Summary for Wednesday April 7

According to the taste test from Monday… Well water was the “least favorite” and water from the fountain water in the science center was the “favorite”.

Today in lecture, we discussed filtration processes behind different tap water sources, possible contaminants in water and how these contaminants are regulated. Drink wisely.

New York City has the largest drinking-water system in the country, providing NYC with the “most delectable water in the civilized world” from its upstate surface water reservoirs. The EPA doesn’t even require NYC to filter their water because it of such good quality and the watershed is so well protected. NYC has over 2,000 sq. mi. of watersheds, 19 reservoirs, 3 controlled lakes and 965 monitoring stations, which are checked 7 days/week for: microorganisms, harmful chemicals.

Kansas City receives water from the end of a river system, with no control over watershed—resulting in “chocolate Yoo-Hoo” water. Yet, Kansas City does a really great job cleaning its water:

1. Add Ferric Sulfate and a cationic polymer (neutralizes sediment electrical charge)

2. Add Potassium Permanganate (counteract bad tastes and smells)

3. Add Chloramine (soften water, raise pH)

4. Softening basin where organics and chemicals combine to form “floaties” of viruses and bacteria

5. CO₂ added to absorb Atrazine (harmful contaminant common in KC water)

6. Add Fluoride and send to filter gallery for distribution

Water can be contaminated with atrazine and excess nutrients from fertilizers used for farming. The production of ethanol can result in water with high sulfide, chloride, and iron concentrations. Also, arsenic and perchlorate have become growing threats to safe American drinking water. According to the Environmental Working Group, other unregulated contaminants found in tap water from 42 states do not have safety standards, but have known health effects.

Domestic plumbing issues include: outdated infrastructure (lead solders) and the accumulation of biofilms in water storage tanks, resulting in bacterial colonies.
Public plumbing issues include: 250,000- 300,000 water mains break per year, flooding can contaminate water systems and giant sinkholes from antiquated cast-iron mains.

Bottled water is popular. In 2006, Americans bought nearly $11 billion worth of bottled water, but as sales grow, so does the criticism of bottled water. 17 million barrels of oil per year are used to make US water bottles, which is equivalent to fuel 1.3 million cars for a year. In 2007, Poland Springs alone burned almost a million gallons of diesel fuel. If you add in the transport of 1 billion bottles per week and the energy needed to fill, chill, and dispose—the whole process is equivalent to filling each bottle produced ¼ full of oil.

The EPA monitors tap water:

-Allows certain levels of contaminants
-Required annual reports informing of contaminant presence
-Disinfects and tests for cryptogiardia and viruses
-Tests tap water constantly throughout the year, reports results

The FDA monitors bottled water:

-Allows same levels of contaminants
-Not required disclose contaminant information
-Do not need to test for cryptogiardia and viruses because it comes from “clean” sources
-Bottling plants self-test and can be inspected as rarely as once every 5-10 years

Third Option: Filtered water. Water filters contain charcoal and reduce certain chemicals (chlorine, lead), but do not remove pharmaceuticals or perchlorate. The disposal process of filters can be harmful to the environment because most people don’t return them to filtering companies to be recycled, so filters end up in landfills.

Bottled water is not all bad? The International Bottled Water Association argues that water is a healthy alternative to soda and juice and that bottled water uses just 0.02% of world’s groundwater. Bottled water is also an “Emergency Card” because when tap water isn’t an option, bottled water is the safest fallback.

Reading Assignments for today were:
China is facing widespread water pollution due to industrialization, economic growth, urbanization, and inadequate investment in water infrastructure. Only 5% of municipal wastewater and 17% of industrial discharge is treated, meaning 700 million people are drinking contaminated water.

Charleston, WV has severely contaminated tap water. About 1 in 10 Americans have been exposed to dangerously contaminated drinking water, but less than 3% of water violations are actually punished.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/13water.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2

Slides shown in lecture today are available as a .pdf on Sakai.

The my maps page has been updated with the locations mentioned in today's lecture.

For our final reading assignment of the term , please read 'How Bad For The Environment Can Throwing Away One Plastic Bottle Be?' 30 Million People Wonder and EPA Didn't Know Anybody Was Still Drinking Water, both from The Onion. If you are unfamiliar with The Onion, ask one of your classmates about it...