Monthly Newsletter for Section Leaders: Volume 1, Number 9 (January 2009)

SECTION CHAIR’S MESSAGE

Shyam S. Mohanka, Ph. D., P.E., BCEE
Civil & Environmental Engineer

Discussion of second tier critical issues facing the water industry

WATER TREATMENT

Water Professionals are particularly concerned about disinfectant choices and disinfection by-products.

The Risks of Waterborne Disease – Even where water treatment is widely practiced, constant vigilance is required to guard against waterborne disease outbreaks. Well-known pathogens such as E. Coli are easily controlled with chlorination, but can cause deadly outbreaks given conditions of inadequate or no disinfection. A striking example occurred in May 2000 in the Canadian town of Walkertown, Ontario. Seven people died and more than 2,300 became ill after E. Coli and other bacteria infected the town’s water supply. Some emerging pathogens such as Cryptosporidium are resistant to chlorination and can appear even in high quality water supplies. Cryptosporidium was the cause of the largest reported drinking water outbreak in U.S. history, affecting over 400,000 people in Milwaukee in April, 1993. More than 100 deaths are attributed to this outbreak.

The Challenge of Disinfection Byproducts – While protecting against microbial contamination is the top priority, water systems must also control disinfection byproducts (DBPs), chemical compounds formed unintentionally when chlorine and other disinfectants react with natural organic matter in water. Cost-effective methods to reduce DBP formation are available and should be adopted where possible. However, the World Health Organization has strongly cautioned “In order to ensure the microbial safety of drinking-water, disinfection should never be compromised in trying to meet guidelines for any disinfection by-products”.

The Future of Chlorine Disinfection – Despite a range of new challenges, drinking water chlorination will remain a cornerstone of waterborne disease prevention. Chlorine’s wide array of benefits cannot be provided by any other single disinfectant. While alternative disinfectants (including chlorine dioxide, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation) are available, all disinfection methods have unique benefits, limitations, and costs. Water system managers must consider these factors, and design a disinfection approach to match each system’s characteristics and source water quality. In addition, world leaders increasingly recognize safe drinking water as a critical building block of sustainable development. Chlorination can provide cost-effective disinfection for remote rural villages and large cities alike, helping to bring safe water to those in need. Where safe, piped water supplies are not available, chlorine can also be used for treating water in individual households, dramatically reducing risks of waterborne disease.

SECURITY

Threats to drinking water supplies are not new. Almost every water supply system is at risk to natural hazards, such as floods, drought, earthquakes, landslides, storms, and high winds. Security was the second most critical issue in 2004, but with heightened security measures now in place and the absence of recent domestic terrorist attacks, security has dropped in the rankings. However, respondents stressed that the water utilities must be fully prepared for both human-caused terrorism and natural disasters. Interest in such problems has increased greatly since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States. There are no federal standards or agreed upon industry best practices within the water infrastructure sector to govern readiness, response to security incidents, and recovery. Efforts to develop protocols and tools are ongoing since the 2001 terrorist attacks. In response, Congress has provided $ 780.00 million in appropriations for security at water infrastructure facilities (to assess and protect federal facilities and support vulnerability assessments by non-federal facilities) and passed a bill requiring drinking water utilities to conduct security vulnerability assessments (P.L. 107-188). When Congress created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2002 (P.L. 107-297), it gave DHS responsibilities to coordinate information to secure the nation’s critical infrastructure, including the water sector.

The threats are minimal, but real, and water system owners, operators, and managers should take them seriously. Formal emergency response plans should be in place. Many systems already have emergency preparedness plans in place. The age of innocence that water system owners, managers, and operators enjoyed for many years has come to an end.

WATER FACTS, NEWS, IQ & TIPS

Water Facts: Less than 1% of the world’s fresh water (or about 0.007% of all water on earth) is readily accessible for direct human use. A person can live weeks without food, but only days without water.

Water-Related Disease Facts: 88% of all diseases are caused by unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene. At any given time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from a water-related disease.

AWWA News Release (January 6, 2009): Shovel-Ready Projects would stimulate economy and drinking water infrastructure investment could create 400,000 jobs. The American Water Works Association (AWWA), is urging Congress to include water infrastructure projects in the stimulus legislation now being considered. Additional information on the impact of water infrastructure funding can be found at www.awwa.org/jobcreation.

AWWA News Release (January 8, 2009): The American Water Works Association has been selected to receive the prestigious CINE Award for the DVD “Water Reuse for a Sustainable Future”. This DVD is designed for water providers who want to inform communities, water boards, mayors, governors, etc. on the positive potential of reuse for creating a more sustainable water supply.


AWWA & NYSAWWA MILESTONES (1960-69)

1960 – Walter R. Conley and Raymond W. Pitman report the value of polymer use for achieving high filtration rates at Hanford, Washington.
1961 – W.R. Conley identifies ways to optimize dual media design with anthracite sand filters. Harry N. Lowe Jr. contemplates the problems of water supply on the moon.
1962 – USPHS revises its 1946 drinking water standards with the “Manual of Recommended Water Sanitation Practice”. AWWA endorses it as “Minimum
criteria of quality for all Public Water Supplies in the United States”. All 50 states accept standards as either guidelines or regulations. Neptune Microfloc introduces a three-component mixed media filter.
1963 – John C. Copley was elected AWWA President from New York Section. The interstate compact for the Delaware River Basin Commission is approved by Congress and signed by the governors of New York, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
1964 – December 31, AWWA membership reaches 16,403. Neptune introduces the first encoder register with the ability to electronically communicate a meter reading. S.R. Weibel et al report on waterborne disease outbreaks from 1946 to 1960.
1965 – Cannonsville Reservoir supplying the city of New York is placed in service.
1966 – The Federal Water Pollution Control Act amended, enacted and signed into law. The AWWA Research Foundation is founded.
1967 – AWWA opens Washington, D.C., office for Environmental, Legislation, and Regulatory Information Stewart L. Udall proposes the use of advanced waste treatment for recycling and reusing water.
1968 – Neptune demonstrates the feasibility of reading water meters over telephone lines.
1969 – NASA develops innovative recycling programs and astronauts take drinking water to the moon. W. R. Conley and K.Y. Hsuing describe the design and application of multimedia filters.

EVENTS CALENDAR

February 4, 2009 – AWWA Web Cast on Economic Stimulus Plan – How it
Impacts on the Water Industry
February 11, 2009 – AWWA Web Cast on Advanced Disinfection of Pipeline and Storage Facilities
February 12-13, 2009 – AWWA Research Symposium: Emerging Organic Contaminants, Austin, TX.
February 17-19, 2009 – AWWA/WEF Utility Management Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana
February 25, 2009 – AWWA Web Cast on Quagga/Zebra Mussel Control
February 26-27, 2009 – AWWA Seminar: Media Relations in Water & Wastewater, Los Angeles, CA.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Russell Betters (NYC DEP)
Alexander Kevin Eng (Dvirka & Bartilucci)
Leslie J. Kessler (PureSafe Water Systems Inc)
Vincent Kopicki (Department of Public Works)
Kevin Madonna (Kennedy & Madonna LLP)
Donna Mancuso (Suffolk County Water Authority)
Michael Perlow (Michael Perlow Jr. Co.)
Paul Sposato (Fire-End & Croker Corporation)
Bjorn Voneuler (ITT Corporation)
Dale A. Walker (Olean Water Department)
Robert Wiltshire (R.M. Headlee Co.)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

YOU DON’T PLAY BECAUSE YOU GROW OLD. YOU GROW OLD BECAUSE YOU DON’T PLAY. DON’T BE THE FIRST TO GROW OLD. Thomas Alva Edison