The company in charge of decommissioning a nuclear power plant in Genoa says it has found the source of radioactive groundwater discovered last year and that the contamination did not affect drinking water or the nearby Mississippi River.
LaCrosseSolutions, a subsidiary of the nuclear waste disposal company EnergySolutions, in March reported elevated levels of tritium in a monitoring well at Dairyland Power Cooperative’s La Crosse Boiling Water Reactor (LACBWR), the state’s first nuclear power plant to undergo decommissioning.
Records show that tritium levels spiked in December 2017 in water samples taken about 25 feet below the ground.
A sample from Feb. 1 registered 24,200 picocuries per liter, just below the Environmental Protection Agency’s limit for drinking water.
According to a report filed earlier this month with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the environmental consulting firm Haley & Aldrich traced the contamination to an exhaust vent installed in the former reactor building as part of the demolition.
The vent was just above a pit of stormwater and melted snow.
EnergySolutions spokesman Mark Walker said tritium was released into the air inside the reactor building as concrete was broken into smaller pieces.
A radioactive isotope of hydrogen, tritium bonds with airborne water molecules.
According to the report, water vapor from inside the plant condensed as it reached the outside air and combined with the runoff, which found its way into a shallow aquifer.
+3 Dairyland contracted with EnergySolutions in 2016 to remove the remaining buildings and transferred the site license to the Salt Lake City-based company, which used a similar license arrangement in decommissioning the Zion Nuclear Power Station near Chicago.

Coal ash repositories at 22 operating and defunct coal plants in Illinois have contaminated groundwater and water bodies with toxic heavy metals and other elements at rates higher than legal limits, in some cases exponentially so, according to a new analysis by four environmental groups.
The environmental groups compared the levels of metals reported in groundwater to Environmental Protection Agency safe drinking water standards and other federal health standards.
But other coal ash impoundments are in populated areas where people rely on wells, like Joliet southwest of Chicago.
Under the federal rules the groundwater monitoring results could trigger required cleanups by the companies.
Environmental groups are calling on the state of Illinois to complete state coal ash storage rules that have been in the works since 2013 but not finalized.
Contamination across the state High levels of metals were found in groundwater near plants including NRG’s operating Waukegan plant on the shore of Lake Michigan north of Chicago; Vistra/Dynegy’s closed Hennepin plant just downstream on the Illinois River from popular Starved Rock State Park; Vistra/Dynegy’s closed Vermilion plant on the Vermilion River in central Illinois, the state’s only federally designated wild and scenic river; and NRG’s Lincoln Stone Quarry about 40 miles southwest of Chicago.
The environmental groups are especially worried about the pollution since companies plan to permanently close a number of the coal ash impoundments, and the groups worry that current federal and state rules do not do enough to ensure adequate monitoring and remediation in the future.
It’s operated under strict permit limits and the oversight of the Illinois EPA, and no groundwater associated with the quarry affects any sources of drinking water.” Environmental advocates have long questioned whether monitoring requirements were adequate, and say the new reporting requirements of federal coal ash rules help them keep better watch on the situation.
The report by environmental groups criticizes the way the rules monitor whether a coal ash impoundment has caused contamination.
But the environmental groups complain that the upgradient sites considered as background or control data are in some cases too close to the plant and could also be contaminated from coal ash dumped in the past.

A study showing a link between nitrate levels in drinking water and rates of bowel cancer should concern people living in areas of New Zealand where nitrates are high, write Mike Joy and Michael Baker.
Last year, a Danish study reported a link between nitrate in drinking water and the risk of developing colorectal (bowel) cancer.
This finding could have important implications for New Zealanders.
Recent data show also that drinking water supplies in some parts of New Zealand have nitrate levels more than three times higher than the threshold level for colorectal cancer risk identified in the Danish study.
This study and other research raise an important question about the contribution nitrate exposure through drinking water may be making to New Zealand’s high rates of bowel cancer.
It included 2.7 million people over 23 years and monitored their individual nitrate exposure levels and colorectal cancer rates.
The research found a statistically significant increase in colorectal cancer risk at 0.87ppm (parts per million) of nitrate-nitrogen in drinking water.
One key implication is that the current nitrate standard for drinking water used in most countries, including New Zealand, is probably too high.
The findings are consistent with data from the regional council Environment Canterbury.
In conclusion, surface water in many parts of New Zealand is highly contaminated with nitrates as a result of intensified farming.

A study showing a link between nitrate levels in drinking water and rates of bowel cancer should concern people living in areas of New Zealand where nitrates are high, write Mike Joy and Michael Baker.
Last year, a Danish study reported a link between nitrate in drinking water and the risk of developing colorectal (bowel) cancer.
This finding could have important implications for New Zealanders.
Recent data show also that drinking water supplies in some parts of New Zealand have nitrate levels more than three times higher than the threshold level for colorectal cancer risk identified in the Danish study.
This study and other research raise an important question about the contribution nitrate exposure through drinking water may be making to New Zealand’s high rates of bowel cancer.
It included 2.7 million people over 23 years and monitored their individual nitrate exposure levels and colorectal cancer rates.
The research found a statistically significant increase in colorectal cancer risk at 0.87ppm (parts per million) of nitrate-nitrogen in drinking water.
One key implication is that the current nitrate standard for drinking water used in most countries, including New Zealand, is probably too high.
The findings are consistent with data from the regional council Environment Canterbury.
In conclusion, surface water in many parts of New Zealand is highly contaminated with nitrates as a result of intensified farming.

(CNN)Two lawsuits have been filed on behalf of residents of Denmark, South Carolina, where a CNN investigation revealed that a chemical was being added to the water supply for 10 years without EPA approval.
One of the lawsuits seeks to have water bills reimbursed for that time period and alleges that the local government had no right to make people pay for water that was not potable.
Both suits are class-action complaints, meaning they potentially represent all of the nearly 3,000 residents of Denmark.
Bakari Sellers is an attorney who filed one of the suits on behalf of residents.
The suit filed on behalf of three named Denmark residents, representing the class, alleges that "Plaintiffs were damaged by Defendant’s conduct as Plaintiffs purchased and consumed water that included a chemical that was not approved by the EPA and was not determined to be safe to people or the environment."
The mayor of Denmark, Gerald Wright, told CNN that he did not have a statement at this time regarding the two lawsuits.
A spokesman for the Department of Health and Environmental Control told CNN it would be inappropriate to comment on pending litigation but previously told CNN that it believed HaloSan was safe for drinking water based on the way its manufacturer "advertised" the chemical.
"The Berry Systems HaloSan treatment unit had been advertised as an effective treatment in the control of iron bacteria and was certified," said Tommy Crosby, director of media relations for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Residents like Paula Brown and Eugene Smith have been collecting water samples for years, suspicious of the quality.
The second lawsuit, brought by attorney John Harrell, was filed against the City of Denmark, along with Denmark’s Public Water System.

Tony Evers pledged to clean up Wisconsin’s drinking water in his State of the State address, promising to work to replace lead pipes across the state and improve well water quality during what he dubbed the year of clean drinking water.
Meanwhile, at least 176,000 Wisconsin homes and businesses get water through lead service lines.
The state Department of Natural Resources adopted contentious restrictions on manure spreading in 15 eastern Wisconsin counties, including Kewaunee, last year.
Rob Cowles last year that allows public utilities to provide grants and loans to customers to replace lead pipes.
The new Democratic governor called 2019 the year of clean drinking water in his State of the State speech Tuesday .
Novak said he was glad Evers mentioned water pollution in his speech but he doesn’t know what to expect since Evers was short on specifics.
He said Vos’ task force will watch what the governor does.
Cowles said in an email that he was happy Evers and Vos want to work on cleaning up drinking water.
Wisconsin has never had a governor that made removing lead pipes a priority, she said.
Clean Wisconsin lobbyist Amber Meyer Smith said her group is excited to see Evers emphasize lead pipes and hopes that declaration will focus attention on all water pollution problems.

MADIKERI: Even before the onset of summer, Madikeri, which suffered a deluge just five months ago, is now facing acute scarcity of drinking water.
Locals complain that the City Muncipal Council is supplying grimy drinking water once a week.
“It has been five days since we received water supply from the CMC.
If this is the situation now, what are we to do in summer?” questioned Sandhya, a resident.
Meanwhile, Madikeri CMC officials visited the Kunda Mestri water supply unit near Galibeedu only to find out that it was not properly maintained.
The temporary dam built with sand bags had washed off and no was water being stored so far, which has worsened the situation in the city.
“We have asked officials to repair the water storage unit immediately.
The flow of water has changed direction after the natural calamity, resulting in water shortage,” said officials.
She added that the entire district may face water scarcity.

Bringing additional sources for quality drinking water into the Johnson Utilities water system in San Tan Valley is a top priority for interim manager, Epcor.
One of the sources available is the SanTan Well #1 which Epcor is currently working to bring online.
SanTan Well #1 is an existing, but currently unused, resource in the Johnson Utilities system.
It is a source of quality water that can be made operational relatively quickly, and Epcor is moving forward with the access agreements and other tasks needed to bring this well online.
The first part of the process is to test the water in the well to make sure it meets drinking water requirements.
Epcor’s team started that work along Hunt Highway, Monday, January 21.
Testing the pump requires releasing some water into an adjacent greenbelt/stormwater retention area.
If the tests go well, Epcor will start preparing to bring the well online and serving the community by March as water usage starts to pick up again for the summer.
Sponsored

To address the rising water shortage in the North East and other Nigerian communities, some organisations have moved to provide them with safe drinking water.
The EnvironFocus in partnership with interested individuals, NGOs, charities and businesses are providing lifeStraw filters, which convert contaminated water into clean, safe drinking water to the communities.
The easy-to-use filters are vital tools for some of the 780 million people who don’t have ready access to safe drinking water.
The product was manufactured by Vestergaard.
Founder and Principal Consultant at EnvironFocus Incorporated, Mrs. Obie Agusiegbe said the Safe Drinking Water Project provides an avenue for individuals and organizations wanting to assist a poor Nigerian school, village, orphanage, Internally Displaced People (IDP) camp, health centres etc.
with access to safe and clean drinking water free of pathogenic micro-organisms that cause waterborne diseases.
According to UNICEF Nigeria, Nigeria has made substantial progress in developing policies and strategies for water supply and sanitation service delivery, but faces major challenges in translating these into action.
For instance, safe drinking water is difficult to attain without proper sanitation with 47 million people practicing open defecation (OD).But Agusiegbe said the launch will address the problem of water scarcity as an estimated 124,000 children under the age of five die every year because of diarrhea, mainly due to unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene.Lack of adequate water and sanitation, she said, are also major causes of other diseases, including respiratory infection and under-nutrition.
According to her, the recent extreme flooding event that took place in Nigeria in 2018 resulting from heavy rainfall, exacerbated by climate change, left over 18,000 men, women and children displaced from their homes and living in the camps in Anambra state alone exacerbating the need for safe drinking water.She also stressed that with the rising conflict caused primarily by Boko Haram in the North East, nearly 1.4 million children are at imminent risk of death this year.
“There are about 1.4 million men, women and children living in Internally Displaced Peoples camps in Borno State alone that lack safe drinking water.“There is an ongoing cholera outbreak that has not been eliminated and there are huge cases of Acute Watery Diarrhoea that are being reported every day due to lack of safe drinking water”, she added.

Most environmental violations uncovered by China’s top environmental watchdog last year in bodies of water that supply drinking water and most discolored and foul-smelling water bodies it found in key cities have been addressed, the watchdog said.
Inspectors discovered 6,251 violations during two rounds of inspections involving 1,586 bodies of water in the 11 provinces and municipalities along the Yangtze River Economic Belt and many more around China in May and September.
He also said 95 percent of the 1,009 discolored and foul-smelling water bodies environmental officers found in 36 key cities have been cleaned.
"Defending clean waters" is a primary task for 2019, Li said, adding that a more comprehensive campaign, including an environmental protection and remediation project for the Yangtze River, pollution controls in Bohai Sea and for agricultural water pollution are needed.
According to the ministry, the quality of surface water in China markedly improved last year.
Monitoring at 1,940 sites found 71 percent of water at or above Grade III, the third-highest in the country’s five-tier water quality system, up by 3.1 percentage points.
Bodies of water listed below Grade V, the poorest quality, dropped by 1.6 percentage points to 6.7 percent.
In addition to protecting the water ecosystem, the ministry will devote more efforts to enhancing the governance of the increasing amount of solid waste in the country while continuing to reduce trash imports, Li said.
Trash imports fell by 46.5 percent year-on-year in 2018, Li said, adding that both the types and amounts of waste imports will be further reduced.
The ministry has been cracking down on illegal transfer and dumping of solid waste and hazardous waste, and 99.7 percent of 1,304 such violations the ministry found in 2018 have been rectified, Li said.