The loan, approved at Monday’s City Commission meeting, will cover the cost to install a perfluorinated chemical treatment system at the city’s Water Treatment Facility.
Water tested in 2015 showed high levels of dangerous PFOS and PFOA, chemicals once used to make nonstick pans, fire-extinguishing foam and water- and stain-resistant fabrics, said city spokesman Ben Hogarth.
In 2016, the city closed and replaced three of its 24 wells that were contaminating the water supply.
Records show they were along 10th Street east of Palm Beach Road.
Since 2016, the city’s water PFC contamination has remained below federal guidelines of 70 parts per trillion, Hogarth said.
The new treatment system would remove even more PFC contaminants, ahead of any future federal or state mandate to do so.
Firefighting foam The water, which is pumped to 19,000 customers, tested positive for PFOS and PFOA in 2014 and 2015, the first years the EPA tested for them.
But to be safe, Hogarth said, city personnel no longer train with it.
"They knew it was a contaminant and they knew it was harmful and they also knew they could manufacture it without the use of it.” The city is seeking money damages arising from the groundwater contamination and to supply wells, including the $2 million PFC treatment system and related costs.
Maximum safe levels until 2016 PFOS: 200 parts per trillion PFOA: 400 parts per trillion Current maximum safe level: 70 parts per trillion for either chemical or a combination 1 part per trillion: Comparable to 1 square inch in 250 square miles Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, city of Stuart

Checks for radioactive contamination found none on them.
Shortly after 7 p.m. the hose connection apparently failed, leaking water that was potentially contaminated with radioactive and chemical waste onto the floor and spraying the workers.
The water was found to be contaminated with cleaning solutions and chemicals.
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The Liquid Effluent Retention Facility, which stores contaminated water until it can be sent to the nearby Effluent Treatment Facility at Hanford, can hold 23 million gallons of water.
The Effluent Treatment Facility in the center of the site treats high volumes of waste water contaminated with low levels of radioactive and hazardous chemical contaminants.
Two workers were accidentally sprayed with potentially contaminated water Wednesday evening at the Effluent Treatment Facility.
The Effluent Treatment Facility in central Hanford treats up to 28 million gallons of water each year.
Courtesy Department of Energy Hanford tank farm contractor Washington River Protection Solutions has operated the Effluent Treatment Facility since 2015.
Annette Cary; 509-582-1533; @HanfordNews

KARACHI: Justice (retd) Amir Hani Muslim, the newly-appointed head of the judicial commission on water and sanitation in Sindh, carried out on Saturday physical inspection of sewage treatment plants I and II, located in the SITE and Mehmoodabad areas respectively, to determine whether or not they had been made functional in light of the commission’s recommendations as well as the directives of the Supreme Court (SC).
He also found that the KWSB vehicles were in poor condition.
The commission head directed the KWSB authorities to submit a report by tomorrow (Monday) on the rehabilitation work carried out at the plant in question.
Earlier, Justice (retd) Muslim held proceedings of the judicial commission constituted by the SC to investigate the authorities’ failure to provide potable drinking water, improve sanitation and curb its impact on the environment in Sindh.
He asked AG Barrister Zamir Ghumro to submit a report on the current position of the development schemes in the light of the commission’s recommendations and the SC orders within two days.
Justice (retd) Amir Hani Muslim-led commission to start proceedings today The commission inquired from the law officer whether or not the elements responsible for the corruption and delays in water and sanitation schemes had been identified.
He also asked him to explain what long-term and short-term plans the government had made for the purpose.
Justice (retd) Muslim told the secretary to either work or relinquish the post, adding that a report on the conduct of the officers could expose them to serious consequences in the apex court.
The chief secretary was also directed to submit a report, mentioning the short-term and long-term planning to address the water related problems in Karachi and rest of the province.
“I, however, have put to notice that I will be visiting Karachi and rural Sindh in the intervening period to personally inspect the existing schemes,” Justice (retd) Muslim told the officers.

But four years of drought have overtaxed Israel’s unmatched array of desalination and wastewater treatment plants, choking its most fertile regions and catching the government off-guard.
"No one imagined we would face a sequence of arid years like this, because it never happened before," said Uri Schor, spokesman for Israel’s Water Authority.
The Sea of Galilee, technically a lake near the border with Syria, is forecast to hit its lowest level ever before winter rains come, despite the fact that pumping there was massively reduced.
Underground aquifers, the other main freshwater source, are nearing levels that will turn them salty.
How to cope with the crisis is becoming an increasingly touchy subject in Israel.
Proposed cuts to water use for the coming year, more than 50 percent in some areas, prompted vehement opposition from farmers, who already face tough restrictions and would have been the hardest hit.
The government quickly backtracked.
In the Middle East, one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change, water is also the subject of wider tensions.
The commercial sector invested another 7 billion shekels into the construction of five desalination plants.
The lack of reliable waters supply leaves farmers with deep uncertainty.

But four years of drought have overtaxed Israel’s unmatched array of desalination and wastewater treatment plants, choking its most fertile regions and catching the government off-guard.
“No one imagined we would face a sequence of arid years like this, because it never happened before,” said Uri Schor, spokesman for Israel’s Water Authority.
The Sea of Galilee, technically a lake near the border with Syria, is forecast to hit its lowest level ever before winter rains come, despite the fact that pumping there was massively reduced.
Underground aquifers, the other main freshwater source, are nearing levels that will turn them salty.
How to cope with the crisis is becoming an increasingly touchy subject in Israel.
Proposed cuts to water use for the coming year, more than 50 percent in some areas, prompted vehement opposition from farmers, who already face tough restrictions and would have been the hardest hit.
The government quickly backtracked.
In the Middle East, one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change, water is also the subject of wider tensions.
The commercial sector invested another 7 billion shekels into the construction of five desalination plants.
The lack of reliable waters supply leaves farmers with deep uncertainty.

Nearly 30 million hectares of cropland worldwide is likely to be irrigated with untreated wastewater – 50% more than previously estimated, a study reveals.
Vital infrastructure, including wastewater treatment plants, is failing to keep pace with population growth; more than 80% of wastewater produced globally enters the environment without treatment.
For farmers, although it is dangerous, untreated wastewater also has benefits. It provides a reliable source of water for irrigating crops, and it has a higher concentration of nutrients than other water sources.
Many of those crops are consumed as street food by around 800,000 people, but studies have shown that the crops are often teeming with E. coli bacteria. So, what is the global extent of this problem?
In addition, the scientists assessed indirect or de facto wastewater use, where wastewater enters rivers and streams and is used downstream.
The study, published in Environmental Research Letters (ERL), found that 65% of all irrigated croplands within 40 km downstream from urban areas – amounting to more than 35 million hectares – were in catchments with high levels of dependence on urban wastewater flows.
Thebo and her colleagues estimate that worldwide some 885 million urban residents are exposed to serious health risks as a result of routine irrigation with highly polluted water.
"To feed the growing population, wastewater irrigation is going to play an important role, but we need to improve safety," said Drechsel.

At least 3,000 million litres of untreated sewage and industrial effluents flow into rivers, water bodies or percolates into the ground in Maharashtra every day, according to a central government report.
The report by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), based on Central Pollution Control Board findings, accessed by HT, revealed the country generates 61,948 million litres of sewage a day (MLD), against a treatment capacity of 23,277 MLD.
In comparison, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) supplies 3,750 MLD water every day to Mumbai against a demand of 4,505 million litres a day.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that proper and safe sewage disposal is essential because 80% of diseases in India are caused by water-borne pathogens. In addition to health problems, inadequate sewage disposal causes severe environmental degradation.
HT had reported on August 18 that the Supreme Court (SC) rapped the state government for allowing the Ulhas and Waldhuni rivers to degrade.
Close to Rs 2,100 crore has already been released to various state governments under NRCP and the treatment capacity was increased to 2,500 MLD in mid-2017,” the official said.
The state pollution control board has already issued directions to all municipal corporations that 25% of their annual budget will be earmarked for sewage treatment facilities.
According to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), 65% of the sewage in the state is being treated and the remaining is not being tackled and harming the environment.
MPCB said 27 municipal corporations in the state were responsible for 86% of sewage.

Adopting a multi-pronged strategy to tackle river pollution in Maharashtra, the state government, while pledging to make higher budgetary allocations, has decided to preserve and rejuvenate the state’s rivers by enforcing stringent laws to prevent dumping of untreated solid waste and undertaking a plantation drive.
Guidelines are being reworked on putting a cap on construction activities along river fronts and following stringent norms.
Desilting of rivers that have shrunk has also been included in the plans.
A senior secretary said: “Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is keen on pushing a wholistic policy involving the Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Water Resources and Ministry of Finance.
The state government believes that tackling river pollution cannot be confined to a handful of rivers.
Instead, they should launch the project across all the rivers in Maharashtra.” While at the Centre, the focus is on Ganga cleaning, the state government’s approach is to tackle pollution in all the 302 rivers across 36 districts.
Therefore, we have to make sewage treatment mandatory.
Untreated solid waste cannot be allowed to flow into the rivers.” The water resources proposal under consideration suggests the recycling of water for agriculture and treatment of water by local bodies before allowing it to flow into rivers.
However, the state government’s foremost concern is to make sewage treatment commercially viable.
Water expert Madhav Chitale advocated greater participation of local bodies and villages in the river rejuvenation mission.

IE expo Guangzhou 2017 to Open in September, Bringing Latest Technologies and More Opportunities to Southeast Asia’s Environmental Market.
SHANGHAI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–IE expo Guangzhou 2017, South China’s leading environmental technology expo for water, waste, air and soil, will open on September 20-22 at China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, China.
Presented by IE expo and Guangdong Association of Environmental Protection Industry, IE expo Guangzhou was admitted as a formal member of IFAT in 2016 and is committed to building a trade platform with high quality and professionalism in the environment sector targeting South China and Southeastern Asia markets.
IE expo Guangzhou 2017, an environmental technology expo for water, waste, air and soil, will open in September.
Tweet this This year, with an exhibition area of 30,000m2, it is expected to attract over 30,000 professional purchasers and 450 exhibitors displaying products and technologies in 15 categories including water & sewage treatment, water distribution & sewers, sponge city technologies & products, waterbody protection, refuse management & recycling, air purification & cleaning, noise reduction & sound insulation, soil & groundwater remediation, etc.
In addition, the Innovation Technology Conference, which comprises the main forum and multiple summits and seminars focusing on various issues like South China Water Pollution Prevention & Control, Guangdong Key Industries Volatile Organic Compound (VOCs) Control & Monitoring Technology, Environmental Sanitation Development, Environmental Investment & Financing Innovation Policy, etc.
will also be held to discuss a wide range of topics and share insights on the latest development and trend in the environment sector.
In particular, three business matchmaking meetings and an international B2B meeting will be arranged to attract delegations from Southeast Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Africa.
Promoted by overseas governmental organizations such as Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, International Trade and investment Office, British Columbia provincial government, and New Zealand Business Consulate, a multitude of enterprises from Korea, Macau, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Belgium as well as Taiwan have made IE expo Guangzhou 2017 their springboard to South China market.
For more information, visit http://guangzhou.ie-expo.com/

The Indian government’s policy of using treated sewage water to run operations in coal-fired power plants is not economically viable and will do little to resolve conflicts over water use An ambitious plan to reduce the dependence of India’s coal-fired power plants on freshwater has stalled in its starting blocks.
The policy for some plants to use treated sewage water, introduced last year, is impractical and economically non-viable, according to a recent report by Greenpeace India.
The report also states that less than 11% of India’s total treated sewage water can be used by thermal power plants.
Some 3.5 litres of water are needed to produce one unit of energy and across India, coal power plants use an estimated 4.6 billion cubic metres of freshwater per year, enough to meet the basic needs of 250 million people.
But sewage treatment facilities are mostly built in urban areas, away from power plants.
The use of sewage to meet coal power plants’ cooling needs will not resolve the conflict over water between thermal power plants and farmers and urban communities, Greenpeace said.
In addition to the billions needed to invest in treatment facility infrastructure, the report claims that coal plants that can viably use wastewater will see water costs soar by at least 300% — a financial burden that would be passed on to customers.
In March 2016, the 1,700 MW Raichur thermal power station in the Krishna River basin was closed for several days due to water shortages.
The effect of low water levels in March last year was also dramatically driven home when National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), India’s largest power generation company, completely halted production at its 2,100 MW Farakka plant in the eastern state of West Bengal.
See: Low water reserves spell trouble for India Switching from freshwater to treated sewage water will not reduce the impact of coal power plants on India’s water scarcity, the environmental lobby group said.