest is dependent on massive works of engineering, all of which were built assuming there would be more water available than there really is. How is that whole system going to stand up to this kind of stress? Who gets the water?" The level of the Colorado River, which supplies most of the region's water, has already dropped by about 15 percent. Seager warns that without smart growth and planning, the current drought could stretch water supplies to the point of social conflicts and strain relationships with Mexico over immigration.
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L.A. on Verge of Driest Rainy Season While Texas Nears Rain Record
Associated Press (06/29/07) ; Antczak, John

Los Angeles is asking residents to conserve water in the face of its driest rainy season in well over a century. In contrast, Texas, following two consecutive years of record drought, has had one of its wettest springs on record. The two phenomena are related, say weather experts, linked by a stationary high-pressure system caused by the mixing of late cold blasts in Canada with very warm air from the Gulf of Mexico. Such rain as Texas has experienced, however, does little to recharge aquifers, explains Bill Patzert, a Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist who studies the ocean's role in climate variations, because the water runs off too quickly, in contrast to the slow melting of snowpacks. Patzert says that California should expect more of the same in the coming years. "I think last year, unfortunately, people should plan on that as a preview of coming attractions because there are no big patterns in the Pacific that are rainmakers," he says. "There's no El Nino galloping over the horizon to save us here."
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The Case of the Disappearing Great Lake
USA Today (06/14/07) P. 15A ; Cauchon, Dennis

Cargo ships carrying iron ore and other heavy materials are running partly empty because of the low water level of Lake Superior. According to Adolph Ojard, executive director of the Duluth, Minn., Seaway Port Authority, loads are being lightened by about 5 percent, which means cargo ships that average $6 a cargo ton and make 40 trips a year stand to lose about $1 million in revenue. The water of Lake Superior, the deepest of the Great Lakes, is 20 inches below average and a foot lower than a year ago. Low levels are seen at Lake Huron and Lake Michigan as well, but not to the same degree as Lake Superior, and a drought and warm weather appear to be the reason for the decline. "It's been a long time since we've been this low, but it has happened," says Tim Calappi, a hydraulic engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers, which monitors water levels. "We still think this is within the range of what's normal, but we have to wait and see." The commercial channels in Lake Superior ports will get some relief in the form of dredging that will make them a little deeper, adds Scott Brossart, an engineer for the Army Corps in Duluth.
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VY Discharge Effects Questioned
Brattleboro Reformer (VT) (07/06/07) ; Heintz, Paul H.

Lawyers from the Connecticut River Watershed Council and the New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution are challenging a study claiming the Entergy Vermont Yankee power plant has not had detrimental effects on the water temperature of the Connecticut River. Aquatic ecologist Mark Mattson was commissioned to examine the areas both upstream and downstream from Entergy and its effect on the river's species. The Vermont Environmental Court met to determine whether or not the plant would be able to increase water temperature by 1 degree Fahrenheit from May until October, which would enact a permit issued to Entergy by the Agency of Natural Resources in 2004. Entergy opponents have cited the American shad and Atlantic salmon among the fish that would not be able to fare the temperature increase and noted that the decline of these species in the river have been due to the plant. Mattson said the plant "has the most restrictive thermal discharge criteria of any facility I've ever seen," and that aquatic species would not be affected by the temperature changes. New England Coalition lawyer Evan Mullholland noted that Mattson had worked for Entergy, but the ecologist refuted any claims of bias. The hearings are set to continue in Newfane.
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North Florida Out Front in Plan for Water-Wise Homes
Florida Times-Union (06/22/07) ; Hunt, David

The St. Johns River Water Management District's Florida Water Star program aims to reduce water consumption by 20 percent indoors and 40 percent outdoors through the installation of efficient toilets, dishwashers, and irrigation systems by participating home builders. A total of 20 homes in the Jacksonville area will boast program certifications by next week; and water management district education manager Eileen Tramontana hopes a partnership between the District and Beazer Homes will boost the number above 500 by mid-2008. The District estimates that Water Star certified homes save $2,200 per year on their water bills by cutting usage by 290,000 gallons, but actual savings will soon be calculated as part of a study of 10 certified dwellings. Tramontana says incentive programs--such as expanding the pool of qualified buyers by permitting mortgage lenders to take water bill savings into consideration--could be established once the study is completed. Officials in Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and North Carolina have expressed interest in their own programs; and the partnership with Beazer could bring it to other regions of the country.
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Rooftop Gardens Helping Boston Go Green
WBZ TV (Boston) (06/19/07) ; Michaels, Mish

Green roof systems are taking root throughout the Boston metropolitan area, helping in the struggle to combat global warming. One such example is the green roof system atop the Yawkey Building at Mass General hospital. Its plants and soil act like insulation, keeping the roof significantly cooler in the hot summer months. Steve Imrich, the rooftop garden's architect, states: "It has all kinds of enormous benefits to the building and to the local environment, as well as to the planet as a whole ... . Dark colored roofs get to be very, very hot in the summer and when you add up all the buildings in the city, it gets to be a very large heat problem for the city and in fact raises the temperature for cities." Another Boston-area green roof is the one being installed at the recently renovated Children's Museum. That green roof is designed by Plants Across Communities to capture stormwater for use in the building's plumbing.
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Editorial: Desalination Plant Offers Hope for S.A.
San Antonio Express-News (TX) (07/10/07)

The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) is launching a test project to help it proceed with the deployment of a desalination plant in Atascosa County, Texas. The plant will remove brine from brackish water from the Wilcox Aquifer to produce potable water. Jerry Needham has reported in the San Antonio Express-News that according to state studies, there are roughly 1.2 million acre-feet of brackish groundwater in the planning region, including San Antonio. In June, Texas Water Development Board innovation specialist Jorge Arroyo said the desalination effort is something the city should look into because the technology is no longer risky. "The economics are there that makes this cost-competitive with other options." According to Needham, contracts for constructing the $150 million SAWS desalination plant are expected in 2008, and it could begin operating by 2011. If the initial facility is successful, additional ones may eventually be built. Several such plants already operate across Texas.
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Sens. Nelson, Martinez Fight Seismic Exploration in Gulf
Associated Press (06/30/07)

U.S. senators from Florida are fighting a $10 million plan to launch a seismic inventory of oil and natural gas resources in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Sens. Mel Martinez (R) and Bill Nelson (D) pledged Friday to oppose a $32.3 billion Senate energy and water bill that would allocate the money for seismic exploration in the Gulf. In the past, Florida politicians have opposed Gulf drilling for fear of spills and pollution that could damage the state's beaches and environment. Nelson said on the Senate floor that earlier, he and Martinez had agreed to support the expansion of offshore drilling in the Gulf, provided there would be language to safeguard Florida from additional exploration. But Nelson complained that the agreement had been breached. Martinez asserted that Florida's waters are protected and that a survey would serve no useful purpose and would squander taxpayer resources. Drilling advocates said the bill would spur access to much-needed energy resources, particularly natural gas, which may eventually lower prices. The sponsors of the proposed legislation are Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Larry Craig (R-Idaho), who say making decisions about potential oil development depends on knowing what is available.
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Population Increase and Freshwater Demand Drive the Water Recycling and Reuse Market in the U.S.
Business Wire (06/19/07)

Frost & Sullivan has released a new report on the U.S. water recycling and reuse systems markets, discussing drivers, restraints, and market trends. The study found that population increases and freshwater demand are driving the markets amid increasing municipal and industrial applications such as agricultural irrigation, lawn watering, and other non-drinkable uses. Among the technologies now used for treating wastewater is the membrane bioreactor, which merges activated sludge treatment with membrane filtration and is currently on a high growth path. Meanwhile, a number of states are establishing rules for water reuse in the absence of federal standards. The study observed that "the rising cost of water, which is a direct effect of the current water shortage, coupled with tighter environmental regulations, offers good market opportunities for existing and emerging participants." To help counter negative perceptions surrounding wastewater reuse among the public, state water authorities and manufacturers hope to educate end-users by focusing on the advantages of reusing water. They prefer to rely on groups such as the Water Environment Federation because of their ability to disseminate information quickly and their greater access to the public.
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After Lobbying, Wetlands Rules Are Narrowed
New York Times (07/06/07) P. A1 ; Broder, John M.

In June 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers proposed new guidelines under the Clean Water Act that could have put scores of small streams and wetlands--including temporary ponds resulting from heavy rain--under the law's jurisdiction if they have an impact on the quality of water in navigable waterways located nearby. However, developers, farmers, and ranchers lobbied hard against the proposal; and this push is reflected in the final wetlands rules released in June. Washington-based attorney Virginia Albrecht, whose clients include property developers, argued that the original proposal would give regulators authority over a broad region even if a project would have only a local impact on a stream or swam. A case-by-case review of developments would be more appropriate, she said. The original guidelines would have given regulators jurisdiction over wetlands and small streams if their inclusion in a watershed connected to navigable waters could be proven. However, the new guidelines require proof that the wetland or stream is directly connected to navigable waters before permits become necessary. According to Sierra Club water policy analyst Navis Bermudez, "There are definitely waters that will not be protected because of this latest guidance. The final guidance is clearly weaker than what we saw in the September guidance."
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State Seeks Funds for 2 Dams, Maybe a Canal
Los Angeles Times (07/11/07) ; Vogel, Nancy

California Department of Water Resources director Lester Snow says that that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to put a bond measure of $4 billion or more on next year's ballot to pay for new dams and maybe a canal around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This despite the fact that the governor and lawmakers have not yet tapped into $5.4 billion from a water bond issue that voters approved late last year. Snow informed lawmakers that additional money is required for the heart of the state's complex water system--the delta where California's two largest rivers meet. Snow said he wanted to work with legislators to place on 2008's ballot an initiative to support two pending pieces of legislation: one that would start construction of a pair of dams in Central and Northern California and one that would make California water authorities study multiple versions of a canal surrounding the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The delta's pump diversion site is at risk of earthquakes, which could destroy the earthen walls that channel water. Endangered fish that utilize the channels could also make regulators close the pumps. One of the proposed dams would store water from the upper Sacramento River, while the other would be constructed upstream of the Friant Dam on the San Joaquin River outside of Fresno. Combined, the newly-created reservoirs would hold over 3 million acre feet of water, enough to supply about 750,000 families for one year.
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U.S. House Bill Includes Big Wins for Rivers
Waterchat.com (06/27/07)

On June 27, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $27.6 billion Interior-Environment Appropriations Bill, which includes $1.125 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to help states deal with sewage spills and overflow problems. Of that amount, $75 million will be used to find new ways to launch non-structural improvements as well as green infrastructure improvements. The Targeted Watersheds Grant program will receive $25 million, and the U.S. Geological Survey will get a $5 million increase for the National Streamflow Information Program, which funds many of the stream gauges around the country. The Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers program will receive $2 million, and the Open Rivers Initiative has been allocated $6 million for helping willing owners remove obsolete and hazardous dams. The Environmental Protection Agency will get funding for several key regions, including the Chesapeake Bay ($30 million), the Great Lakes ($25 million), Puget Sound ($15 million), Long Island Sound ($10 million), and the Gulf of Mexico ($4.5 million).
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NJ Targets Polluters in 120 Lawsuits
Forbes (06/29/07) ; Santana, Rebecca

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has filed 120 lawsuits against manufacturers, marketers, and other firms--such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips--involved in the gas-additive pollution of rivers, streams, lakes, groundwater, and land. The natural resource damage claims aim to hold the polluters accountable for their spills and other actions that have allegedly damaged the state's natural resources. It is unclear how much the state will seek in damages, but many of the accused firms already have paid fines and cleanup costs in relation to the allegations. The department hopes the lawsuits will result in additional funds that can be used to restore the damaged resources.
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Flood Control Pitched for D.C.
Washington Times (06/14/07) ; Ramstack, Tom

The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) unveiled a draft proposal to improve flood control around the District of Columbia, which calls for higher levees along river banks, updated stormwater facilities, and sewer system upgrades to improve the handling of stormwater runoff. Because the city is located between two rivers on flat land, increases in rainfall leave the National Mall and Federal Triangle especially vulnerable to flooding. The commission calls upon the city's government to take action. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently estimated $7 million in investments could eliminate up to $200 million in potential water damage to city buildings, museums, and landmarks. Officials already drafted a plan for $1.9 billion in sewer system upgrades over the next two decades, including the use of separate pipes for sewage and stormwater to reduce instances of flooding. Other tactics under discussion include the use of low-impact fixes, such as rooftop gardens that would absorb rainfall.
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Michigan Launches Surface Water Information Management System
Government Technology (06/14/07)

The newly launched Michigan Surface Water Information Management (MiSWIM) system is an online mapping application for accessing water quality information about Michigan's rivers, lakes, and streams. Users, including the public, can access information on water and sediment chemistry, fish contaminants, E. coli bacteria, industrial and municipal wastewater discharge sites, river flow, land use classifications, soil types, fish communities, and aerial photographs. "Better access to this information through the MiSWIM system will improve water quality decision making at all levels of government," asserted Steven E. Chester, director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
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