By now almost everyone is aware about lead seepage into the drinking water in Flint, MI that lead to a massive public health crisis and prompted President Obama to declare a federal state of emergency there.
The problem began when the city switched its water supply in 2014 from Detroit city water to water from the Flint River. Almost immediately, residents of Flint started complaining about the quality of the water. City and state officials denied for months that there was a serious problem. The GM plant in Flint quickly switched back to Detroit city water because the Flint river water was corroding car parts.
Due to the fact that anti-corrosion additive was not used supply pipes sustained major corrosion and lead was leaching into the water. The city switched back to its original water supply, but it was too late to reverse the damage to the pipes.
On the news we heard about High lead levels found in the blood of children. This can cause are “learning disabilities, behavioral problems and mental retardation,” but what went on behind the News stories? What made the City and the Governors office go from stating over and over again “The Water Meets EPA STANDARDS, it is safe to drink” to declaring a state of emergency and spending millions of dollars to switch back to Detroit water? What happened on the ground is a story you must read. I thought I knew a lot about the Flint crisis, there was a lot more I didn’t know and it is an amazing story to read. It will inform you on much more than Flint. This book looks at the relationship between recent water problems and new EPA rules that seem to be happening everywhere. She also explains the complicated relationship between the EPA, state government and municipal government that can sometimes work together, only to to fail. How in Flints case doing the right thing took a back seat to protecting jobs and political careers.
The unfolding crisis in Flint is captured in Dr. Hanna-Attisha’s new book, “What the Eyes Don’t See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City”. Here is an excerpt from her book published by CBS News: https://cbsn.ws/2JU6a3U
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.
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.
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.
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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.
Ron Perrin Clean Water Tank Project 