Region's tap water rated low
BY JEFF DELONG ? JDELONG@RGJ.COM ? DECEMBER 16, 2009
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The Reno area's primary water provider and state officials joined Tuesday to lash out at an environmental group's report rating the Truckee Meadows' tap water as the fifth worst in the country.
In a news conference during which employees of the Truckee Meadows Water Authority hoisted glasses of water before cameras, the utility's water quality chief attacked the report as "misleading and irresponsible."
"There is no risk," said Paul Miller, the utility's manager of water quality and operations. "No one takes the health of the Truckee River and your water more seriously."
Utility customers receive high-quality water that has never violated standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Miller said.
The response came after the Washington D.C.-based Environmental Working Group released a report concluding much of the country's tap water is polluted with a "cocktail of chemical contaminants."
Reno's water ranked as the fifth worst of 100 urban areas surveyed, primarily due to concentrations of cancer-causing arsenic and the solvent PCE in its tap water, the nonprofit group said. Las Vegas did even worse, rated the third worst, due to a combination of different chemicals, including arsenic and lead.
On Tuesday, Miller said he still hasn't been able to determine how the group came up with its numbers. It reported average arsenic levels of about 7 parts per billion and average concentrations of PCE of about 1.6 ppb. Federal drinking water standards for arsenic are 10 ppb and 5 ppb for PCE.
Miller said actual average arsenic concentrations are less than 3 ppb, according to the water authority's own measurements. Five of the utility's groundwater wells are treated for PCE and the substance is removed before reaching anyone's tap, Miller said.
The vast majority of water provided by the utility, about 85 percent, comes from the Truckee River. It does not contain PCE at any level and naturally occurring arsenic at only trace levels, Miller said.
The Environmental Working Group reported a total of 21 chemicals in Reno-area tap water, most at trace levels. The third most common cited in the report, manganese, does not have health implications but can stain plumbing fixtures in high concentrations, Miller said.
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Jane Houlihan, senior vice president for research at the Environmental Working Group, said the report makes clear the need for more stringent drinking water regulations.
"It is not uncommon for people to drink tap water laced with 20 or 30 chemical contaminants," Houlihan said. "This water may be legal, but it raises serious health concerns. People expect better than that, and they deserve it."
Others called the report flawed and irresponsible, including Allen Biaggi, director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Biaggi defended quality of tap water in both Reno and Las Vegas.
"Nevadans can be assured their drinking water is safe to drink," Biaggi said, adding that water in both areas significantly exceeds EPA standards.
"EWG's criticism amounts to saying federal water quality requirements are not adequate. It's like saying driving 25 miles an hour in a 55-mile-an-hour zone is too fast," Biaggi said.
Members of the nonprofit suggest people consider use of filters before drinking tap water.
Mark Foree, general manager of TMWA, noted the group's Web site suggests certain types of filters and that a portion of the proceeds of sales would go to the organization.
"Our water is safe and of high quality," Foree said. "People should have no concerns whatsoever about drinking it."
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In Your Voice|READ REACTIONS TO THIS STORY
Conservative2010 wrote:
Fernley supplies well water to the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery. The water is so full of minerals it dissolves the head stones and corrodes the brass markers. If it can do that to stone and metal, imagine what it is doing to your insides.
12/16/2009 3:37:15 PM
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WashoeGreens wrote:
I'm in which is all on well water. If you let a glass of water sit for more than a few hours--such as the glass mom leaves by her bedside at night--it really starts letting of an odor and becomes totally undrinkable by morning. I mentioned it to Paul Miller earlier in the year, and he didn't believe it. Maybe now he'll come over and see for himself...?
12/16/2009 12:43:28 PM
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vett58 wrote:
What I know comes from the EWG group's own web site and a quick google news search
12/16/2009 10:55:39 AM
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SierraDog wrote:
The 'drinking of glass of water for the media' was just FOR SHOW. One Glass? How about drinking it daily? Erin Brockovich, anyone? I lived in several parts of this area and just recently moved in the South part of town. The WATER IS THE WORST I've ever experienced. It tastes like a chemical of some sort. I don't even use it for hot tea. I'm sure the testing company has some legitimacy of rating us one of the WORST in the country. I bet "vett58" is involved or knows someone from the water company or authorities. I'm just a typical resident . . (I hate blogging, until this article came up, so I signed up).
12/16/2009 9:06:47 AM
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PRIMARY CHEMICALS OF CONCERN IN RENO
Average arsenic levels of about 7 parts per billion and spikes of 24 ppb were reported. Drinking water standard is 10 ppb.
Average concentrations of PCE of about 1.6 ppb and spikes of 14 ppb were reported. Drinking water standard is 5 ppb.
Source: Environmental Working Group
Cities with the best water:
1. Arlington, Texas
2. Providence, R.I.
3. Fort Worth, Texas
4. Charleston, S.C.
5. Boston
Cities with the worst water:
1. Pensacola, Fla.
2. Riverside, Calif.
3. Las Vegas
4. Riverside County, Calif.
5. Reno
Replies
20
SWGB
Woohoo, go Boston!
SoWal Insider
What's wrong with Pensacola's water?
Beach FanaticAuthor
Worst tap water in the nation
Report states Pensacola worst tap water
Updated: Tuesday, 15 Dec 2009, 10:46 PM CST
Published : Tuesday, 15 Dec 2009, 7:58 PM CST
Christina Leavenworth
Blanton Box
Photojournalist: Eric Lowe
PENSACOLA, Fla. - A new report says Pensacola has the worst tap water in the nation. That report comes from an environmental group based in Washington, D.C.
Water coming out of Pensacola taps is now reported to be the worst in the country. Word spread fast after the report was featured on Yahoo's main page Sunday. The Environmental Working Group did a three year study examining water in 100 cities across the country. Pensacola's water ranked number 100.
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) was quick to challenge the findings.
"The study apparently looked at 100 utilities, we all know there are more than 100 utilities even in the state of Florida. I understand that there are 5,000 in the country. They looked at a small section, based their information on data available to every customer that we send out," Nathalie Bowers with ECUA said.
According to the report, 21 chemicals found in ECUA tap water were at concentrations above health guidelines recommended by federal regulators. The ECUA says that's not true.
"It's totally inaccurate, our water meets every state federal drinking requirement. This company didn't test it, they took information we provided to our customers from our consumer confidence report," Bowers said.
"There are trace amounts of some constiguents, anything of a concern is addressed immediately. We will treat it, we will remove, or we will shut down the well and take it out of service."
Despite everything in the report, the Environmental Working Group says in many cases tap water is just as safe as bottled.
What's wrong with Pensacola's water?
Report states Pensacola worst tap water
Updated: Tuesday, 15 Dec 2009, 10:46 PM CST
Published : Tuesday, 15 Dec 2009, 7:58 PM CST
Christina Leavenworth
Blanton Box
Photojournalist: Eric Lowe
PENSACOLA, Fla. - A new report says Pensacola has the worst tap water in the nation. That report comes from an environmental group based in Washington, D.C.
Water coming out of Pensacola taps is now reported to be the worst in the country. Word spread fast after the report was featured on Yahoo's main page Sunday. The Environmental Working Group did a three year study examining water in 100 cities across the country. Pensacola's water ranked number 100.
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) was quick to challenge the findings.
"The study apparently looked at 100 utilities, we all know there are more than 100 utilities even in the state of Florida. I understand that there are 5,000 in the country. They looked at a small section, based their information on data available to every customer that we send out," Nathalie Bowers with ECUA said.
According to the report, 21 chemicals found in ECUA tap water were at concentrations above health guidelines recommended by federal regulators. The ECUA says that's not true.
"It's totally inaccurate, our water meets every state federal drinking requirement. This company didn't test it, they took information we provided to our customers from our consumer confidence report," Bowers said.
"There are trace amounts of some constiguents, anything of a concern is addressed immediately. We will treat it, we will remove, or we will shut down the well and take it out of service."
Despite everything in the report, the Environmental Working Group says in many cases tap water is just as safe as bottled.
SWGB
So far this thread is informative, but if I hear the word Fluoride, I'm out.
Beach Fanatic
Flouride. 
Banned
Flouride.
I'l have you know that smiley of yours drinks flouridated water and so does my tar. This guy does not:
Edited
Admin
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) was quick to challenge the findings.
"The study apparently looked at 100 utilities, we all know there are more than 100 utilities even in the state of Florida. I understand that there are 5,000 in the country. They looked at a small section, based their information on data available to every customer that we send out," Nathalie Bowers with ECUA said.
The "you should have tested 5,000 utilities, no way we're number 5,000" defense.
Pensacola has long been poisoned by chemical and paper plants on the bay and rivers north of the city.
Study Finds Pensacola Has The Nation's Worst Water : NorthEscambia.com
...Federal law does not require tap water to be safe for long-term consumption; the long-term risks of cancer and other health threats are balanced against the cost and feasibility of purification. As a result, health officials acknowledge that legally binding contamination limits typically allow exposure to levels of pollutants that present real health risks. For hundreds of other contaminants there are no legal limits at all ? any amount is legal....
Chemicals detected in Pensacola?s water supply from 2004 to 2008 were: Barium (total), Chromium (total), Cyanide, Mercury (total inorganic), Nitrate, Nitrite, Selenium (total), Trichlorofluoromethane, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, 2,2-Dichloropropane, Monochloroacetic acid, Dibromoacetic acid, Chloroform, Xylenes (total), p-Dichlorobenzene, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, 1,1-Dichloroethane, 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane, Monochlorobenzene (Chlorobenzene), Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Alpha particle activity (incl. radon & uranium), Combined Uranium (pCi/L), Cadmium (total), Lead (total), Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Heptachlor epoxide, MTBE, Total haloacetic acids (HAAs), 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP), Bromoform, Bromodichloromethane, Dibromochloromethane, Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), 1,2-Dichloroethane, Carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-Dichloropropane, Trichloroethylene, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, Tetrachloroethylene, Benzene, Alpha particle activity (excl radon and uranium), Radium-226, Radium-228.
Beach Fanatic
While these reports of water systems are worrisome, it is really frightening to think that they will give people the false perception that bottled water provides a solution. Bottled water is not required to meet any federal standards, or be tested, for that matter. Many bottled waters are taken from municipal systems to begin with. Please check out the website for the movie Tapped, | Tapped the Movie - official site |
I have been talking to them about hosting a Florida premiere in the next couple of months, either through the SWCC sponsored Water Forum, planned for January, or independently.
I have been talking to them about hosting a Florida premiere in the next couple of months, either through the SWCC sponsored Water Forum, planned for January, or independently.
SoWal Expert
Bottled water is most definitely not a solution - especially since many "bottled" waters are filled at a municipal tap! 
And every gallon of bottled water takes 3 gallons of water to produce! Not to mention oil, transport, garbage etc. Our landfills are overflowing with those GD plastic water bottles!
And every gallon of bottled water takes 3 gallons of water to produce! Not to mention oil, transport, garbage etc. Our landfills are overflowing with those GD plastic water bottles!
Beach Fanatic
Thanks for chiming in. These studies are a potential boon to the waning bottled water industry.
SoWal Insider
Bottled water is most definitely not a solution - especially since many "bottled" waters are filled at a municipal tap!
And every gallon of bottled water takes 3 gallons of water to produce! Not to mention oil, transport, garbage etc. Our landfills are overflowing with those GD plastic water bottles!
What if you recycle the container?
Beach Fanatic
Plastic water bottles contain a very small percentage of recycable material. Again, I would encourage you to check out the movie website of Tapped. According to the documentary, these plastic bottles are a major contributer to the Texas sized garbage masses floating in the oceans. Their degraded particles outnumber plankton in water samples.
Beach Fanatic
We filter at the tap for drinking water at home, but do like to buy bottled for the work fridge or when we're on the road. (filling a reusable water bottle just doesn't seem to work as well for us outside the house) If you have to buy bottled, both Zephyrhills spring water and Publix's house spring water bottle from Florida springs.
Beach Lover
Bottled water is not required to meet any federal standards, or be tested, for that matter.
The above statement is absolutely false.
Beach Lover
Bottled water is most definitely not a solution - especially since many "bottled" waters are filled at a municipal tap!
And every gallon of bottled water takes 3 gallons of water to produce! Not to mention oil, transport, garbage etc.
FYI... If it's labeled "spring water", it is water from a real spring. If it's from a spring but brought to the surface via a pipe, it will be labeled "artesian water." If it's from a municipal source, it will say so on the label. These are federally regulated terms.
In fact, bottled water companies are regulated as a public supplies not only under the federal safe drinking water act (EPA), but also under all the food and drug regulations (FDA) as well as all the state and local regs that apply. Even New York City has it's own licensing procedure.
So, if a brand ships nationally (or even across a state line), your bottled water is regulated and tested at least as much and almost always much more than your municipality. For national brands, it's quite extreme and redundant, but that's the cost of doing business. In addition, most bottled water plants go through self-imposed NSF inspections--more rigorous than the fed, state and local governments could ever muster.
Edited
Beach FanaticAuthor
I wonder what it is that should actually be in water
H2O-2 parts hydrogen, 1 part oxygen
I have no conception of that
Actually, to me, it seems rather amazing
Any scientists out there?
H2O-2 parts hydrogen, 1 part oxygen
I have no conception of that
Actually, to me, it seems rather amazing
Any scientists out there?
Beach Fanatic
My understanding is that bottled water rarely crosses state lines, which is how it escapes rigorous testing. However, I admit, my only source of info is from having watched a documentary about bottled water and its myriad negative implications for our bodies and the environment. I would welcome access to the information you have about bottled water regulation and testing so I could read more about it. Please post some links. Thanks.
Skunky
H2O-2 parts hydrogen, 1 part oxygen
I have no conception of that
Actually, to me, it seems rather amazing
Any scientists out there?
Hydrogen bonding, we couldn't have life without it. I don't think there is another substance with greater density in the liquid state than solid state, at least none that I can readily think of.
SoWal Insider
H2O-2 parts hydrogen, 1 part oxygen
I have no conception of that
Actually, to me, it seems rather amazing
Any scientists out there?
Water is special stuff, and if it weren't so special, we wouldn't be here. Take for example the fact that it expands when frozen, very unique property. If it didn't do that, lakes would freeze solid during cold weather, killing off all life. Oceans would freeze during ice ages, ending life on the planet.
Beach Fanatic
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