WASDA News Briefs
September 2006
"Many of the wars of this (20th) century were about oil, but the wars of
the next century will be about water". Thus spoke former World Bank Vice
President Ismail Serageldin in 2003. If this statement proves to be
accurate, we WASDA members will be key players on a worldwide stage over
the next decade. WASDA News Briefs are designed to educate and
inform the membership about issues, legislation, events and new products in
this ever-more-important industry.
News
Advocacy / Opinions
Legislation / Government
Achieving Regulatory Compliance & Customer
Satisfaction
Water & Wastes Digest (08/06) Vol. 46, No. 8, P. 14 ; John E.
Balliew
When the EPA proposed a reduction in the acceptable standard for
arsenic in water to 10 ppb in 2002, El Paso, N.M.'s Water Utilities
underwent a construction project to meet those goals by the January 2006
deadline. El Paso regional volcanic formations naturally generate arsenic,
which has led to high concentrations in 46 out of 175 city wells. The
utility decided to combine three treatment technologies -- conventional
coagulation filtration, a disposable arsenic filtration media, and reverse
osmosis -- for the effort. El Paso also built a $50 million treatment
plant that produces water with zero traces of arsenic. The utility now
mixes treatment water with untreated water to provide a blend that
registers between 5 ppb and 8 ppb of arsenic. The project has contributed
to a 19 percent increase in consumer bills, but the effort, according to
the utility, is supported by the local community, thanks in part to a PR
and education program launched concurrently to highlight water conservation
values.
( Click here for website - May Require Paid Subscription)
Climate Change Doesn't Warrant New Water Policy,
Local Report Says
Reno Gazette-Journal (08/14/06) ; DeLong, Jeff
A study conducted by the Desert Research Institute (DRI) for the
Truckee Meadows (Nevada) Water Authority (TMWA) concluded that although
climate change may be a reality, it is premature to make changes to water
supply management at this point. Officials with the water authority
requested the study for consideration in long-term planning for the
region's water. DRI researcher Mark Stone said in the case of the Sierra
Nevada area, warmer temperatures could cause more rain to fall instead of
snow, which would reduce the amount of snowpack. Melting could take place
earlier in the spring, resulting in less water runoff in summer, the report
forecasted. However, Stone noted that the use of different models could
yield different results, even contradictory ones. TMWA serves more than
81,000 homes and businesses in the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area. Utility
executives believe that the region benefits significantly from
high-altitude reservoirs along the Truckee River system. The largest, Lake
Tahoe, located 6,200 feet above sea level, would likely see most
precipitation in the form of snow even if temperatures were to rise. Lori
Williams, general manager of TMWA, says if more of the region's
precipitation falls as rain, modifications might need to be made, such as
storing water in Lake Tahoe earlier than usual.
( Click here for website - May Require Free Registration)
Staying Inside the Lines
American City & County (08/06)No. 1,
Racine, Wis., increased the capacity of its peak wastewater
treatment by more than twofold last autumn without widening the boundaries
of its treatment facility location. By altering its wastewater treatment
procedure, incorporating a computer management system, revamping buildings,
and placing new components on the site, Racine is ready to handle future
expansion during the coming 20 years. Racine has been increasing at a
typical rate of 1.25 percent annually over the past four decades, and that
pattern is predicted to rise at a 2 percent rate each year for the next two
decades. The Racine Wastewater Utility caters to 127,600 inhabitants in a
half-dozen communities. Faced with raising wastewater treatment levels,
the utility attempted to broaden its peak system capacity from 70 million
gallons per day to almost 200 million gallons per day. Constricted by
neighborhoods on two sides and the lake on the other two, however, the
treatment plant buildings did not have space to go beyond their current
boundaries. The utility contracted in March 2001 with the companies Earth
Tech and Applied Technologies to create an expansion on the already busy
site. Racine then signed an intergovernmental deal with its nearby
communities to earmark capacities and funds for the new $45 million
establishment.
( Click here for website - Link to Publication Homepage)
Low Water Levels Starting to Affect Mississippi
River
U.S. Water News (09/01/06)
The Mississippi River has experienced a consistent drought since
the spring of 2005, leading to low water levels that have impeded
transportation along the mighty river. Recently the Coast Guard closed
areas of the river to traffic because of a spate of tugboat groundings.
One forecast for a 28-day-period in September predicts zero rainfall, which
could sink the river by an additional 2 feet to 3 feet, placing it 8 feet
to 10 feet below normal levels. Louisiana State University climatologist
Barry Keim says the river is far beyond fixing by the occasional shower.
Mississippi Farm Bureau board director Billy Joe Ragland, a farmer, says,
"This is going to be the year that puts a lot more of us out of business."
Barge regulations have called for smaller depth traces of between 9 feet
and 9.5 feet, rather than the typical 12 feet used on the river. While the
Ohio River that feeds the Mississippi recently received enough regional
rainfall to lift its own drought designation, much of that water has
sluiced into the Great Lakes rather than flushed into the Mississippi.
( Click here for website )
Technology Making it Easier to Pay Water
Bills
Redlands Daily Facts (CA) (08/18/06) ; Mensching, Colleen
The city of Redlands, Calif. has partnered with Western Union to
bring its residents Speedpay, a way to use credit and debit cards to pay
utility bills over the phone or online. Users of the Speedpay service will
pay a service charge, which is charged by Western Union and does not
represent revenue for the city, said Doug Headrick, chief of water
resources. The new payment option, which will replace a "check by phone"
pilot program started in June, will provide a convenience to customers and
benefit the city as well, according to City Treasurer Mike Reynolds. He
noted that electronic payments so far account for 25 percent of all utility
payments to the city--which means that there are about 30,000 fewer
envelopes that need to be opened and payments that need to be manually
processed by city workers each year. "As more and more homes come into the
city, rather than needing to hire more staff every few years to process
payments, being able to process payment electronically allows us to keep
our staffing level even," Reynolds said.
( Click here for website )
Toxic Algae Levels Feared in Lower Charles
River
Boston Globe (08/16/06) ; Daley, Beth
According to Charles River Watershed Association water-quality
scientist Anna Eleria, algae growth in the lower Charles River in Boston
has grown exponentially and the blooms are toxic to animals and humans
alike. State health and environmental officials have warned boaters and
dog owners to steer clear of the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge and Museum of
Science sections of the river, and Community Boating Inc. has suspended all
kayaking, windsurfing, and sailing until the problem is remedied. No
reports of ailments or sickness have come in since the algae was first
sited, but officials have received numerous inquiries into the matter.
Environmental officials are continuing to test the microcystis to determine
whether the algae is indeed secreting toxins, but the bloom is above World
Health Organization standards, which are set at 100,000 cells per
milliliter of water. The first tests revealed one million cells per
milliliter, but recent tests from different areas have yielded between
200,000 and 600,000 cells per milliliter of water. Some researchers have
indicated that algae blooms are becoming a global issue and that the bloom
in the Charles River is unlikely to dissipate until Autumn, when
temperatures are cooler.
( Click here for website - May Require Free Registration)
Focus on Water for Major Upcoming Public Works
Project in County
San Diego Daily Transcript (08/31/06) ; Pisor, Erik
San Diego, Calif.'s residential construction industry has slowed
down slightly in comparison to 2005, but nevertheless many regional water
agencies have numerous plans going forward. The Otay Water District has at
minimum $30 million in capital improvement plans for the next few years.
The Water District plans to install a pipeline from El Cajon to Rancho San
Diego using 30-inch pipe, which should cost above $20 million.
Construction should commence in 2007 once designs are finalized and is open
to bids. San Diego County's Water Authority has numerous projects in the
pipeline, including a $30 million project at the San Vicente Surge Control
Facility, as well as construction of the San Vicente Pump Station. The
Mission Trails Flow Regulatory Structure II and Pipeline Tunnel may be the
San Diego area's most expensive near-future undertaking. This $42 million
project includes building a buried 18-million gallon concrete tank, 96-inch
diameter piping, a 6,000-foot pipeline tunnel, and water-treatment
facilities.
( Click here for website )
Pay Dirt
Economist (09/02/06) Vol. 380, No. 8493, P. 64
Over the past five years, a team of researchers and economists with
the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research has been
mulling the question of whether the world will have sufficient water to
grow corps in the future. The team has concluded there will be enough
water if the appropriate projects are invested in. Initial results from
the team's "Comprehensive Assessment" indicate that small projects can
yield significant returns, including pumps to extract groundwater and
implementing rain-fed rather than irrigated agriculture. Rain-fed farming
can be facilitated through such simple structures as channels to gather and
direct rainfall as well as sealed reservoirs and tanks to store water. The
report predicts that if such approaches are adopted widely, crop yields
could be boosted by two-fold. However, most government and benefactors
tend to support large but ineffective irrigation programs, leaving roughly
2 billion people today without adequate water. The study also notes that
some 900 million people currently live in river basins where humans use
more than 75 percent of the water, severely depleting river flow and water
levels. Another 700 million live in basins that are nearing this "closed"
state, while an additional 1 billion live in proximity to sufficient water
supplies but are too poor to gain access to them.
( Click here for website - May Require Paid Subscription)
Editorial: Differential Drought
Dallas Morning News (09/10/06)
The North Texas Municipal Water District may have to impose water
rationing amid a drought that has sunk lake levels and a lack of
cooperation from residents in efforts to curb water use. Under the
scenario, residents of impacted cities would get a set amount of water for
use, regardless of perceived needs. Contributing to the water shortage has
been haphazard enforcement by cities. In Collin County, for example,
McKinney and Plano have been tough in enforcing restrictions, fining
violators hundreds of dollars and in the process lowering water
consumption. But in Frisco, sprinklers are merely disconnected and the
violator not cited or fined, which has contributed to a rise in water use.
For conservation to be effective, the residents themselves must voluntarily
limit water consumption. A failure to do so could leave them out to dry in
the future.
( Click here for website - May Require Free Registration)
Guest Opinion: Treating Lockwood Sewage Would
Benefit Billings, Too
Billings Gazette (MT) (08/30/06) ; Pecarina, Ron
The decision of the city council of Billings, Mont., to oppose a
proposed contract to treat sewage from nearby Lockwood is a lost
opportunity for both. For Lockwood, a lack of sewage treatment will have a
significant impact on groundwater pollution. The community lacks the
resources to build its own system and was hoping Billings would subsidize
costs in exchange for later payment. Billings' wastewater treatment plant
now operates at about 52 percent capacity. The excess capacity is more
than adequate to handle Lockwood's needs. Opponents of the agreement cited
the subsidy factor as well as suburban sprawl and the risk of chemical
pollutants from Lockwood seeping into Billings' treatment plant.
( Click here for website - May Require Free Registration)
U.S. Water Pipes Need Repair
Environment News Service (09/11/06)
A new report by the National Research Council warns that most of
America's 1 million miles of pipes carrying drinking water will have to be
replaced within the next three decades and urges the EPA to work with
states to establish standardized control programs and plumbing codes. The
report links the country's decaying pipe system to increasing numbers of
waterborne disease outbreaks. "Current regulatory programs have not
removed the potential for outbreaks attributable to distribution
system-related factors," the report said...data on waterborne disease
outbreaks, both microbial and chemical, suggest that distribution systems
remain a source of contamination that has yet to be fully addressed." The
report also calls for routine inspections of water storage facilities as
well as new research into pipe corrosion.
( Click here for website - May Require Free Registration)
Sewage Expansion Not Wasted on City
Fort Wayne News-Sentinel (IN) (09/05/06) ; Leininger, Kevin
Columnist Kevin Leininger discusses the new tunnels project Fort
Wayne, Ind., City Utilities' Construction Support Service is erecting. The
tunnels will be able to transport as much as 120 million gallons of
wastewater a day for treatment as part of the broadening of the sewage
treatment facility in Fort Wayne. When finished in 2008, the project will
raise the current facility's capacity from 60 million gallons per day to 85
million gallons per day. When the Fort Wayne City Council approved the $32
million project last year, it was the biggest agreement in the city's
history, something Leininger considers impressive. The 30-foot excavation
will soon house four concrete tanks, 20 feet each in depth and 140 feet in
diameter. Waste that has previously had grit and debris taken out will be
pumped into these "primary setting tanks," where gravity will split liquid
from solids. Additional parts of the facility then employ bacteria to
weaken the solids and chlorine to clean it. The treated liquid waste is
then sent into the Maumee River, cleaner than the "pure" water removed from
the St. Joseph River and filtered for drinking use. "The foresight of city
leaders assure the plant's ability to protect both the environment and the
economy for years to come," Leininger concludes.
( Click here for website )
Three Governors to Meet by Nov. 30 to Discuss
Water
U.S. Water News (09/01/06)
The governors of Georgia, Florida, and Alabama will soon meet to
resolve a dispute over sharing water from the Chattahoochee River. The
move was requested through a filing in the U.S. District Court of the
Northern District of Alabama by the three states and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, which oversees federal dams on the river. The court filing also
mentioned a dispute between Georgia and Alabama over the
Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin. An initial meeting between Georgia
Gov. Sonny Perdue and Alabama Gov. Bob Riley took place on Aug. 14 in
Columbus, Ga.
( Click here for website )
Las Vegas Water War Goes to the State
Capitol
Water Technology Online (09/11/06)
Debate has begun on a $2 billion plan to transfer 33 billion
gallons of water from rural water wells in Nevada 200 miles away to Las
Vegas, as proposed by the Southern Nevada Water Authority. Opponents claim
the plan could hurt local water supplies, wildlife, farming, ranching, and
growth. The Water Authority is bringing 50 possible witnesses to a hearing
being overseen by Nevada State Engineer Tracy Taylor, who is tasked with
deciding the matter.
( Click here for website )
City Steadfast Against Lawsuits
St. Albans Messenger (VT) (09/01/06) ; Thompson, Leon
St. Albans, Vt., City Attorney Bob Farrar has offered the initial
formal reaction to lawsuits that look into the financial doings of the
city's water and sewer systems, specifically fees and rates billed to
non-St. Albans inhabitants. He suggested that claims of unjust and/or
illegitimate protocols are erroneous. Farrar added he predicts a lengthy
procedure taking place to fix opinion differences and legal problems. In
two individual lawsuits, St. Albans and the Vermont Home Builders and
Remodelers Association contend the city has misused public money within
operations involving the water and sewer facilities. In addition, a group
of Chittenden and Franklin County developers are listed as plaintiffs in
the action, as are town selectmen Mitch montage and Bill Nihon. Farrar
stated that with such a large number of involved parties, challenging the
meaning of hundreds of pages of documents over a 20-year to 30-year period
might mean it will take 18 months to two years before the case proceeds to
trial. The plaintiffs stress, however, that this not the situation, and
question the legitimacy of St. alas' water and sewer fees and rates, how
they are established, and where the revenue they produce is accounted for.
Plaintiffs' attorneys have argued that St. alas' previous and present
practices breach federal and state law, and that for years the city has
kept city property taxes cheap by illegally overcharging St. alas' water
and sewer users, utilized its control of the water facility as a zoning
tool, and ignored decrees of a federal grant that helped finance the water
facility.
( Click here for website )
N.C. to Order More Than 200 Water Systems to Test
for Lead, Copper
U.S. Water News (09/01/06)
North Carolina's Division of Environmental Health will require 217
public water systems in the state to test for lead and copper annually
rather than once every three years, effective immediately. The agency had
sent letters to all 2,650 state water systems requesting data on previous
lead tests, which the 217 water systems failed to respond to. About 400
state water systems ignored the state agency's request for data, but many
already had lead tests scheduled for this summer. The Division of
Environmental Health has only two officials in the Public Water Supply
Section to work on this problem, but new water system permit fees set to go
in effect in January 2007 will increase staffing by an additional 19 new
hires. Under federal requirements, North Carolina must run lead tests on
houses built in the early to mid-1980s, when lead was used in the solder
for copper piping.
( Click here for website )
Wastewater: EPA Putting the Pressure on
Town
Palladium-Item (Ind.) (08/30/06) ; Tharp, Pam
The EPA is putting new pressure on authorities in West College
Corner, Ind., to fix wastewater problems. On Aug. 28, the town council
stated it is not certain the community's proposal to save over $2.2 million
on wastewater upgrades will get an opportunity to be reviewed. During the
last 11 years, the town has run its treatment facility under an agreement
with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management that it would fix
violations at the facility. A 1998 lawsuit with College Corner, Ohio, and
a three-year delay on a federal grant created a great deal of the work's
delay. The council convened on Aug. 29 with M.D. Wessler and Associates
representatives to find out how much it would cost to obtain another
engineering opinion. Seventy-five percent of West College Corner's
inhabitants want a second opinion in addition to the one from Howard Barth
and Associates that proposes a $3 million upgrade project. An engineering
review decision will be made at a meeting on Sept. 5. West College Corner
has been offered a grant of $1.5 million and a four-decade, $1.5-million
loan from Rural Development if it goes ahead with the $3 million
project.
( Click here for website )
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