Without a sufficient supply of clean, affordable water, our economy and public health will be irrevocably harmed.

H2O4TEXAS will increase public awareness of the critical water shortfalls facing our state and begin mobilizing support for full implementation of the State Water Plan.

http://www.h2o4texas.org

Robert Perrin May 2009

To raise money to go on a mission trip to Africa earlier this year my son Robert Perrin made a short documentary about Public Water Storage and Ron Perrin Water Technologies.   Also see Roberts web page at www.robertstoybox.com

It is now available on amazon.com  

Buy Video Here

He is hoping to use monies raised from this video to fund future mission trips. He is also working on a video of the June 09 Trip.  He hopes to have that one available soon.  I think he did a great job, get a copy and see what you think!  Here is a short Preview-

Follow this link to his DVD on amazon.com   

Buy Video Here

Ron Perrin Water Technologies sample video.  Narrated by Ron Perrin.

This video shows a comercial diver inspecting a potable water storage tank.  The diver then watches a Remotely Operated Vehicle inspect part of the tank.  This video also shows a dive crew cleaning a ground storage tank.

Oocyst – An oocyst is the thick-walled spore phase of certain protists (sporozoans), such as Cryptosporidium and Toxoplasma. This state can survive for lengthy periods outside a host and is very resistant.

I know what a Cryptosporidium spore is but I must confess this was the first time I saw Oocyst.  So I looked it up on Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The results are posted above.  I am in the process of writing a book and I came accross that word in “Final Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule”.

A excerpt of the book is posted below.  I want to encorage everyone to use Wikipedia, It is a free site that I use often.  They are now taking donations to keep the site free.

Final Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule

The LT1ESWTR extends further this necessary protection from Cryptosporidium to communities of fewer than 10,000 persons.  Today’s rule for the first time establishes Cryptosporidium control requirements for systems serving less than 10,000 persons by requiring a minimum 2-log removal for Cryptosporidium. The rule also strengthens filter performance requirements to ensure 2-log Cryptosporidium removal, establishes individual filter monitoring to minimize poor performance in individual units, includes Cryptosporidium in the definition of GWUDI, and explicitly considers unfiltered system watershed control provisions.

Twelve waterborne cryptosporidiosis outbreaks have occurred at drinking water systems since 1984 (Craun, 1998; USEPA, 2000a). The largest of the known outbreaks occurred in Milwaukee and was responsible for over 400,000 illnesses and at least 50 deaths (Hoxie, et al., 1997; MacKenzie et al., 1994); other known outbreaks have occurred in smaller communities and have involved many fewer people. An incident such as a rainstorm that flushes many oocysts into the source water or causes a sanitary sewer overflow combined with a water treatment plant upset could allow a large pulse of oocysts to move past the multiple barriers of a water treatment plant.

To read more about the “Final Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule”

See the Fact Sheet at: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/mdbp/lt1eswtr_fact.html  or

For general information on the LT1ESWTR, contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline, at (800) 426-4791, or visit the EPA Safewater website, www.epa.gov/safewater/mdbp/lt1eswtr.html.

For copies of the Federal Registernotice of the final regulation or technical fact sheets, contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791. The Safe Drinking Water Hotline is open Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/disinfection/tcr/pdfs/whitepaper_tcr_biofilms.pdf

A list of possible Drinking Water Contaminants has been posted by the EPA

The link below gets you top the EPA page that has National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs or primary standards) are legally enforceable standards that apply to public water systems. Primary standards protect public health by limiting the levels of contaminants in drinking water. Visit the list of regulated contaminants with links for more details.

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/index.html#micro

The problem with the EPA web site it that it is constantly in motion with thousands of web pages and hundreds being added daily.  I have elected to repost the list of list of regulated contaminants here to make it easier to find when people search the web.  The EPA posted this list in June of 2003 with this identifier #. EPA 816-F-03-016.  I have personally found this information to be very hard to find when searching their site. In addition to that you never know when it will be taken down.  All the more reason to re-post it here where more people will be able to find it when searching for Drinking Water Contaminates.

Microorganisms

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Disinfection Byproducts

Contaminant	MCLG1 (mg/L)2	MCL or TT1 (mg/L)2	Potential Health Effects from Ingestion of Water	Sources of Contaminant in Drinking Water
Bromate	zero	0.010	Increased risk of cancer	Byproduct of drinking water disinfection
Chlorite	0.8	1.0	Anemia; infants & young children: nervous system effects	Byproduct of drinking water disinfection
Haloacetic acids (HAA5)	n/a6	0.0607	Increased risk of cancer	Byproduct of drinking water disinfection
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)	<!– none7 –>n/a6	0.0807	Liver, kidney or central nervous system problems; increased risk of cancer	Byproduct of drinking water disinfection

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Inorganic Chemicals

Contaminant	MCLG1 (mg/L)2	MCL or TT1 (mg/L)2	Potential Health Effects from Ingestion of Water	Sources of Contaminant in Drinking Water
Antimony	0.006	0.006	Increase in blood cholesterol; decrease in blood sugar	Discharge from petroleum refineries; fire retardants; ceramics; electronics; solder
Arsenic	07	0.010 as of 01/23/06	Skin damage or problems with circulatory systems, and may have increased risk of getting cancer	Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from orchards, runoff from glass & electronicsproduction wastes
Asbestos (fiber >10 micrometers)	7 million fibers per liter	7 MFL	Increased risk of developing benign intestinal polyps	Decay of asbestos cement in water mains; erosion of natural deposits
Barium	2	2	Increase in blood pressure	Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits
Beryllium	0.004	0.004	Intestinal lesions	Discharge from metal refineries and coal-burning factories; discharge from electrical, aerospace, and defense industries
Cadmium	0.005	0.005	Kidney damage	Corrosion of galvanized pipes; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from metal refineries; runoff from waste batteries and paints
Chromium (total)	0.1	0.1	Allergic dermatitis	Discharge from steel and pulp mills; erosion of natural deposits
Copper	1.3	TT8; Action Level=1.3	Short term exposure: Gastrointestinal distressLong term exposure: Liver or kidney damage People with Wilson’s Disease should consult their personal doctor if the amount of copper in their water exceeds the action level	Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits
Cyanide (as free cyanide)	0.2	0.2	Nerve damage or thyroid problems	Discharge from steel/metal factories; discharge from plastic and fertilizer factories
Fluoride	4.0	4.0	Bone disease (pain and tenderness of the bones); Children may get mottled teeth	Water additive which promotes strong teeth; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories
Lead	zero	TT8; Action Level=0.015	Infants and children: Delays in physical or mental development; children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilitiesAdults: Kidney problems; high blood pressure	Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits
Mercury (inorganic)	0.002	0.002	Kidney damage	Erosion of natural deposits; discharge from refineries and factories; runoff from landfills and croplands
Nitrate (measured as Nitrogen)	10	10	Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.	Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits
Nitrite (measured as Nitrogen)	1	1	Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrite in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.	Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits
Selenium	0.05	0.05	Hair or fingernail loss; numbness in fingers or toes; circulatory problems	Discharge from petroleum refineries; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from mines
Thallium	0.0005	0.002	Hair loss; changes in blood; kidney, intestine, or liver problems	Leaching from ore-processing sites; discharge from electronics, glass, and drug factories

Organic Chemicals

Contaminant	MCLG1 (mg/L)2	MCL or TT1 (mg/L)2	Potential Health Effects from Ingestion of Water	Sources of Contaminant in Drinking Water
Acrylamide	zero	TT9	Nervous system or blood problems; increased risk of cancer	Added to water during sewage/wastewater treatment
Alachlor	zero	0.002	Eye, liver, kidney or spleen problems; anemia; increased risk of cancer	Runoff from herbicide used on row crops
Atrazine	0.003	0.003	Cardiovascular system or reproductive problems	Runoff from herbicide used on row crops
Benzene	zero	0.005	Anemia; decrease in blood platelets; increased risk of cancer	Discharge from factories; leaching from gas storage tanks and landfills
Benzo(a)pyrene (PAHs)	zero	0.0002	Reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer	Leaching from linings of water storage tanks and distribution lines
Carbofuran	0.04	0.04	Problems with blood, nervous system, or reproductive system	Leaching of soil fumigant used on rice and alfalfa
Carbon tetrachloride	zero	0.005	Liver problems; increased risk of cancer	Discharge from chemical plants and other industrial activities
Chlordane	zero	0.002	Liver or nervous system problems; increased risk of cancer	Residue of banned termiticide
Chlorobenzene	0.1	0.1	Liver or kidney problems	Discharge from chemical and agricultural chemical factories
2,4-D	0.07	0.07	Kidney, liver, or adrenal gland problems	Runoff from herbicide used on row crops
Dalapon	0.2	0.2	Minor kidney changes	Runoff from herbicide used on rights of way
1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP)	zero	0.0002	Reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer	Runoff/leaching from soil fumigant used on soybeans, cotton, pineapples, and orchards
o-Dichlorobenzene	0.6	0.6	Liver, kidney, or circulatory system problems	Discharge from industrial chemical factories
p-Dichlorobenzene	0.075	0.075	Anemia; liver, kidney or spleen damage; changes in blood	Discharge from industrial chemical factories
1,2-Dichloroethane	zero	0.005	Increased risk of cancer	Discharge from industrial chemical factories
1,1-Dichloroethylene	0.007	0.007	Liver problems	Discharge from industrial chemical factories
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene	0.07	0.07	Liver problems	Discharge from industrial chemical factories
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene	0.1	0.1	Liver problems	Discharge from industrial chemical factories
Dichloromethane	zero	0.005	Liver problems; increased risk of cancer	Discharge from drug and chemical factories
1,2-Dichloropropane	zero	0.005	Increased risk of cancer	Discharge from industrial chemical factories
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate	0.4	0.4	Weight loss, liver problems, or possible reproductive difficulties.	Discharge from chemical factories
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate	zero	0.006	Reproductive difficulties; liver problems; increased risk of cancer	Discharge from rubber and chemical factories
Dinoseb	0.007	0.007	Reproductive difficulties	Runoff from herbicide used on soybeans and vegetables
Dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD)	zero	0.00000003	Reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer	Emissions from waste incineration and other combustion; discharge from chemical factories
Diquat	0.02	0.02	Cataracts	Runoff from herbicide use
Endothall	0.1	0.1	Stomach and intestinal problems	Runoff from herbicide use
Endrin	0.002	0.002	Liver problems	Residue of banned insecticide
Epichlorohydrin	zero	TT9	Increased cancer risk, and over a long period of time, stomach problems	Discharge from industrial chemical factories; an impurity of some water treatment chemicals
Ethylbenzene	0.7	0.7	Liver or kidneys problems	Discharge from petroleum refineries
Ethylene dibromide	zero	0.00005	Problems with liver, stomach, reproductive system, or kidneys; increased risk of cancer	Discharge from petroleum refineries
Glyphosate	0.7	0.7	Kidney problems; reproductive difficulties	Runoff from herbicide use
Heptachlor	zero	0.0004	Liver damage; increased risk of cancer	Residue of banned termiticide
Heptachlor epoxide	zero	0.0002	Liver damage; increased risk of cancer	Breakdown of heptachlor
Hexachlorobenzene	zero	0.001	Liver or kidney problems; reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer	Discharge from metal refineries and agricultural chemical factories
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene	0.05	0.05	Kidney or stomach problems	Discharge from chemical factories
Lindane	0.0002	0.0002	Liver or kidney problems	Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on cattle, lumber, gardens
Methoxychlor	0.04	0.04	Reproductive difficulties	Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on fruits, vegetables, alfalfa, livestock
Oxamyl (Vydate)	0.2	0.2	Slight nervous system effects	Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on apples, potatoes, and tomatoes
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)	zero	0.0005	Skin changes; thymus gland problems; immune deficiencies; reproductive or nervous system difficulties; increased risk of cancer	Runoff from landfills; discharge of waste chemicals
Pentachlorophenol	zero	0.001	Liver or kidney problems; increased cancer risk	Discharge from wood preserving factories
Picloram	0.5	0.5	Liver problems	Herbicide runoff
Simazine	0.004	0.004	Problems with blood	Herbicide runoff
Styrene	0.1	0.1	Liver, kidney, or circulatory system problems	Discharge from rubber and plastic factories; leaching from landfills
Tetrachloroethylene	zero	0.005	Liver problems; increased risk of cancer	Discharge from factories and dry cleaners
Toluene	1	1	Nervous system, kidney, or liver problems	Discharge from petroleum factories
Toxaphene	zero	0.003	Kidney, liver, or thyroid problems; increased risk of cancer	Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on cotton and cattle
2,4,5-TP (Silvex)	0.05	0.05	Liver problems	Residue of banned herbicide
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene	0.07	0.07	Changes in adrenal glands	Discharge from textile finishing factories
1,1,1-Trichloroethane	0.20	0.2	Liver, nervous system, or circulatory problems	Discharge from metal degreasing sites and other factories
1,1,2-Trichloroethane	0.003	0.005	Liver, kidney, or immune system problems	Discharge from industrial chemical factories
Trichloroethylene	zero	0.005	Liver problems; increased risk of cancer	Discharge from metal degreasing sites and other factories
Vinyl chloride	zero	0.002	Increased risk of cancer	Leaching from PVC pipes; discharge from plastic factories
Xylenes (total)	10	10	Nervous system damage	Discharge from petroleum factories; discharge from chemical factories

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Radionuclides

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Notes From EPA WEB PAGE: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/index.html#mcls

¹ Definitions:
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) – The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology and taking cost into consideration. MCLs are enforceable standards.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) – The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety and are non-enforceable public health goals.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) – The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG) – The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.
Treatment Technique – A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

² Units are in milligrams per liter (mg/L) unless otherwise noted. Milligrams per liter are equivalent to parts per million.

³ EPA’s surface water treatment rules require systems using surface water or ground water under the direct influence of surface water to (1) disinfect their water, and (2) filter their water or meet criteria for avoiding filtration so that the following contaminants are controlled at the following levels:

• Cryptosporidium: (as of1/1/02 for systems serving >10,000 and 1/14/05 for systems serving <10,000) 99% removal.
• Giardia lamblia: 99.9% removal/inactivation
• Viruses: 99.99% removal/inactivation
• Legionella: No limit, but EPA believes that if Giardia and viruses are removed/inactivated, Legionella will also be controlled.
• Turbidity: At no time can turbidity (cloudiness of water) go above 5 nephelolometric turbidity units (NTU); systems that filter must ensure that the turbidity go no higher than 1 NTU (0.5 NTU for conventional or direct filtration) in at least 95% of the daily samples in any month. As of January 1, 2002, turbidity may never exceed 1 NTU, and must not exceed 0.3 NTU in 95% of daily samples in any month.
• HPC: No more than 500 bacterial colonies per milliliter.
• Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment (Effective Date: January 14, 2005); Surface water systems or (GWUDI) systems serving fewer than 10,000 people must comply with the applicable Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule provisions (e.g. turbidity standards, individual filter monitoring, Cryptosporidium removal requirements, updated watershed control requirements for unfiltered systems).
• Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (Effective Date: January 4, 2006) – Surface water systems or GWUDI systems must comply with the additional treatment for Cryptosporidium specified in this rule based on their Cryptosporidium bin classification calculated after the completion of source water monitoring.
• Filter Backwash Recycling; The Filter Backwash Recycling Rule requires systems that recycle to return specific recycle flows through all processes of the system’s existing conventional or direct filtration system or at an alternate location approved by the state.

⁴ more than 5.0% samples total coliform-positive in a month. (For water systems that collect fewer than 40 routine samples per month, no more than one sample can be total coliform-positive per month.) Every sample that has total coliform must be analyzed for either fecal coliforms or E. coli if two consecutive TC-positive samples, and one is also positive for E.coli fecal coliforms, system has an acute MCL violation.

⁵ Fecal coliform and E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Disease-causing microbes (pathogens) in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. These pathogens may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, and people with severely compromised immune systems.

⁶ Although there is no collective MCLG for this contaminant group, there are individual MCLGs for some of the individual contaminants:

• Trihalomethanes: bromodichloromethane (zero); bromoform (zero); dibromochloromethane (0.06 mg/L): chloroform (0.07mg/L).
• Haloacetic acids: dichloroacetic acid (zero); trichloroacetic acid (0.02 mg/L); monochloroacetic acid (0.07 mg/L). Bromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid are regulated with this group but have no MCLGs.

⁷ The MCL values are the same in the Stage 2 DBPR as they were in the Stage 1 DBPR, but compliance with the MCL is based on different calculations. Under Stage 1, compliance is based on a running annual average (RAA). Under Stage 2, compliance is based on a locational running annual average (LRAA), where the annual average at each sampling location in the distribution system is used to determine compliance with the MCLs. The LRAA requirement will become effective April 1, 2012 for systems on schedule 1, October 1, 2012 for systems on schedule 2, and October 1, 2013 for all remaining systems.

⁸ Lead and copper are regulated by a Treatment Technique that requires systems to control the corrosiveness of their water. If more than 10% of tap water samples exceed the action level, water systems must take additional steps. For copper, the action level is 1.3 mg/L, and for lead is 0.015 mg/L.

⁹ Each water system must certify, in writing, to the state (using third-party or manufacturer’s certification) that when acrylamide and epichlorohydrin are used in drinking water systems, the combination (or product) of dose and monomer level does not exceed the levels specified, as follows:

• Acrylamide = 0.05% dosed at 1 mg/L (or equivalent)
• Epichlorohydrin = 0.01% dosed at 20 mg/L (or equivalent)

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National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations

National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (NSDWRs or secondary standards) are non-enforceable guidelines regulating contaminants that may cause cosmetic effects (such as skin or tooth discoloration) or aesthetic effects (such as taste, odor, or color) in drinking water. EPA recommends secondary standards to water systems but does not require systems to comply. However, states may choose to adopt them as enforceable standards.

• National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations – The complete regulations regarding these contaminants available from the Code of Federal Regulations Web Site.
• For more information, read Secondary Drinking Water Regulations: Guidance for Nuisance Chemicals.

List of National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations

Contaminant	Secondary Standard
Aluminum	0.05 to 0.2 mg/L
Chloride	250 mg/L
Color	15 (color units)
Copper	1.0 mg/L
Corrosivity	noncorrosive
Fluoride	2.0 mg/L
Foaming Agents	0.5 mg/L
Iron	0.3 mg/L
Manganese	0.05 mg/L
Odor	3 threshold odor number
pH	6.5-8.5
Silver	0.10 mg/L
Sulfate	250 mg/L
Total Dissolved Solids	500 mg/L
Zinc	5 mg/L

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Unregulated Contaminants

This list of contaminants which, at the time of publication, are not subject to any proposed or promulgated national primary drinking water regulation (NPDWR), are known or anticipated to occur in public water systems, and may require regulations under SDWA. For more information check out the list, or vist the Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) web site.

• Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List 2
• Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) Web Site
• Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Program (UCM)
• Information on specific unregulated contaminants
  • MTBE (methyl-t-butyl ether) in drinking water <!–
  • Sodium in Drinking Water
  • Sulfate in Drinking Water

  –>

—————–

This page has been republished on this site to make it easier to find the list of Drinking Water Contaminants.  For more information on how to keep your water system clean & safe see;

www.ronperrin.com or www.tankdiver.com

Tap water in 42 states is contaminated with more than 140 unregulated chemicals that lack safety standards, according to the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG’s) two-and-a-half year investigation of water suppliers’ tests of the treated tap water served to communities across the country.

In an analysis of more than 22 million tap water quality tests, most of which were required under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, EWG found that water suppliers across the U.S. detected 260 contaminants in water served to the public. One hundred forty-one (141) of these detected chemicals — more than half — are unregulated; public health officials have not set safety standards for these chemicals, even though millions drink them every day.

EWG’s analysis also found over 90 percent compliance with enforceable health standards on the part of the nation’s water utilities, showing a clear commitment to comply with safety standards once they are developed. The problem, however, is EPA’s failure to establish enforceable health standards and monitoring requirements for scores of widespread tap water contaminants. Of the 260 contaminants detected in tap water from 42 states, for only 114 has EPA set enforceable health limits (called Maximum Contaminant Levels, or MCLs), and for 5 others the Agency has set non-enforceable goals called secondary standards. (EPA 2005a). The 141 remaining chemicals without health-based limits contaminate water served to 195,257,000 people in 22,614 communities in 42 states.

Read the full report Here: http://www.ewg.org/tapwater/findings.php 

To date only the State of Florida has set standards for cleaning water storage tanks.  Not only should standards be set for additional contaminates I thisnk is is just as or pehaps more important that standards be set for keeping tanks clean.  At this time it is just not understood how much sediment accumulates in an average water storage tank over a few years.  That sediment becomes a habitat where bacteria and other contaminates can thrive. 

Once in your tank bacteria can grow rapidly if it finds a place to hide from the treatment chemicals sent to destroy it.

See the video; Bacteria Growth  http://current.com/items/89137743_bacteria_growth

The EWG’s report also points out that “90 percent compliance with enforceable health standards on the part of the nation’s water utilities, showing a clear commitment to comply with safety standards.” If standards are put in place giving water utilities a time table that water storage tanks should be cleaned and or inspected the water utilities will comply.  For the most part they or the people controling their funds do not understand the improtance of inspection & cleaning. 

Even after the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG’s) two-and-a-half year investigation of water suppliers’ tests of the treated tap water served to communities across the country.  No one looked at the effects of Sediment in the water storage tanks.  It apparently was not an issue, never thought of,  the investigation only looked at reports of what the water utilitys found in their systems.

Keeping your water storage tanks clean may be one of the most overlooked maintenance procedures in the water industry.  Out of sight and out of mind, sediment in the bottom of your water storage tanks is never seen and rarely thought of. 

In 2002 The EPA Office of Ground and Drinking Water issued a paper on distribution systems titled “Health Risk From Microbial Growth and Biofilms in Drinking Water Distribution Systems”.  See the link below to read the full report.

That report sited -

Hepatitis A is a  primary pathogen that has been documented to survive more than four months in the sediment of a potable water storage tank.  

Bacteria, protozoa, and viruses can find sediment in the floor of a water storage tank an inviting habitat.

So if the EPA knows all of this why are most water storage tanks so dirty?  Like most thisngs in comes down to MONEY.

If you live in a new progressive community the likelyhood of your water storage tanks being inspected and cleaned on a regular basis is much better than if you are in a older, smaller and les affluent community.  If regulations are put into place money would need to follow to allow ecanomically depresed communities to maintain there systems properly.

I have been inspecting and cleaning water storage tanks since 1992.  What I have seen is the more ecanomically depresed  the community is the more likely they are to need their tanks cleand.  They are also more likely to drink more tap water.  I would think that the more affluent a community the more bottled water is consumed.  So we end up with the people who need clean tap water the most getting it the least.   I have found something important to do but I cand only help a very small % on my own. The health concerns associated with sediment in the water supplies are much biger than I am.   It is bigger than papers written and published by the EPA detailing the problem. It will take the general public to be concerned and perhaps a little sikened and outraged wouldnt hurt.  It will take people like you and me making noise and getting attention on this subject before the proper action will be taken. The Mission of this blog is to make some noise on this subject.  Let me know what you think.

If you are interested in this subject there are a few things to do:

Leave a comment:  Subscribe to this blog for future updates.

Check out my video site:

http://current.com/people/ronperrin Leave a comment: Vote the VIDEO up so it will make it to to the current cable TV Channel. 

The EPA has published many reports on this subject.  The work has been done to establish the problem.  Its up to us to make sure something gets done about it. 

Hope to hear from you soon

Ron Perrin

Additional referenced and papers from the EPA.

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/disinfection/tcr/pdfs/whitepaper_tcr_biofilms.pdf

http://www.epa.gov//safewater/disinfection/tcr/pdfs/issuepaper_tcr_inorganiccontaminantaccumulation.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/arsenic/pdfs/occurrence.pdf

http://www.epa.gov//safewater/mdbp/word/alter/chapt_2.doc

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/wot/pdfs/book_waterontap_full.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/tcrdsr.html

What is it?  It’s a video about how sediment builds up in our public drinking water supplies.  It should help you understand the importance of having your potable water storage tanks inspected and cleaned. 

Out of sight and out of mind.  The cleaning of water storage tanks remains one of the most overlooked health concerns today.  I have been showing this video to every person I can for years.  I just can’t get to enough water utility managers, water board members, mayors and city council people to make a difference.  Information is power, the right people just don’t have the right information to make the right decisions.  Everyone is cutting back and it is easy to cut back on a maintenance budget.  Tell the water utility manager to do the inspections himself.  So, year after year the water tank is inspected without seeing the inside floor of the tank.  Because an inspection contractor with an underwater camera was not in the budget.  So the sediment goes unseen and unnoticed year after year.  Inspections and cleanings would only be one or two percent of the budget.  But the money never gets allocated because the people in control do not understand the importance of it. As the economy gets worse, fewer tanks will be inspected and cleaned while more and more people will return to drinking tap water.

I need your help.

We have all seen the silly or funny ”viral videos” that make their way around the world.  This one deserves to be shared so that more people who have influence on the way water systems are managed will understand the problem.  Tanks need to be inspected. If they are dirty, they should be cleaned. It is a very simple message and one that I have spent everything I have made in since 1997 trying to get across to water managers. Please share this video with your friends and encourage them to pass it on to their water utility, city council person, or water board.  Managers just don’t know what is going on inside their water storage tanks.  Having them inspected by a professional with underwater camera equipment will let them know if they have a sediment problem.  If they have sediment, removing it is a cost-effective way of maintaining the public health of that water system. 

Also see our page at www.current.tv . Just type ”Ron Perrin” into the main page at current or use this link:

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http://current.com/users/ronperrin/all/0.htm

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If you don’t know about Current TV, it is a cable channel and web site that is viewer created. If your video gets enough votes they put it on TV.  My mission is to show as many people as I can the health concerns of sediment in Public Water Supply storage tanks.  This would be a great way to get my message to thousands of people at a time.  Click on my link below and VOTE me “UP!” on the right side of the page!  By helping to spread this message YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!    Thanks for your help!

This web site is about spreading this message and educating people about the importance of inspecting and cleaning their water potable storage tanks. 

Thanks for your help,

Ron Perrin

Ron Perrin Water Technologies has been inspecting and cleaning potable water storage tanks since 1997.  We serve the mid-west and southern United States.    For more information see our web site at: ww.ronperrin.com , or call us toll-free at: 1-888-481-1768. 

Ok for years I have been saying it wrong  POT (like a pot on the stove) able.  Now,  I have been corrected

My company Inspects cleans and Dives in poh-tuh-buhl Water Tanks. 

it is Pronounced [poh-tuh-buhl] [Origin: 1565–75; < LL pōtābilis drinkable, equiv. to L pōtā(re) to drink + -bilis -ble]  Old French, from Late Latin pōtābilis, from Latin pōtāre, to drink, from pōtus, a drink  Reference: Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) – Cite This Source – po·ta·ble   Audio Help   /ˈpoʊtəbəl/ Pronunciation Key – Show Spelled Pronunciation[poh-tuh-buhl] Pronunciation Key – Show IPA Pronunciation

Ok, Ive been saying POT-ABLE for so long I think I will just change to DRINKING WATER.  My Company

Inspects drinking water tanks with a remote camera,  we can identify problems with interior coatings, corrosion and sediment.  Sediment in patable water storage systems is a real problem.  Sediment can be a habitat for bacteria to grow.  Bacteria in a citys drinking water is not usually a good thing.  The more sediment in a water storage tank or tower, the more chance there is for bacteria to come into the system, find a place to get a foothold and grow into a problem. 

When our inspections find deep sediment in a water storage facility we offer to clean it out using commercial divers.  Divers enter the water system wearing a dry suit enclosed in their own enviroment, they are washed down with a chlorine solution meeting AWWA standards.  The diver can then remove the sediment without wasting several hundred thousands or even millions of gallons of water.  This cleaning process also get the tank cleaner than the traditional method of taking the facility out of service.  Everything that is loose on the floor is removed.  If the tank is drained the loose semi liquid sediment often compresses into a hard clay like substance making cleaning much more dificult and not nearly as effective.  See more about our Inspection and tank cleaning service at www.ronperrin.com .

We are now happy to Inspect and clean Drinking Water Tanks.

Also See our other blog At www.tankdiver.us .

Photo: Sedement being removed from a potable water storage tank.

DRINKING WATER PROJECT NOTES:

We are currently looking for a Steering Committee to discuss the possibility and merit of forming a Non-Profit Organization.   Currently titled “DRINKING WATER PROJECT” : Our current outline in listed below:  A non-profit Organization dedicated to the education of potable water hygieneThe importance of INSPECTING AND CLEANING POTABLE WATER The Problem:Municipal water treatment plants in the United States spend millions upon millions of dollars each year to produce clean safe drinkable water.  Unfortunately in far too many cases the clean water is then pumped into storage tanks that are rarely if ever cleaned.Sediment build up from inches to feet in the floor of the tank becomes a habitat where bacteria and other contaminates can hide and multiply.  Keeping the sediment removed from water storage tanks is often overlooked.  Keeping water storage tanks clean should be a standard maintenance procedure. The solution: Education of government officials form public works directors to water board members to  the general public. Our Mission: Legislation – Lobbying congress to mandate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to require all water systems INSPECT THEIR SYSTEMS YEARLY and clean their storage tanks at least once every three years. Program development-   Grants – Raise funds to assist rural and under funded systems inspect and clean their water storage systems through grants.    Education-  Educate the public as to what is in potable water storage tanks across the country and the importance of keeping them clean. Build coalition with other like minded organizations.  Educate through -    Articles    -  Direct Mail to public officials  - Trade shows  & a Speakers Bureau    If you would like to be on our steering committee, or you would like to be considered for a board position please e-mail RON PERRIN at ronlooks@aol.com be sure to put  DRINKING WATER PROJECT in the subject line.  

Photo: Sediment being removed from Potable Water Storage Tank.

        The American Water Works Association recommends that tanks be cleaned at least every three years.  Recent focus on pharmaceuticals in water systems have made more people than ever aware of contaminates that may be lurking in their water supply.   Although pharmaceuticals in drinking water may be in the news the real threat is random bacteria and cryptosporidium spores.

The Threat of Bacteria-

Countless kinds of bacteria can make their way into a public water supply.  Chlorine and other treatment methods are our first line of defense.  When potable water storage tanks are clean small amounts of bacteria that survive the treatment process cycle through the system undetected and harmless due to the small quantity.  Sediment in the tank can capture and harbor these small amounts of bacteria.  The bacteria can start to grow hidden from chlorine deep in the sediment.  Chlorine can even be overwhelmed and depleted if a nitrate eating bacteria is collected.   As the bacteria continues to grow in the sediment month after month and year after year the threat to public health grows.       

  The Threat of Cryptosporidium

The threat of cryptosporidium outbreak is even greater with sediment in the floor of a water storage tank.   Again Sediment can harbor bacteria, cryptosporidium and other contaminates.  The best defense to insure a protozoa like  cryptosporidium will not take up residence in your water storage system may be to keep the tanks free of sediment.  In the Spring of 1993 over 100 people died as a result of a cryptosporidium outbreak that was directly associated with the Howard Avenue Water Purification Plant.  This was the largest water born disease ever documented in United States history.  It is estimated that over 400,000 people became ill with diarrhea.  

Due to the fact that cryptosporidium is a protozoa with a hard shell and not a bacteria the best defense to ensure it will not inhabit your water system is to make sure your water tanks remain sediment free.  This will remove and habitat that small amounts bacteria or protozoa could lodge and grow in, Preventing possible public health problem in the most simple way.  Keeping water storage tanks clean.