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Archive for the ‘contaminated drinking water’ Category
Chesapeake Energy Company Fined in Drinking Water Contamination
Wednesday, May 25th, 2011In a very notable decision, the Department of Environmental Protection of Pennsylvania has fined the Chesapeake Energy Corp. 1.1 million for contaminating the water supplies of local residents. The state agency said that throughout 2010 it investigated complaints of methane contamination in the drinking water of several residential water wells in northeastern PA. Some of this methane contamination, also referred to virally on the web as “tap water catching on fire”, could be seen in the HBO documentary Gasland, and reaffirms many of the concerns brought about by the film. Upon DEP conclusion it was determined that the drinking water contamination had been caused by natural gas drilling and that “improper well casing and cementing in shallow zones” allowed gas from deep basins to seep into drinking water aquifers.
“The water well contamination fine is the largest single penalty DEP has ever assessed against an oil and gas operator, and the Avella tank fire penalty is the highest we could assess under the Oil and Gas Act,” said Mike Krancer, who heads the state agency. “Our message to drillers and to the public is clear.”
This is a step in the right direction and it seems that the public’s outcry for caution due to water contamination from fracking is being heeded by state officials and more importantly the organization that is designed to protect our environment from careless resource removal.
Chesapeake has stated that they are accepting the fine and are making a concerted effort towards improving the raised issues. This is left to be seen, but they are officially on notice,… as are the other companies that are engaged in the practice of fracking as quickly as possible in this gas-land-grab.
The gas industry’s wobbly position was brought to the forefront of discussion recently when in April a well blow-out during Chesapeake’s well completion operations in Pennsylvania, saw several thousand gallons of drilling fluid escape into local waterways. These sorts of “mishaps” not only threaten to contaminate our own drinking water, but also destroy existence of any animal, fish, and plant life in the affected and surrounding regions.
The Pennsylvania DEP’s decision helps confirm a trend in which individual US states are taking a less lenient stance towards shale gas drilling and its potential health and environmental effects. We’ve seen this in NY as the battle between environmentalists/homeowners and natural gas companies continues to heat up with drilling bans in place. However, concerns over water supply contamination seem to be based on variables other than some would agree with. Currently, there seems to be a thought that contamination is a result of inadequate well casing and cementing. In reality it is the chemical substances used for the fracking that cause the drinking water contamination. This fracking soup of chemicals are known to be very toxic and environmentalists are concerned that the eye may be taken off the ball if the focus is simply on the casing/cementing. Obviously better insulation of these chemicals from the environment is a move in the right direction, but both issues need to be addressed fully.
What’s In Our Drinking Water?
Friday, September 24th, 2010If you live in a city, you probably take your water quality for granted. After all, it is monitored regularly by law. However, this summer I was washing my car and I realized that if I didn’t wipe the windows, the evaporated water would leave white stains on the glass. “If this is pure water, why would it stain the window?” I asked myself. Well, this didn’t mean I had contaminated drinking water, but it motivated me to do some additional research into my what i was drinking. In doing so, I quickly learned that while we consider well and city water to be inherently safe to drink, this many times is far from the case.
It began with me returning to the water quality report that I recently received. Though our city of 64,000 is located on a major river, the city does not get it’s water from that river. Instead fifteen wells provide on average 9.25 million gallons of water per day. They did not state why the water utility does not use river water but I assume that, in the past, it was too easy to contaminate an open source, especially with manufacturing plants located on the banks.
However, just because the water comes from wells does not mean it is ready for use. This can apply to all wells especially since we are seeing a large increase in the amount of underground karsts and aquifers that are being contaminated by humans. The report goes on, “The treatment plant then filters the water to remove iron and manganese before it is pumped into the water distribution system. These minerals are not a health concern and are removed because they can discolor the water and create a slight taste of iron.”
At the treatment plant the water is cleansed of the following:
- Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife
- Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or farming
- Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff, and residential uses
- Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems
- Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
What I learned is that all of these are not atypical of what can be found in well water. Our city not only removes these unwanted chemicals and contaminants, but also makes their own chemical additions to the water; “The water is also chlorinated for disinfection and fluoride is added for dental purposes before it is pumped into the water pipe system.” From there the water goes to water towers for pressure, and then to homes, schools, businesses, and the like.
Two lessons emerge from this study. First, if you are served by a private well, it is wise to have it tested regularly as water quality changes as the surrounding environment changes. The city must have theirs tested for EPA regulated contaminants every year, and larger cities have to run tests on their water daily. Second, even if you live on tested city water, it would be wise to take precaution and filter your drinking water with a high quality purifier like the black berkey, found in all our Berkey water filters. This will guarantee that your water is safe, even if something unhealthy sneaks in unnoticed.
How Do Hurricanes Affect Drinking Water?
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010As we all now, a hurricane is like a giant tornado, with winds circulating around a calm center at 75 mph or more. Yet even though we’ve seen the devastation of a hurricane like Katrina, how many of us are fully prepared? Given we’re well into the hurricane season, there’s no better time to discuss the importance of preparing you and your family for the dangers.
2010 Hurricane Season
The hurricane season starts June 1st and ends November 30th, and again this year (2010) the National Hurricane Center has predicted an above average number of storms in the Atlantic. The first, category 2 hurricane Alex, appeared less than a month after the season began. At the rate of one a month, the Atlantic Ocean will surely reach its predicted quota.
Initial fear that Alex would strike Florida proved unfounded. Instead the hurricane moved across the Gulf and slammed into Mexico, leaving several dead and millions of dollars in damage. That was good news for the United States, but of course bad news for Mexico.
However, it was not all good news for the U.S.. The storm hampered cleanup progress of the BP oil disaster that started on April 20th and there is still serious concern that oil could be blown and stretched out across the Gulf of Mexico and it’s beaches over the next couple months. This would obviously make cleanup much more difficult than it already is.
Hurricane Katrina
The destructive power of a hurricane is in the wind, but also in the amount of water it drops. Katrina, for example, dropped 15 inches of rain in some regions in less than a 24 hour period. An inch of rain drops 65,000 tons of water per square mile, and the average hurricane covers 8000 square miles! That much water inevitably has the potential to be very destructive!
Extreme Weather and Our Drinking Water
Why do weather extremes like this affect drinking water? Hurricane rain is not just unadulterated distilled water. It can often contain chemicals similar to acid rain yet also churn up undrinkable salt water from the ocean that causes corrosive damage. This water essentially has a negative impact on any source of drinking water it touches. This is particularly noticeable in rural areas where high volumes of run-off from fields containing fertilizers and other chemicals can quickly contaminate karsts and private wells.
In more populated ares, polluted floodwater is typically an even bigger concern as it mixes and contaminates the water supplies of municipal water systems. Damage to municipal water pipes is often a part of storm destruction, and this means that safe drinking water is unable to get to homes and individuals on that pipeline for days, weeks, and sometimes months.
Make Sure You Are Prepared
Prepare Yourself and Your Family
Knowing all this, how can one be prepared for a possible hurricane disaster? Of course, some parts of a disaster are unavoidable and they must be endured until the crisis is over. But other foreseeable problems can be a part of the preparation. For example, if you live in a flood plain, or along the coasts where hurricanes (or typhoons on the Pacific coast) may occur, it would be wise to stock up on food, clean water or a water filter, and at least a 2 day responder pack for your family. These are just the basics, but every family should begin with this foundation for preparedness. Do you research as many disaster survival companies have just the sort of supplies you would need.
For water security, we recommend purchasing a gravity fed water filter like the Berkey water filter. These are very efficient in removing virtually anything that may threaten your health such as pathogenic bacteria and chemicals. The berkey filter will provide clean drinking and cooking water you could trust for the duration of the disaster that you experience. There is a peace of mind in knowing that you have water security for you and your family in the event of a potential hurricane disaster.
E. Coli Contamination of Drinking Water
Tuesday, June 15th, 2010E. coli, short for Escherichia coli, is a type of fecal coliform bacteria commonly found in the intestines of animals and humans. If ingested, this bacteria can result in serious sickness and even death. When E. coli contaminates your drinking water, one should either avoid drinking it completely, or render it safe by boiling the water or purifying it with a high quality water filter.
During rainfalls, snow melts, or other types of precipitation, E. coli may be washed into creeks, rivers, streams, lakes, or ground water. When these waters are used as sources of drinking water and the water is not adequately treated, E. coli may be inadvertently ingested.
Most of the hundreds of strains of E. coli are harmless and live in the intestines of healthy humans and animals. However E. coli O157:H7 is an exception; as it produces a powerful toxin. Evidence but not proof of ingestion includes severe bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, or non-bloody diarrhea. Frequently, a fever will not be one of the symptoms.
In 2%-7% of those infected with E. coli O157:H7, the bacterium will also cause hemolytic uremic syndrome. This is evident when the red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys fail. This condition is a life threatening and may require blood transfusions and kidney dialysis as treatments.
Symptoms usually appear within two to four days, but could take longer. With this strain of E. coli, antibiotics should be avoided as they can some exacerbate kidney problems. Recovery within five to ten days usually follows without antibiotics. Any person who has sudden bloody diarrhea should get their stool tested for E. coli O157:H7 immediately. Children under five, the elderly, and those with weak immune systems are the most vulnerable.
You might ask, “Is my drinking water vulnerable to E. coli O157:H7?” Public water is by law constantly monitored for all bacterial contamination. However, those using private sources and wells for water should be cautious, especially when farm animals are present, as these sources typically do not have routine E. Coli monitoring. The addition of chlorine, or treatment of water with ultra-violet light or ozone will kill or inactivate this strain of E. coli.
If you have determined that your drinking water is contaminated, then one of the the safest procedures is to boil your water. In addition, there are high quality water purifiers on the market that will also remove E. Coli. One of these water purifiers is the Berkey water filter. With the ability to remove E. coli bacteria to a log 7 degree, or 99.99999%, the Berkey water filter will render contaminated drinking water safe to drink. Purchasing a Berkey water purifier is a relatively inexpensive way to provide peace of mind for you and your family.
20% of Municipalities Violate Safe Drinking Water Act - NYT Reports
Saturday, December 12th, 2009This week, the New York Times reported on it’s disturbing findings of an investigation into the US municipal water systems that serve millions of Americans. It highlights failures and obvious enforcement gaps in current government regulations that we’ve assumed are protecting our drinking water, including the realization that 20 percent of the nation’s water treatment systems have violated key provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Water Quality (Un)enforcement
The discovery that municipalities fail water quality reports is nothing new, but what’s a little surprising is that the majority of municipalities that received violations were never penalized for their failures in meeting water safety requirements. Many were given a pass under the impression that fining would be counterproductive to cash-strapped municipalities. This has serious ramifications to our public health and needs to be regarded as such.
Contaminants in our Drinking Water
As I’ve written about in earlier articles, this is partly a byproduct of the public’s assumption that our drinking water is safe with no spotlight being placed on the regulators. The American people are coping with many other personal and financial issues, and unless it makes headlines, they are unaware of the continuing destruction of our water sources thanks to human pollution. As the NYT points out, water treatment facilities are struggling with the current identified list of monitored contaminants, but this is only half the story. The cold hard fact is that there exists an inability for private and government organizations to keep pace in identifying and filtering out the swelling number of chemicals that continue to show up in our water supply. As long as we continue to increase our use of chemicals in products and manufacturing, then it’s a safe bet to assume that the chemicals and contaminants found in our water will continue to increase in lockstep.
We Must Improve Our Drinking Water Quality Regulations
In this New York Times report, many of the water contaminants that show links to cancer were the very same contaminants that these towns were found to be in violation of. In one referenced example, “the E.P.A. has reported that more than three million Americans have been exposed since 2005 to drinking water with illegal concentrations of arsenic and radioactive elements, both of which have been linked to cancer at small doses.” As was mentioned in our lead in our drinking water post, schools are far from exempt from this poor water quality problem, as a more recent article by the NYT on Dec 8th covers; Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on EPA School Water Quality We need to continue to increase out awareness of how we affect the water supply through pollution and daily living habits, but we must also be aware that water we had originally assumed was healthy for consumption may require a run through a quality water filter prior to drinking.
