Monday marks day 1,383 that the people in the city of Flint, Mich., have been without safe water in their pipes.
Although experts claim that lead levels are much lower than they were before, residents are still being cautioned to use bottled water or water filters.
As the city’s old pipes are being replaced (thus prolonging the need for bottled water and water filters), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is looking to prevent home plumbing from being contaminated by particulate lead that could be released as contractors work on the city’s service lines, MLive.com reports.
To combat that, the EPA is recommending that contractors shut off water to both the service line and the customer before they begin replacement work.
“Once particulate lead enters the home plumbing, especially if the home plumbing contains galvanized iron pipe, it is difficult to fully flush all of the particulate lead out … and random release of particulate lead into the water can continue long after the (lead service line) and all associated galvanized iron pipe are fully removed,” the EPA recommendation says.
“In addition, given the potential for very high lead release due to physical disturbances, EPA’s Technical Support Team also recommends that (service line) removal crews coordinate with entities distributing filters” to protect homes if there are lead releases, the directive continues.
The EPA has previously warned the city about the risk of increased lead in the drinking water when crews do underground work that could dislodge scale and sediment into water pipes.
The agency also warned against using excavation as a means of verifying the presence of lead service lines because that can also release particulate lead.
Meanwhile, last year, thousands of water service lines were removed and excavated in the city.
City residents are still waiting for the “all clear” sign as far as their water is concerned.

FARMINGTON HILLS (WWJ) – Michigan lawmakers may expand the state’s bottle deposit law to include any beverage packaged in metal, plastic, or glass — with the exception of milk.
This would include bottled water — with the goal to increase recycling in Michigan.
Currently, Michiganders can get 10 cents back per item when they return empty soft drink, beer or carbonated water containers to their local grocery store.
Would this change be something local residents want?
“(It’s) absolutely a good thing…because it would encourage people to drink more water,” said Iva Betts, who was returning cans and bottles at the Kroger store on Middlebelt in Farmington Hills on Monday.
Bingham Farms resident Kim Presley agreed it would be “awesome.” “Because you drink a lot of water and they just go to waste once you get through with them,” she added.
“I’d probably have $100 by now, within two weeks.” On the other side of the argument is Dawn Mitchell, who — while returning cans at Kroger — told WWJ’s Jason Scott the change would be an inconvenience for her.
“It’s gonna hold people up,” Mitchel said.
“It’s going to make the time at the grocery store longer; especially when you want to get in and out, it’s not going to be a guarantee.” This proposal comes after Gov.
The legislation is currently in the committee stage.

Toxins are everywhere.
Between toxins in water and the receptacles from which we drink the water, it’s important to know the facts and make an informed decision about what’s going into your body.
Because you drink water every day, it’s important to bear these things in mind: What’s in the Water?
What’s in the Bottle?
Don’t buy into the falsehood that bottled water is always purer than tap water.
In fact, sometimes the bottled water you pay for IS tap water.
Let’s break them down: Reusable Plastic • Reusable plastic bottles can contain BPA (Bisphenol A) and other toxins.
Any plastic bottle will leach a little, but the main concern is inconclusive research regarding the toxicity of BPAs found in plastic water bottles.
• Stainless steel water bottles can be pricey but they typically last longer than other reusable bottles.
Glass: • Glass bottles do not affect the taste of the water or beverage and they do not leach chemicals.

Anti-bottled water campaigns have trouble competing with corporate bottled water messaging.
The fear of dying drives people to buy bottled water, despite knowing that it may not be good for them or the planet, scientists say.
The study suggests that most bottled-water advertising campaigns target a deep psychological vulnerability in humans, compelling them to buy and consume particular products.
"Bottled water advertisements play on our greatest fears in two important ways," said Stephanie Cote, who conducted the research as a graduate student at the University of Waterloo in Canada.
"Our mortality fears make us want to avoid risks and, for many people, bottled water seems safer somehow, purer or controlled," said Cote.
"There is also a deeper subconscious force at work here, one that caters to our desire for immortality," she said.
The study used social psychology’s Terror Management Theory (TMT) as its framework.
TMT researchers argue that people’s efforts to repress conscious and unconscious fear of death generates specific defences that influence behaviours such as consumption choices, the accumulation of wealth, and status security.
The research team analysed data drawn from the content of bottled water campaigns and advertisements, websites, photographs, and videos that revealed implicit and explicit meanings.
They also examined how anti-bottled water campaigns have trouble competing with corporate bottled water messaging.

Major water leak in Manchester’s Oxford Road Four major hospitals have been forced to cancel operations over a water leak that has reportedly left some patients unable to use toilets or take medication.
Patients have complained of water being unavailable throughout whole hospitals – with medical staff seen being forced to use bottled water to wash their hands.
Parents of young, sick babies say they are especially worried about the risk of infection – with several questioning why there is no back-up plan in place.
A statement from Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust said they are experiencing problems with water supply due to a mains leak off site and are urging people not to attend the affected hospitals, unless it’s urgent.
One patient told the MEN: “They came in around 5pm and told us there was no water so we couldn’t use the toilets or showers.” “They said it was the entire site, not just MRI.
"It seems to be back now but I can’t see how five United Utility tanks are going to keep it going.” A man called Jamie told the MEN he received a message from his partner shortly before 6pm saying there was no water in hospital.
"That means no-one can get a shower, have a drink and lots of other things.
"We will be endeavouring to contact all patients affected this evening.
"We would like to thank all patients and staff for their co-operation at this time."
United Utilities said: "Our teams are still on site working hard to repair the burst water pipe.

Toronto, Feb 4 The fear of dying drives people to buy bottled water, despite knowing that it may not be good for them or the planet, scientists say.
The study suggests that most bottled-water advertising campaigns target a deep psychological vulnerability in humans, compelling them to buy and consume particular products.
"Bottled water advertisements play on our greatest fears in two important ways," said Stephanie Cote, who conducted the research as a graduate student at the University of Waterloo in Canada.
"Our mortality fears make us want to avoid risks and, for many people, bottled water seems safer somehow, purer or controlled," said Cote.
"There is also a deeper subconscious force at work here, one that caters to our desire for immortality," she said.
The study used social psychology’s Terror Management Theory (TMT) as its framework.
TMT researchers argue that people’s efforts to repress conscious and unconscious fear of death generates specific defences that influence behaviours such as consumption choices, the accumulation of wealth, and status security.
The research team analysed data drawn from the content of bottled water campaigns and advertisements, websites, photographs, and videos that revealed implicit and explicit meanings.
They also examined how anti-bottled water campaigns have trouble competing with corporate bottled water messaging.
"Our results demonstrate that corporate campaigns appeal to people who measure their personal value by their physical appearance, fitness levels, material and financial wealth, class, and status," said Sarah Wolfe, a researcher in Waterloo’s Faculty of Environment.

You’ve worked up a sweat, feeling dehydrated like never before, so you reach for your bottle of water, crack the seal and lift the bottle to your lips.
Besides that, the expiration date on bottled water has certain benefits for the manufacturer.
This won’t necessarily make the water toxic, but the taste may be somewhat less than the ‘mountain spring fresh’ the packaging assures you.
If consumers complain that water they bought several years earlier tastes bad, the company can point out that it’s their own fault for not drinking it by the expiration date.
Furthermore, many companies bottle water using the same machines they use to bottle sodas and other beverages which do expire and should carry an expiration date.
Lastly, expiration dates are usually one part of a printed code that also identifies the date, bottling plant, and other information.
Even though the expiration date itself may be meaningless, the manufacturing information could be useful in tracking down contamination, bottling errors or product recall.
Feel free to let us know by commenting on our facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.
Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics.
To receive news links via WhatsApp, send an invite to 061 876 3179 The Southlands Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there?

A German-led research has, in fact, showed that a bottle of water contains around 25,000 different chemicals.
To be clear, the bottles being discussed here are not the reusable plastic water bottles but the PET bottles that most of the people dispose of after drinking the water.
Statistically a majority of the people who drink bottled water, which is around 31 gallons per person, in the United States only do it out of ease and not out of need.
There are many chemicals in bottled water that are usually linked to different health conditions such as hormonal disruptions, endocrine problems, and an increased risk of development of various cancerous tumors.
There is recent evidence that suggests that PET can leach antimony trioxide.
A bottle of water can contain around 10-90 percent antimony after a period of six months in normal temperature.
The latest study conducted by German researchers found that 25,000 different chemicals are present in the bottled water while testing for the effects of the water on androgen and estrogen receptors in the bodies of people who drank it.
In addition, the researchers also looked at the effects of drinking tap water for comparison and found that tap water at least did not trigger any such hormonal activities in the body.
Only thirty percent of these are actually recycled while the rest of them end up in the oceans.
They are convenient and can provide much safer water while also being environmental friendly.

ASPINWALL, Pa. — The water has run dry in Aspinwall, leaving about 600 people scrambling on Thursday.
Borough Manager Melissa O’Malley said there was a leak on 8th Street Thursday morning.
The borough is making sure anyone who needs it has access to bottled water.
We also have bottled water available at our Fire Station No.
The water main breaks are causing an outage that is affecting the upper portion of Aspinwall Borough.
Bottled water stations are set up at the Aspinwall Borough Building in the 200 block of Commercial Avenue, as well as at Fire Station No.
2 at the intersection of Centre Avenue and 12th Street.
Aspinwall: Several water main breaks are causing an outage affecting the borough’s upper portion.
Bottled water stations are set up at Aspinwall Borough Building (217 Commercial Ave.) and Fire Station #2 (Center Ave. & 12th).
Commode flushing water is available at Fire Station #1 — Allegheny County (@Allegheny_Co) February 1, 2018

ASPINWALL, Pa. — The water has run dry in Aspinwall, leaving about 600 people scrambling on Thursday. Borough Manager Melissa O’Malley said there was a leak on 8th Street Thursday morning. She said, “As we were fixing that leak, we ended up having two additional leaks, so we actually turned the water off.” When the water comes back on, people will have to boil water for about 48 hours. The borough is making sure anyone who needs it has…