News - Spring 2011 Newsletter

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EPA and ADEQ Considering Stricter Standards for Chromium in Drinking Water

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) are considering stricter standards for hexavalent chromium content in drinking water. Chromium +6 is commonly used by electroplating facilities as an algae inhibitor, is in some cooling systems around power plants, and has also been found to leach into groundwater from natural ores.

Chromium received national attention through the film Erin Brockovich in 2000, but continues to be found in tap water across the country. Exposure to chromium +6 is known to cause various forms of cancer in both humans and other animals.

In a recent study of 35 cities, chromium +6 was found in 31 cities and was higher than the State of California recommended maximum (0.06 mg/L) in 25 cities. Common household water filters do not remove hexavalent chromium, although some reverse osmosis systems can remove it. Some bottled waters may also contain the chemical because they are often taken from municipal water sources. There is currently no national standard for hexavalent chromium, but this new study is drawing attention to this contaminant and the need for a federal standard.

The impact of a federal chromium standard on Arizona is uncertain at this point, since it is not known how high the standard will be. The current Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) in the State of Arizona is 0.1 mg/L (100 parts per billion-ppb). A spokesperson from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) estimates that a MCL of 0.05 mg/L (comparable to the California standard) would only impact up to 1 percent of the 985 regulated public water systems in Arizona. Only a major jump to an MCL of 0.02 mg/L or lower would possibly impact between 10–34 percent of these public water systems.

The EPA is currently offering guidance to utility companies on chromium testing and research while they consider possible federal testing and limit requirements.

Correction

An article in the Winter 2011 AWR on the Sloan AQUS system stating that the system did not require a reclaimed water permit requires clarification. This more detailed description of policy was supplied by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) on the Sloan AQUS Gray Water Technology:

“[T]he Sloan AQUS system is not a treatment technology or disposal works according to our rules and therefore, would not require permitting under our engineering review program. Household use of gray water is permitted under a Type 1 Reclaimed Water General Permit for Gray Water provided flows are less than 400 gallons per day and all conditions of the general permit are met. However, our Type 1 gray water rules currently prohibit the use of gray water for purposes other than irrigation (e.g., household gardening, composting, lawn watering or landscape irrigation) under A.A.C. R18-9-711(A)(2) and 711(B). Therefore, the AQUS system would not qualify under our general permit program. Under our current rules, installation of the AQUS system in homes for toilet flushing would require an individual reuse permit (A.A.C. R18-9-705 and 706).”

The Department will be initiating future stakeholder efforts and possible rulemaking as it explores the Blue Ribbon Panel on Water Sustainability’s recommendations concerning the use of reclaimed water and gray water.

Month Dedicated to Water Awareness

April is Water Awareness Month (WAM) in Arizona. Arizona’s first WAM was proclaimed in April 2008 by the governor’s office in order to help create a culture of conservation and reduce the impact of drought on our natural resources, economy, and quality of life. Its goal was to instill a greater awareness of water issues through community education, action and celebration.

The theme for WAM 2011 is “AWARENESS— of water conservation issues in our state.” This year, the actions by Arizona residents that organizers hope to motivate are to (1) use water more efficiently, (2) become aware of water conservation activities in their region, and (3) know where to turn for information and resources.

The Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) and the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA) worked collaboratively to expand statewide promotion of Water Awareness Month by creating an interactive website. Water providers and conservation experts around the state contributed information about waterrelated activities, events, tips, and resources. The WAM web site is full of ideas and activities to help Arizonans learn more about water conservation and become more aware of our state’s most precious resource, water.

At the campaign’s heart is an interactive, topic-driven calendar—WaterAwareness- Month.com—that serves as an information hub. Each day has a theme that when clicked on, displays information about activities and events, how-to resources and handy tips that revolve around that theme. For example:

  • April 4th “DIY Landscape Day” focuses on designing and installing a low water use landscape
  • April 9th is all about Rebates for water conservation
  • April 18th “Grow Green Kids” Day has interactive games and activities
  • April 13th “It’s Not Rocket Science” features irrigation timers and tips on watering.

Or, if one wishes, all of the activities, events, resources, and tips can be seen as comprehensive lists.

In addition to the calendar, the WAM Facebook Page and Twitter can be accessed through th website, and the public is invited to participate in the dialog. There are even places for people to make a pledge about their own water conservation efforts and upload water conservation related photos or videos. Partnering organizations were provided with a turnkey, day-by-day guide to using social media to promote the WAM website to the public, including a website widget, suggested Facebook posts, and Tweets.

To assess the effectiveness of the WAM web-based, social media campaign, organizers plan on conducting several evaluative activities, including:

  • Document the number and type of promotional partners and contributors
  • Survey partners for their opinions, suggestions, and results
  • Track the number and type of pledges
  • Track the tweets
  • Track the number of requests to receive a water conservation newsletter.

For additional information, contact: Jo Cook, jcook@amwua.org or Ruth Greenhouse, rgreenhouse@azwater.gov

Innovative Educational Program Introduces Middle Schoolers to Water Resources Research

In an increasingly technological world, the ability of Arizona and the United States to innovate and compete will rely on building an effective workforce in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Unfortunately, many students in Arizona have fallen behind students in other states and countries in these areas long before they get to college. The need is urgent to improve educational opportunities for the state’s K-12 students to learn to think critically about complex, multifaceted problems and communicate effectively. To meet that need, Arizona Project WET, a program of the Water Resources Research Center, has launched a project to pilot STEM subject integration into the study of water resources. The Water Investigations Program (WIP) offers direct experience for middle school students to conduct scientific investigations.

Teacher cohorts in four schools in Maricopa, Pinal, Pima and Cochise counties have been working collaboratively with education specialists over the school year to guide students through a learning progression that began with investigating their own water use, installing aerators in their bathroom faucets, and calculating water savings. Then building on what they learned about water saving, students studied Arizona’s water resources. They used interactive lessons in their classrooms to explore where their water comes from, the connections between groundwater use and Arizona’s rivers, and the importance of riparian areas to plant and animal communities.

In the next phase of the WIP, students use their knowledge of water resources, their scientific inquiry skills, and their native curiosity to develop their own investigations in riparian areas managed by The Nature Conservancy along the San Pedro River. Thanks to the support of the Water Sustainability Program, twenty graduate students, Mentor Scientists from the University of Arizona, will guide each collaborative learning group in conducting these student-designed field investigations. The middle school students are curious about plant and animal life in and around the river, water quality, stream discharge, and groundwater. They ask questions like “Does the groundwater level change with land elevation?” and “Does the amount of available water determine leaf size?” The Mentor Scientists will facilitate student investigations and share their expertise from the fields of ornithology, geology, entomology, dendrochronology, climatology and many others.

The pilot program finale is a Riparian Symposium on April 29, 2011 at the UA Student Union, where both middle school students and UA mentors will share research results and explore the ways that their work can inform conservation practices in the city and land management practices in riparian areas. The WIP will reach 200 middle school students in its pilot year. This innovative project is funded through a Water Quality Improvement Program grant from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and the Water Sustainability Program. The Nature Conservancy will be taking the pilot to the next level and funding a WIP in the Phoenix Valley starting this Fall.

Contact Kerry Schwartz, director, Arizona Project WET for more information (kschwartz@cals.arizona.edu or 520-621-1092).