EPA: Water at Puerto Rico Superfund site is fit for consumption

(CNN)Water drawn from wells at a hazardous waste site in hurricane-hit Puerto Rico meets federal drinking water standards and is fit for consumption, the US Environmental Protection Agency said in a news release on Tuesday.
The water being pulled from wells at the Dorado Groundwater Contamination Site, which is part of the Superfund program for hazardous waste cleanup, meets federal drinking water standards for certain industrial chemicals, as well as for bacteria, Elias Rodriguez, an EPA spokesman, told CNN.
"Sampling at the site has found chemical contamination that is impacting wells used to supply drinking water to the local communities," the agency said at the time.
To the surprise of some people at the EPA, Rodriguez said, some of the wells located on the Superfund site actually were collecting water from an aqueduct system that is not sourced from groundwater at the contaminated site.
The EPA did find between about 1 and 1.5 micrograms per liter of tetrachloroethylene, a chemical linked to risk of cancer, in water sampled from the Santa Rosa well.
More tests are forthcoming, Rodriguez said, but the test results released on Tuesday covered the chemicals of concern at the Superfund site, as well as bacteria that tend to cause illness following hurricanes and floods, he said.
On October 19, CNN published the results of those university water tests, which also found the water to meet safe drinking water standards for certain industrial chemicals.
"I would drink" the water based on those test results, Professor Marc Edwards said at the time.
The wells that do contain a mix of water from wells on the hazardous waste site are located away from an area that is thought to have more-problematic levels of chemical contamination, he said.
That distance is not especially comforting given the karst geology of the area, which allows contaminants to move more rapidly than through some other soil types, said Olson, from NRDC.

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Bottled Water

Is bottled water really better?
It’s Incredibly Expensive On average, bottled water costs three hundred times more than tap water.
Much of the cost comes from manufacturing the bottle itself, which requires 17 million barrels of oil annually – but the costs don’t end with production.
It Has a Considerable Impact on the Environment In addition to the amount of oil used in water bottle production, water bottles face other challenges such as recycling.
Plastic bottles not recycled usually end up in landfills, where they can take up to 450 years to decompose.
Plastic Bottles Are a Health Concern Most companies producing bottled water use polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polycarbonate in the manufacturing process.
In reality, bottled water faces less stringent regulation than tap water in most major cities.
Although both bottled and tap water are tested for bacteria and other contaminants, city tap water requires testing over 100 times a month while bottled water plants need only test once a week.
Available filters can connect to an existing water supply, a refillable pitcher, or even individual reusable bottles for portability.
Properly cleaned and prepared, some containers can safely store water for years.

Parts of northwest Farmington Hills remain under boil water advisory

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – The boil water advisory that affected 12 Oakland County communities was lifted Sunday in all areas except for parts of northwest Farmington Hills.
Farmington Hills north of Interstate 696 is in the clear, but the folks in the subdivisions in that area still cannot drink the water.
After the loss of water pressure near Halsted and 14 Mile Friday night, the Oakland County water resource commissioner ordered a new set of water quality tests.
That pushed back the timeline for lifting the advisory in Northwest Farmington Hills until at least Monday morning.
More than 300,000 people in 11 Oakland County communities were impacted by the boil water advisory.
It was issued last Monday after a 48-inch water main broke on 14 Mile between Farmington and Drake.
That caused a loss of water pressure in the water transmission system.
Families have been boiling their water and buying cases of bottled water.
"I hope we get through it," resident Sam Nagor said.
Copyright 2017 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.

UPDATE: Water tested as schoolchildren fall ill with mystery virus

Tests have been carried out on the water supply at a special school in Blackpool after children there began falling ill. Public health officials say youngsters at Highfurlong School in Blackpool Old Road are ‘likely’ to have contracted a virus such as the highly-contagious norovirus after reporting bouts of sickness and diarrhoea, but said investigations are still underway.
"We have advised the school that it would be sensible to carry out an inspection of the internal plumbing to make sure their system meets the required water fittings standards which are designed to protect water quality," a spokeswoman said.
We have asked the school to report cases of illness to us as part of this investigation to help confirm the cause of the illness."
Public Health England said it received ‘over 40 reports of illness in staff and children over the past few weeks’, but said ‘this isn’t a particularly high number for norovirus’.
Coun Graham Cain, the cabinet member for resilient communities, added: "Obviously, we understand that parents will be concerned.
"With any potential risks to health, it is important that they are investigated fully.
Blackpool Council has been working closely with all the relevant organisations and all precautionary measures have been put in place, such as the provision of bottled water.
"However this will be continually reviewed in the light of any new information.
“The school is now closing for half term and we will use that time to further assess the situation and will provide further updates as they become available.” The special school shares an entrance with Aspire Academy, where pupils are currently on their half-term break, after moving into its new £14m premises in November 2015.
“Any member of staff working in school during the half-term has been advised to use bottled water as a safety precaution.” Public Health England said people with signs of the norovirus, which is easily transmitted and airborne, should stay away from school, work, or university until they have been symptom free for 48 hours.

Lawmakers looking into curbing use of bottled water in state

BOSTON (WWLP) – Last fiscal year, the state spent more than $1 million on bottled water.
A filtered water station was recently installed in the basement of the State House, but many offices currently get their water from large jugs.
A proposed bill would prohibit state funds from being used to purchase bottled water, except when required for safety, health, or emergency situations.
Clint Richmond of the Massachusetts Sierra Club said the state should instead be using that money to increase access to tap water through water fountains or more water stations.
“Because of the transportation costs and the packaging costs, the carbon footprint, just for example, or the energy costs of bottled water, is up to 30 times more than tap water,” Richmond explained.
“As taxpayers, I think we should be thrilled at any opportunity to save as much as a million dollars per year.” If the legislature can’t pass the bill, Richmond is asking the Governor to file an executive order to stop state agencies from buying bottled water.
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A call to curb pricy bottled water at Statehouse

State House News Service BOSTON — The state’s tab for bottled water has his hit nearly $200,000 since July, and advocates are asking lawmakers to turn on the taps instead for savings.
"It makes no sense to purchase and throw away water bottles," Janet Rothrock told the State Administration and Regulatory Oversight Committee.
A one-liter bottle costing $1.50 is 1,850 times as expensive as a liter of tap water.
This is a wasteful use of taxpayer money, and secondly it can be unhealthy.
Bottled water is tested only by the manufacturer, test results are not made public, and water sold within its state of origin is not required to be tested."
A member of the group Concord on Tap, she said the town’s culture has changed since that decision, with more water fountains installed and pitchers of water with paper cups a common sight at municipal meetings.
In 2014, the State Administration Committee killed that session’s version of the bill, filed by former Rep. Tom Sannicandro, by including it in an order for further study.
Richmond told lawmakers Wednesday the move makes sense because the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority provides "some of the best tap water in the country."
Bottled water spending and related equipment rental costs totaled $192,215 from the July 1 start of the fiscal year through Oct. 19, according to the state’s Open Checkbook database.
Only 23 of the 417 National Park Service sites had put the ban into place before it was rescinded.

State urged to stop buying bottled water

“It makes no sense to purchase and throw away water bottles,” Janet Rothrock told the State Administration and Regulatory Oversight Committee.
“A one-liter bottle costing $1.50 is 1,850 times as expensive as a liter of tap water.
This is a wasteful use of taxpayer money, and secondly it can be unhealthy.
Bottled water is tested only by the manufacturer, test results are not made public, and water sold within its state of origin is not required to be tested.” Rothrock is a resident of Concord, which voted in April 2012 to ban the sale of single-serve bottled water.
A member of the group Concord on Tap, she said the town’s culture has changed since that decision, with more water fountains installed and pitchers of water with paper cups a common sight at municipal meetings.
Rothrock and Clint Richmond of the Massachusetts Sierra Club appeared together before the committee this week to ask that its members support Rep. Chris Walsh bill’s (H 3451) to prohibit the use of state dollars to buy bottled water “for use in facilities that are served by public water supplies or potable well water, except when required for safety, health or emergency situations.” The Framingham Democrat’s bill has only a handful of co-sponsors — Democratic Reps. Jonathan Hecht, Paul Heroux, Denise Provost, Jack Lewis and Claire Cronin and Republican Rep. Steven Howitt — and similar efforts have come up short in the past.
In 2014, the State Administration Committee killed that session’s version of the bill, filed by former Rep. Tom Sannicandro, by including it in an order for further study.
Last session, Sannicandro’s bill won the panel’s endorsement but died without making it out of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Richmond told lawmakers Wednesday the move makes sense because the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority provides “some of the best tap water in the country.” Bottled water spending and related equipment rental costs totaled $192,215 from the July 1 start of the fiscal year through Oct. 19, according to the state’s Open Checkbook database.
The National Park Service implemented a policy in 2011 to encourage parks to stop selling disposable water bottles but the service announced in August it would reverse the move, which it said “removed the healthiest beverage choice at a variety of parks while still allowing sales of bottled sweetened drinks.” “While we will continue to encourage the use of free water bottle filling stations as appropriate, ultimately it should be up to our visitors to decide how best to keep themselves and their families hydrated during a visit to a national park, particularly during hot summer visitation periods,” Michael Reynolds, the acting National Park Service director, said in an Aug. 15 statement.

Residents’ Water Issues Reach A Boiling Point

"We cannot use the water out of the tap here," said Stonegate resident Kaitlan Vaughan.
"I’m not really able to bottle feed him because really, the bottles have to be clean and you can’t hand wash them with that water and you can’t put it in the dishwasher with that water," Vaughan said.
Since she doesn’t want to drink it, her family spends a lot of money on bottled water.
"We spend hundreds of dollars on bottled water a month," Powell said.
Powell says they don’t even let their dogs drink it.
"I’m tired of living like this, I shouldn’t have to live like a hurricane’s coming all the time stocking up on water and stuff just in order to survive," Vaughan said.
"Yea, we have seen those pictures and certainly it’s not acceptable," said Robert Yanity with Utilities Inc., the company responsible for Stonegate’s water issues.
Yanity says the problem is the neighborhood’s well water system.
"We are right now investigating a potential interconnection with the city of Columbia’s water system so it’ll eliminate that problem all together," Yanity said.
"Whatever needs to be done, I want it done," Vaughan said.

Water alert lifted in some areas, extended in others

A boil water alert sparked by a water main break affecting 11 Oakland County communities has been extended to the weekend after repair crews discovered a leak, water authorities said Thursday.
The boil water advisory was lifted about 4 p.m. Thursday for the Hills of Oakland and Kings Pointe in Oakland Township, and in Rochester Hills north of Hamlin and west of Livernois, the Great Lakes Water Authority said.
The leak forced authorities to extend the advisory through the weekend, they said.
The break left about 304,970 residents without drinkable water.
The break caused hospitals to delay surgeries for some patients and transfer others to different facilities.
Since Tuesday, more than 40 patients from Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital were transferred to Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit for care.
All other hospitalized patients at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital continue to receive care and the hospital is using bottled water.
“We are doing everything we can to maintain current operations at our facilities impacted by the water main break in Oakland County,” a news release said.
As of Thursday evening, the boil-water advisory remained in some nine communities.
“It’s frustrating to have to keep boiling until Sunday.” Tyler LeFlore said boiling water may be inconvenient, but “it’s for our safety, just in case.” cramirez@detroitnews.com

State urged to pull plug on bottled water purchases

"It makes no sense to purchase and throw away water bottles," Janet Rothrock told the State Administration and Regulatory Oversight Committee.
A one-liter bottle costing $1.50 is 1,850 times as expensive as a liter of tap water.
This is a wasteful use of taxpayer money, and secondly it can be unhealthy.
Bottled water is tested only by the manufacturer, test results are not made public, and water sold within its state of origin is not required to be tested."
A member of the group Concord on Tap, she said the town’s culture has changed since that decision, with more water fountains installed and pitchers of water with paper cups a common sight at municipal meetings.
The Framingham Democrat’s bill has only a handful of cosponsors — Democrat Reps. Jonathan Hecht, Paul Heroux, Denise Provost, Jack Lewis and Claire Cronin and Republican Rep. Steven Howitt — and similar efforts have come up short in the past.
In 2014, the State Administration Committee killed that session’s version of the bill, filed by former Rep. Tom Sannicandro, by including it in an order for further study.
Richmond told lawmakers Wednesday the move makes sense because the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority provides "some of the best tap water in the country."
Bottled water spending and related equipment rental costs totaled $192,215 from the July 1 start of the fiscal year through Oct. 19, according to the state’s Open Checkbook database.
Only 23 of the 417 National Park Service sites had put the ban into place before it was rescinded.