Fluoride: Miracle drug or poisonous chemical? "Safety debate over public water treatments heats up with release of shocking new studies... From Pennsylvania to Nebraska and from Europe to New Zealand, there is growing and fierce opposition to plans to fluoridate public drinking water, fueled by a battery of shocking new studies that seriously question a practice routine among U.S. municipalities for nearly the last 50 years. ...It has been going on throughout much of the United States for a half century, say proponents. So what's the problem? Sweden's Dr. Arvid Carlsson, the 2000 Nobel Prize winner in physiology or medicine, objects to the practice, saying that everyone reacts differently to medication and what is beneficial for one person may be harmful for another. He calls community fluoridation "obsolete." Opponents like Carlsson point out that each person drinks a different amount of water, meaning dosage cannot be controlled, and could become toxic for someone who drinks more water. Add to that variable the widespread use of fluoride toothpastes by the American public and the fact that much of the food supply is grown or raised using fluoridated water, and you can see the great potential for overdosing, they say. A study released in February by the Collaborative on Health and the Environments Learning and Development Disabilities Initiative found excessive ingestion of fluoride can decrease thyroid hormone levels. It also cited a recent Chinese study that links lower IQ levels in children with fluoridated drinking water. ...The EPA's Headquarters Professionals Union, made up of scientists, lawyers and other professionals, also now opposes community fluoridation. In January, the New York State Dental Journal reported fluoride overexposure is resulting in children developing tooth disorders including white spots, brownish discoloration and pitting. It also warned children 6 months to 3 years should consume no more than � of a gram of fluoride per day � the equivalent of one 8 ounce glass of water in a fluoridated community. And, despite the CDC's conclusion that fluoridation is one of the greatest medical achievements of the 20th century, it recommends infant formulas should never be mixed with fluoridated water." Worldnetdaily, May 5, 2008

Poison in the kitchen...How tap water could damage your brain, blind or even kill you "(ED:emphases added) As he dipped his hand into the River Wear to quench his thirst, William Sproat could not have known he was about to unleash the horror of cholera on Britain. Sunderland in 1831 was a hectic place. The Industrial Revolution was redefining our cities, while filth and squalor grew with urban populations. ...Within hours of drinking from the river, Sproat was racked by vomiting fits and excruciating stomach cramp. Most water-borne diseases kill, ironically, by dehydrating their victims. Sproat's wife and two children watched in horror as his pulse faded and his face took on a deathly pallor. Cholera strikes quickly. Within a day or two, its victims are writhing, immobilised in its terrifying grip. The parasite that causes the disease comes to life in the warmth of the human gut and depends on its unfortunate host for survival. ...Asiatic cholera had arrived in Britain; Sproat was its first victim. Soon, the country was in the grip of an epidemic - but no one knew what caused this disease, or how to cure it. ...The prevailing medical science of the time suggested it must be caused by a miasma, a foul smelling, airborne poison. A British doctor, John Snow, suspected otherwise. In 1849, he put forward his theory that cholera is spread through microscopic agents in water. He tracked an outbreak in Soho, central London, to a single public pump. A total of 623 people died in this outbreak - before Dr Snow removed the handle from the Broad Street pump, stopping people using it and thus halting cholera in its tracks. This was a medical breakthrough which redefined our understanding of the world. Initially, Dr Snow was greeted with derision and disbelief, but his work led to a revolution in the way we look at our water supplies. His early research inspired my investigation into modern-day water and its impact on our health. Beneath the world's streets, water races through pipes to fill tens of billions of glasses and bottles each day. ...For millions of years, intimate knowledge about the source of water was among the most important pieces of information our ancestors carried. Perhaps they were wiser men than we. Today, that intimacy is lost. We turn on a tap and water flows as if by magic. Most of us have little awareness of its source. We assume it will be there. We assume it will be safe. The road to disaster is paved with assumptions. ...The operation of our water supplies is, to most of us, invisible. Invisibility encourages complacency. We have come to think of these systems as fail- safe, but the technology for treating most of our drinking water is almost a century old. ...The history of drinking water is a story of disaster and response. From cholera to cryptosporidium, disasters have forced change. We now face new risks: emerging diseases, changing climates, poorly understood pollutants, terrorism, decaying infrastructure (ED  CMNT: backflow through unprotected cross-connections?) and 'gender bending' chemicals. ...Terrorism is the newest threat to our water. In February 2002, four terrorists were seized in a Rome apartment with sealed containers holding four kilos of a cyanide compound. Beside it lay a map of the city's water distribution system, and the location of the U.S. embassy. A raid by the Italian anti-terrorist squad thwarted this attack, but it highlighted a new and dangerous risk to our water supplies. So what can be done to make our water safer? ...Think when you next turn on the tap. Water is the ultimate resource. The world has it in abundance, but accessible, safe water is scarce, and we would be wise to protect it. Instead, we have forgotten the lessons of history and expect our water supply to work as we focus on other problems. We do so at our peril."   Daily Mail, April 30, 2008

Suspect charged in sprinkler theft "After an investigation conducted by Metuchen police Detective James Connolly and Edison police Detective Tom Lacik, police arrested and charged Michael M. Ruiz, 20, of Edison, onApril 23 with 15 counts of theft of brass backflow valves and sprinkler system pumps from businesses and residences in the borough over a two-month period. The thefts of the 11-backflow valves, which prevent sewage from backing up into a structure, and four sprinkler system pumps, occurred between Feb. 23 and April 13, police said. Ruiz was released on his own recognizance, police said. The total amount of victim loss in all of the thefts accounted for $5,850 in stolen parts, police said. "Primarily, victims have not realized that they are victims of theft until they were preparing their sprinkler systems for use this spring," said Patrolman David Liantonio..." Sentinel, April 30, 2008 

 City Council tables backflow ordinance "The Killeen City Council tabled an ordinance Tuesday that would bring the city into compliance with state law. City Manager Connie Green and Assistant City Attorney Scott Osburn said there is no urgency to approve the ordinance to bring the Killeen law in line with the state's law for backflow prevention. Councilman Kenny Wells asked for the ordinance to be tabled, saying he was not satisfied with everything the ordinance would accomplish. The ordinance requires a backflow prevention system and annual inspection for any place where there is an actual or potential contamination hazard, such as a car wash. However, Wells said the ordinance was not specific enough about who would and would not need a prevention device. Osburn said the ordinance is intended, in addition to meeting state standards, to clarify statements and fix shortfalls in the existing ordinance. The shortfalls, according to a memo to the council, include lack of standardized recordkeeping requirements as mandated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, established procedures for certified tester registration monitoring and registration revocation, putting responsibility for program compliance entirely with the building inspection department rather than with the public works' water and sanitary sewer department, and specific parameters and direction to delineate what is required of each stakeholder, among other shortfalls. Goals of the ordinance include establishing a more comprehensive backflow and cross connection program that will delineate the specific responsibilities of each party involved from the city to the certified testers, installers and ultimately the end user or customers, clarify and transfer between city departments the department responsible for ensuring the integrity of the city's potable water system and the safety of its customers in relation to backflow and cross connection control, among other goals. ...Councilman Larry Cole said he was also concerned that the ordinance was not clear about what is a potential hazard. ...Mayor Timothy Hancock asked if the ordinance was time-sensitive. Green and Osburn said it is not. The council, in a workshop, gave consensus to send the ordinance back to the staff and Water/Sewer/Drainage Committee for further review. At the meeting, the council voted to remove the ordinance as an item on the agenda."  Kileen Daily Herald, March 26, 2008

Fire foam contaminates water supply "Fire trucks' water pressure overwhelmed the city's drinking supply lines and pushed fire-suppression foam into them as firefighters tried to extinguish a burning Strip District warehouse, Pittsburgh's director of public safety said Wednesday. Two pumper trucks were connected to fire hydrants for a long time Tuesday afternoon, said Public Safety Director Mike Huss, and as the pressure built up in the truck lines, it overwhelmed the drinking water lines' force. "It's highly unusual, and we're surprised that it did it," (backpressure backflow) Huss said. The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority advised people Downtown and in the Strip District not to use water for a few hours into yesterday morning, until the foam could be flushed from the system. Ingesting less than an ounce of the biodegradable foam wouldn't pose a health threat, but it can irritate skin and eyes, said Bob Hutton, a project coordinator for the authority. Callers began complaining about soapy-looking water Tuesday afternoon. Firefighters allowed the four-alarm fire, which started Tuesday morning in the former Otto Milk Co. complex at 25th and Smallman streets, to burn overnight because of difficulties extinguishing it in cork- and foam-insulated walls. The building continued smoldering yesterday. Fire Chief Darryl Jones said he had not seen the foam problem in the 20 years he has fought fires. "We are going to make some adjustments to make sure it doesn't happen again," he said. The fire apparently started when a construction crew's cutting torch ignited insulation in the building, the construction crew manager said...." Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, March 13, 2008 

Lawn Irrigation Inspection Program Protects Water Supply "With the arrival of spring, comes the inevitable return of routine lawn maintenance. The City of Olathe Municipal Services Department would like to remind Olathe water customers of the City's Cross-Connection Program, which includes an annual inspection and testing for all backflow prevention devices installed on underground lawn irrigation systems. ...The installation of an approved backflow prevention device on lawn irrigation systems can prevent possible contamination of the City's water supply with contaminates such as lawn fertilizers, chemicals and pesticides. The Olathe Municipal Code and Cross-Connection Program require that an approved backflow prevention device be installed on all cross-connections that are considered "high risk" by the International Plumbing Code, including lawn irrigation systems. These devices must be tested and inspected by a certified backflow tester, available through many licensed plumbing and irrigation companies, with results recorded on a City of Olathe report form and submitted to the City. Additional program information is being mailed to all Olathe residential and commercial water customers with underground lawn irrigation systems..."  Kansas City Info Zine, March 28, 2008

Bacteria found in Stafford water "Leaders of the West Linn-Wilsonville School District were surprised twice last week. And both surprises were bad news. Just a few days after receiving word from Coffey Laboratories that water at Stafford Primary School contained coliform bacteria, the district was informed Monday that the Northeast Portland lab had its certification suspended by the state Division of Public Health. According to Mike Skeels, interim Public Health Division administrator, Coffey�s certification was suspended because of alleged inaccurate test results and ineffective quality assurance measures for Coffey�s testing procedures. ...Besides turning the water off at Stafford, School District Facilities Manager Pat McGough said the district already had protected itself � without knowing about Coffey�s problems � because the school�s current water problem is significant. Instead of having the quarterly test conducted only by Coffey, as it has done for at least the past decade, water also was sent to another lab for the proverbial �second opinion.� ...Alexin Analytical Laboratories of Tigard performed the same tests and reported the same results: that coliform bacteria was found in Stafford�s drinking water. The water faucets and drinking fountains at Stafford were immediately shut off, and all of the students and staff began drinking bottled water and cleaning with hand sanitizer � a scenario that started March 3 and will continue until after the spring break, McGough said Monday. ...Currently, the district can�t do much about finding and fixing the source of the problem. In order to fix the source of contamination, the wellwater system would have to be shut down. The school would therefore not have the use of restrooms, a situation that no one could tolerate. ...This week, the district will gain approval and begin installation of the chlorination system. The rest of the work begins Saturday, he said, including installation of a new pressure tank and well pump. The backflow devices on the irrigation system and fire pump have either been repaired or replaced. �The failed backflow device on the fire pump is potentially the source of contamination,� McGough said. �It�s not the only possible source, but it is a likely leading candidate.� ...By next Monday afternoon, McGough is hoping that all work will be completed, and the system can be chlorinated."  West Linn Tidings, March 20, 2008

Cross-Connection Hazards Illustrated  In case you haven't already seen them, a select few of the thousand+ cross-connection hazard pictures I've taken over the past 36 years are posted here (and in other areas of the Forum).... "American Backflow Prevention Association's Discussion Forum... This area is for pictures demonstrating connections that could possibly cause a backflow condition to occur." ABPA, March 18, 2008
Also see (Industrial Cross-Connection Hazards), and other areas.... 

Plumbing parts new target for area metal thefts "Police and plumbing contractors say that in recent months metal thieves in Barstow have turned to a new target. Stolen backflow prevention devices are turning up with increasing frequency in area scrap metal yards. State law requires most commercial buildings to install the devices, which are usually made out of brass and sit above ground, as a means of keeping nonpotable water out of the city drinking water system. With copper wiring and piping, once popular theft targets, becoming scarcer, thieves have turned to the backflow preventers as a new source of scrap metal. The Barstow Police Department did not know the exact number of thefts, but city spokesman John Rader said police have noticed a spike in the backflow prevention device thefts in the past three months. Among the victims that reported thefts to the Barstow Police Department were area apartment complexes, Barstow Community College and several city parks. Andy Ziemer, owner of Ziemer Plumbing in Barstow, said he has heard of eight thefts in the past six months. The thieves take a $300 brass valve, cause an average $2,000 in damages and sell the part to a scrap yard for about $30, according to Rader. When the Desert Cities Dialysis clinic was hit, cutting off the building�s water supply, Ziemer said, that could have been a matter of life and death. �It could have been a catastrophe if it was a day when they were seeing patients,� he said. �This is way beyond the call of duty. For $25, they�re putting lives in danger.�  ... Dennis Haefele, owner of Heart Plumbing, places the blame for the epidemic with the scrap yards that buy stolen goods. �If there wasn�t an easy way for (the thieves) to dispose of it and make money, they wouldn�t do it,� he said. �The people that are buying it create the market.� Barstow Police Department constantly monitors the scrap metal yards and contacts them when they receive a report of stolen metal, Rader said, which has led to some property being recovered in the past. If caught, scrap metal thieves face felony charges for possession of stolen property and potential vandalism charges, which are also felony charges if the damage totals more than $400. Maria Gomez, office secretary at the headquarters of Central Metal, Inc., which runs a scrap yard in Hinkley, said the company requires all sellers to show identification and in some cases, a company letter authorizing them to sell the metal. Gomez acknowledged, however, that stolen property does slip through. �It�s very hard,� she said. �There�s a lot of people that just do it all the time.�"  Desert Dispatch, March 5, 2008

Pullman officials say drinking water contamination unlikely after incident "City officials in Pullman say a "cross connection" Tuesday afternoon between the city's potable water system and equipment at the wastewater treatment plant lasted about an hour, but probably did not result in contaminated drinking water.  The City issued a news release saying that the incident happened at approximately 1:00 p.m. Officials said contamination of the city water system "is unlikely, but possible." The Department of Health was notified and City crews initiated precautionary measures by flushing and increasing chlorination of the water system in the area of the treatment plant on Guy Street.  Water samples have been taken to verify the lack of contamination. The results will be known late Wednesday afternoon. Due to the precautions that have been put into place, the Department of Health has advised that boiling water is not necessary." klewtv.com 3, Feb. 26, 2008

How Plumbing Standards Can Slow Innovation "National plumbing standards are important because they help protect public health and safety. While there is no doubt that plumbing regulations have contributed to America�s high standard of living, their problem is that they are also incredibly expensive to prepare and sometimes actually stifle innovation and technological progress. To my knowledge, nobody has ever addressed the issue of how much each plumbing standard update costs the public. Totaling all the expenses of the various participants over the five-year standard review period � salaries, travel expenses, meeting preparation time, manufacturer lab testing as well as administrative costs, printing, etc. � suggests to me that the public�s cost is near $1 million per update. To me, that is vastly excessive. Local code authorities in most U.S. cities and states subscribe to one of several model codes, which evaluate applicable national standards and incorporate all or part of them. Historically, the national model codes of BOCA, IAPMO, NSPC and SBCCA have dominated. More recently, the International Plumbing Code has emerged as a fifth competitor. Except for retail, over-the-counter sales, it is very difficult to sell a product nationally without first obtaining multiple local code approvals across the country. Before local code authorities will approve a product, they almost always require that it be approved by �their� model code. Gaining code approval across this country is particularly complicated and expensive for innovations because model codes normally require independent test data that show the product meets the requirements of the applicable national standard...." ContractorMag.com  

Vandals steal $10,500 worth of copper, fire hydrants and more "Vandals have stolen more than $10,500 worth of fire hydrants, brass valves and copper wiring from Yucaipa Valley Water District during the past six months, according to district officials. These thefts, when combined with the labor costs involved in replacing the stolen equipment, could cost the district's customers as much as $15,000. �These thefts affect everyone because we have to pass the costs of replacing these materials and equipment to our customers,� said Charlie Bailey, the district's operations manager. �As a result, we are calling on all of our customers to contact the police and the district whenever they observe suspicious activity involving fire hydrants, valves and other installations by individuals who are not wearing district uniforms or who do not have a YVWD repair truck nearby. �Recent thefts, which are apparently driven by the rising cost of brass and copper, include fire hydrants and brass backflow valve covers in downtown and residential areas as well as copper wiring from gated district installations. The fire hydrants alone cost more than $1,000 a piece.
�I only know of two fire hydrants being stolen from the district in the past 33 years,� Bailey said. �But we've had nine fire hydrants stolen in the past six months alone. This is clearly happening because of the significant increase in brass and copper scrap values.� News Mirror, Feb. 14, 2008

Lone Grove water still off for some residents "Two weeks after the local water service was shut down after weed killer contaminated the system, nine homes remained without water Tuesday. Charges could be filed against the company responsible for the contamination and will be considered after water service is fully restored. The town, eight miles west of Ardmore, with an estimated 1,300 water customers, has been having major water problems since Jan. 23, when a business owner inadvertently siphoned a concentrated weed killer cocktail into the city's water supply while he was trying to dilute the herbicide concentrate inside a spray rig. A water main break, which created a backflow in the water lines, caused the chemicals to be sucked into the water system. Cindy Worrell, who lives in one of the nine houses still without water, said her biggest concern Tuesday evening was the inconvenience of not being able to bathe, wash dishes or eat at home, or even flush her toilets without dumping bottled water into the tank. Her long-term concerns, however, are just as pressing. Like other residents in the city, both Worrell and her live-in mother, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, drank the contaminated water before they were notified of the danger by city crews. ...While Worrell and her neighbors wait to get more test results from the state Department of Environmental Quality, the owner of the pesticide company believed to be responsible for the damage may be facing charges. Jack Carson with the state Agriculture Department, said both his department and environmental officers are dealing with the immediate issue of getting the water clean. As soon as that is taken care of charges will be considered in the next two weeks." Newsok.com, Feb. 6, 2008