Landmark Legislation
Water Engineering & Management
February 2003
Bill Swichtenberg
With a mandate for a more effective way to protect and clean the nations water resources, the federal government responded with the 1972 passage of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments, better known as the Clean Water Act (CWA). In 1974, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) created the first mandatory national program to protect public health through drinking water safety. Despite litigation and controversy throughout their existence, the CWA and SDWA were groundbreaking and remain a centerpiece for U.S. environmental policy.
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Approaching Storm: NPDES Phase II Stormwater Rule Deadline Nears
Water Engineering & Management
September 2002
David Woelkers
In December of 1999, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Stormwater rule in the Federal Register. The issuance of the rule started a clock that has had municipalities, and stormwater professionals working to understand and evaluate its implications.
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Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems
Water Quality Products
September 2002
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Water Quality Association
The following is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Special Issues Fact Sheet on Water Softeners. This document supports the WQA's position on softener wastes and the fact that they are not harmful to septic systems.
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Monitoring Drinking Water Regulation Updates
Water Quality Products
August 2002
Carlyn Meyer, Water Quality Association
The Water Quality Association (WQA) and the point-of-use/point-of-entry (POU/POE) industry as a whole face the usual list of federal and state regulatory challenges in 2002-2003.
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Evaluating Activated Carbons
Water Quality Products
June 2002
Henry Nowicki, Ph.D., Mick Greenbank, Ph.D. and Homer Yute, M.S., PACS
New
challenges are emerging in the industry that require new methods and product
developments. This article discusses additional test methods for the AC
industry.
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Arsenic in Drinking Water - Part 4
Water Engineering & Management
June 2002
John T. O’Connor, EngD, P.E.
Editor’s Note: Part 1 of this series provided a timeline for the development of a drinking water standard for arsenic. It also summarized the political and public reactions to the U.S. EPA decision to delay and withdraw the arsenic rule.
Part 2 dealt with human exposure and advances in knowledge concerning human health effects of exposure to arsenic.
Part 3 summarized early data on the occurrence of arsenic in U.S. waters.
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Arsenic in Drinking Water - Part 3
Water Engineering & Management
May 2002
John T. O’Connor, EngD, P.E.
Only recently has a substantial amount of data become available on the concentrations of arsenic in United States drinking water supplies. Most of these data have been accumulated by the state regulatory agencies responsible for monitoring drinking waters. Since the arsenic standard has been 50 µg/L, some state agencies have recorded arsenic concentrations only in excess of that concentration. Others have been limited by the sensitivity of the analytical techniques and equipment used for the arsenic analysis. As a result, much of the available arsenic data are “below the limits of detection.
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Arsenic in Drinking Water - Part 2
Water Engineering & Management
March 2002
John T. O’Connor, EngD, P.E.
On-going health effects studies and research reports (2001) appear to support the argument for lowering the current EPA drinking water standard for arsenic. Studies conducted by EPA, the University of North Carolina and the University of British Columbia have indicated that methylated metabolites of trivalent arsenic are genotoxic. In other words, they damage DNA in human cells.
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POU Options for Arsenic
Water Quality Products
November 2001
The topic of arsenic has received a lot of press coverage this year, ever since the Bush administration halted the EPA’s newly issued maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 parts per billion (ppb). Since then, the MCL was reinstated back to 50 ppb and further discussions and studies have continued. This article will discuss some of these updates.
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Judicial Equities Override Filtration Requirement
Water Engineering & Management
October 2001
Dan Kucera
A recent federal court decision may have created an opportunity for relief from United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules that impose costs that substantially exceed benefits.
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Testing Bottled Water
Water Quality Products
September 2001
Barbara L. Marteney and Kristin Safran, National Testing Laboratories
One of the most important (and sometimes the most complex) area of the bottled water business is compliance with federal, state and industry regulations. As the EPA continues to evaluate contaminants in drinking water for regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the FDA must review these regulations for their suitability for bottled water.
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Water Tests Protect Customers from Guilty Parties
Water Quality Products
September 2001
Wendi Hope King, WQP Staff
Despite the regulations set for treatment plants, the general public will find itself focusing on the negative and seeking additional treatment from our industry. This spells opportunity for water treatment dealers to illustrate how their services can benefit the public.
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Volatile Organic Chemicals in Drinking Water
Water Quality Products
March 2001
Marianne R. Metzger and Tami E. Castelli, National Testing Laboratories, Ltd.
When addressing water treatment needs, the average person usually wants to remedy his water of items that cause laundry stains, unpleasant "egg-like" or musty odors and buildup on pipes and fixtures. While the contaminants that cause these problems certainly present legitimate reasons for treatment, it is the "silent" contaminants in our drinking water that cause the most problems with everyday health.
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Oxidizing Arsenic III to Arsenic V for Better Removal
Water Quality Products
March 2001
Dr. Dennis Clifford and Ganesh Ghurye, University of Houston
On June 22, 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed lowering the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for arsenic from 50 down to 5 micrograms/L (Federal Register, 2000).
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Roundtable Discussion: E. coli (Escherichia coli)
Water Quality Products
November 2000
Wendi Hope King
Recent outbreaks of E. coli have brought consumer’s attention to their drinking water. Understanding its source, regulations and prevention will be key to combating this waterborne illness.
Far-Reaching TMDL Policy Sets Stage for Conflict
Water Engineering & Management
August 2000
Robert Gray
The Clinton administration has set the stage for a fight with Congress over one of the most far-reaching water-policy initiatives launched by the Environmental Protection Agency in many years.
Dairy Farmers Having Success Piping Animal Waste to Lagoons
Water Engineering & Management
August 2000
Two dairy farmers have found similar success using animal waste lagoons to protect groundwater and cut overhead. For one of these farmers, recycling the herd’s waste has even led to another farm-based business.
TMDL Battle Continues on Capital Hill
Water Engineering & Management
July 2000
Robert Gray
The battle over implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s total maximum daily loads (TMDL) Program continues in Congress.
EPA Issues Proposed New Rule on Groundwater
Water Engineering & Management
June 2000
Robert Gray
The Environmental Protection Agency said that a new rule it is proposing will "establish multiple barriers to protect against bacteria and viruses in drinking water from groundwater sources.
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