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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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
BY JEFF DELONG ? JDELONG@RGJ.COM ? DECEMBER 16, 2009
Comments(6) Recommend Print this page E-mail this article Share
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1 | 2
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.
(2 of 2)
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."
Next Page
1 | 2
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
Recommend New PostReply to this PostReport Abuse
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
Recommend New PostReply to this PostReport Abuse
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
Recommend New PostReply to this PostReport Abuse
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
Recommend New PostReply to this PostReport Abuse
12>>Last
FULL PAGE VIEW See more comments per page and quote other replies
You must be logged in to leave a comment. Login | Register
1000 characters left
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
