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Q & A's
Disinfection
By-Products Rule
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Disinfection By-Products Rule
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently finalized the Stage
2 Disinfection By-Products Rule. This Q&A explains the ABSs of disinfection
by-products and explains ways to deal with the new rule. Q&A
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What
is the Ground Water Rule?
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What is the Ground Water Rule?
This Q&A discusses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s
proposed Ground Water Rule and how it protects public health.
Q&A
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Lead
and Copper Rule Revisions
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Lead and Copper Rule Revisions
Following a Washington Post article exposing lead problems in many
U.S. cities, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has intensified
efforts to remove lead from the nation's drinking water.
Q&A
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What
is laboratory certification?
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What is laboratory certification?
In 1978, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implemented
a certification program for laboratories that analyze drinking water samples
so that they would comply with Safe Drinking Water Act regulations. This
Q&A discusses why certification is important, who certifies labs,
and the process labs go through to become certified. Q&A
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What
does ppm or ppb mean?
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What does ppm or ppb mean?
These
measurements refer to exposure standards and guidelines created to protect
the public from harmful substances that can cause serious health effects.
Exposure standards and guidelines are created from risk assessments that
include doseresponse, exposure, and hazard identification assessments.
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How
will the Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule affect my system?
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How will the Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule affect
my system?
All public systems that serve fewer than 10,000 people and use surface
water or groundwater under the direct influence of surface water (GWUDI)
must comply with this rule.
This Q&A discusses the 4 major LT1ESWTR
categories, the benefits
of the rule, how much it wil cost a water system, funding options, and
when the changes will take effect. Q&A
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What
is desalination?
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What is desalination?
The amount of water on the planet is exactly the same as is has been
since the beginning. With the world population expected to reach 10 billion
in the next 20 years, desalinating sea water so that it can be used as
drinking water is an idea gaining in popularity.
Q&A
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How
does trichloroethylene affect drinking water?
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How does trichloroethylene affect drinking water?
Subsurface soils and groundwater contaminated with nonaqueous-phase
organic liquids cause major environmental concerns. These pollutants,
such as the chlorinated solvent Trichloroethylene, represent the most
prevalent organic groundwater contaminants in the country. This Q&A
discusses the in's and out's of TCE. What it is; how it is used; what
harm it can cause; and how to treat it. Q&A
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Does
your water smell like rotten eggs?
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Does your water smell like rotten eggs?
If your water smells like rotten eggs, it may be contaminated with
hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Though H2S contamination at the concentrations
found in domestic drinking water supplies usually does not pose a health
risk, it is still a nuisance and gives water a rotten egg smell and taste.
This Q&A discusses all aspects of H2S in drinking water. From sources
to treatments; health effects to regulations.
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Is
GIS useful in small system management?
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Is GIS useful in small system management?
A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer system that is
capable of assembling, storing, manipulating, and displaying geographically
referenced information. This Q&A discusses why GIS is more useful
than traditional maps, the components of a GIS, and how a GIS system can
be used to help manage a small water system. Q&A
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Should
I get my water tested?
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Should I get my water tested?
Many contaminants that pose health risks could be present in the water
you drink. Unfortunately, your senses cannot detect these
contaminants, and hence the water’s taste, smell, or color may not
indicate the actual water quality. It is a good idea to test the water
so you will know exactly what is in it—especially since your health
is involved.
Q&A
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What
are trihalomethanes?
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What are trihalomethanes?
THMs are the byproducts of chlorination of water that contains natural
organic matter. A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) survey shows
that THMs are present in most chlorinated water supplies. Even though
they pose a less acute health risk than do waterborne diseases, THMs are
still among the important water quality issues.
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Is
there a problem with MtBE?
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Is there a problem with MtBE?
MtBE [Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether] is a volatile organic compound
added to gasoline as an octane enhancer. This oxygenation process is performed
to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide (CO), an air pollutant, in automobile
exhaust. It is possible to taste and smell MtBE even in very small quantities.
Its toxicity and carcinogenicity are largely undetermined, which consequently
results in a highly uncertain environmental problem. Q&A
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What
is radium? Is it in drinking water?
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What is radium? Is it in drinking water?
Radium (Ra) is a naturally occurring radioactive element present in
varying amounts in rocks and soil within the earth’s crust. Under
natural conditions, radium leaches into groundwater from radium bearing
rocks. In general, surface water is low in radium; however, deep bedrock
aquifers used for drinking water sometimes contain radium above regulatory
standards.
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