The Wednesday Wetness

Delaware News, Newly Released Federal Report Highlights Complexity of PFAS Exposure 

Researchers hope the study, which shows the results of testing for seven different types of PFAS in household dust, may also help further educate consumers about PFAS. While the synthetic “forever chemicals” have tended to be most prominently associated with drinking water to date, scientists are now discovering that as much as 80% of a person’s exposure to PFAS may stem from use of everyday products.

Bay Journal, Concerns rise over PFAS exposure near MD Perdue plant

The 250-acre Perdue plant at the center of the Salisbury investigation contains a soybean-processing plant, a chicken hatchery and a grain-storage facility. MDE detected PFAS in wastewater there in September 2023 as part of a statewide campaign to test potential hot spots. The Perdue concentrations stood out, ranging from below detectable levels to 1,370 parts per trillion. The federal drinking water limit is 4 parts per trillion.

But neither the state nor Perdue notified the public until about a year after the initial discovery. They say it took time to drill additional monitoring wells on the west side of Perdue’s property and gather evidence that the groundwater contamination was migrating off-site.

“That’s when we had the information to inform the [other] property owners,” said Lee Currey, director of MDE’s water and science administration.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Merry Christmas! up on time at The Other McCain. 

The Wednesday Wetness

River Network, Emergency Response Resources to Drinking Water Quality Post-Flooding

Hurricane Helene has wrecked havoc in several southeastern states, and Hurricane Milton is barreling towards Florida. These latest climate disasters have left a devastating trail of destruction, leaving many communities without power, cell service, and running water. Our hearts go out to all those affected, including our River Network staff in Asheville, North Carolina, and in Florida, who are thankfully safe amidst the widespread flooding.

These events serve as a stark reminder of the critical importance of proactive planning and the urgent need to build resilient communities. This blog is a work-in-progress to provide timely resources related to flooding impacts and drinking water safety.

Heavy rainfall can make well water unsafe to drink. If you think flooding has impacted your well water, use bottled water. Do not use water from a flooded well until it has been tested. If the well was flooded and underwater, do not turn on the pump until you are sure the electrical system is completely dried out. Pumps need to be cleaned and lubricated if they’ve been covered by flood water and sediment.

If you get your water from a public water system and are under a boil water advisory, boil water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, and washing any areas of the skin that have been cut or injured.

Waterways affected by flooding may also be unsafe to contact – East Tennessee surface waters may be contaminated by wastewater treatment plants that were compromised, for example. Floodwaters may bring contamination from other industries, farmland, and power plants, and standing water can increase the presence of mold and insects, like mosquitoes, that can carry diseases.

A little dated, but still good advice.

The Wombat has Ruke 5 Sunday: Little Mischief Baker (sic) up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

Penn State Extension Service, Why Are You Thankful for Water?

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: A Girl & Her Jeep up on time and underbudget at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

Penn Live, New chemical identified in drinking water could be toxic

About a third of U.S. residents have been receiving tap water containing a previously unidentified chemical byproduct, a new study has found.

But the mysterious chemical has left scientists concerned. So much so, that they’re investigating whether it could be toxic. Since then, it’s been identified.

The newly identified substance is called “chloronitramide anion,” which is produced when water is treated with chloramine, a chemical formed by mixing chlorine and ammonia. Chloramine is mostly used to kill viruses and bacteria in municipal water treatment systems.

According to researchers, the byproduct has been around and was discovered 40 years ago but was only identified now because analysis techniques have been improved, which finally allowed scientists to figure out the chemical’s structure.

The authors of the new study came across their results after finding out how to formulate high concentrations of the chemical for laboratory testing, per Julian Fairey, lead author and an associate professor at the University of Arkansas.

I can virtually guarantee it's toxic in high enough concentrations; even water and oxygen are. The question is whether it really has substantial toxicity at the concentrations found in tap water treated with chloramines  and whether that outweighs the benefits of killing bacteria and viruses.  The data, the fact that no illness have been traced to water treated with chloramines, suggest it does not.

We don't have to worry about the chloronitramide anion in our water, since our water is treated with ordinary (highly toxic in high concentrations) chlorine.

I forgot to send my Rule 5s to the Wombat this week, but he still posted Rule 5 Sunday: Cheerful Bikini anyway. 

The Wednesday Wetness

WUSA9,  Magnet fishermen recover dozens of electric scooters from the Anacostia River in DC

“How did that get in there? I want to know this," said Cedric Ellis, a Southeast DC resident walking along the Anacostia River Sunday.

"I ran out here a few days ago and I saw these lined up over here," said Zoe Ellis. "There was a bunch of them.”

The scooters and trash were pulled from the water by magnet fishermen Ian White and Kevin Sutliff.

“It's our hobby on the weekends," said White. "We try to go around different waterways all over the state, moving on to different states now, and try to clean up and get stuff out of the water.”

But what is magnet fishing?

“It's a Neodymium magnet," said Sutliff. "We attach it to the rope and throw it in the water and see what we find. It's almost just like regular fishing. You get what you get.”

In late October, they recovered a record haul along the Anacostia River near Nationals Park.

“I didn't expect to see 31 scooters and bikes in two days, let alone an electric shopping cart," said White.

Not to mention guns.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Casual Denim up on time and under budget.

The Wednesday Wetness

USGS on YouTube, Susquehanna River Story — What does the science say about water quality?

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: In The Kitchen up on time and under budget.

The Wednesday Wetness

NBC News, A new study suggested the public health benefits of water fluoridation are diminishing

NBC News’ Yasmin Vossoughian details the scrutiny around fluoride and explains why a federal judge ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency needs to take action to regulate it. 

So the John Birch Society was right all along? Recent studies link elevated fluoride in drinking water to lower IQs in children.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Where My Wolfsbane At? on time and under budget at the Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

GreaterGreater Washington, Anacostia River cleanup efforts continue, after swim events were canceled two years in a row

An event planned for this past summer would have been the first legal swim in the Anacostia River in over 50 years. For the fourth time in a row, the event was canceled due to pollution concerns.

The Anacostia River Splash! organized by Anacostia Riverkeeper was initially postponed on June 29 due to elevated levels of E. coli after rain that week. The event was eventually canceled for the season.

“We prioritize the health and safety of our community, so postponing and ultimately canceling was the only responsible choice,” said Quinn Molner, the director of operations of the organization, in an email.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Well Rounded up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

WTOP, If something disrupts the Potomac River, DC has less than 24 hours of water in supply

D.C. could be in hot water if something ever disrupts the Potomac River’s drinking water supply. That’s according to a new report outlining the devastating economic impact a disruption would cause while urging for a better backup.

“If we do have an issue here in the District of Columbia, at the Washington Aqueduct, we have approximately less than 24 hours of water in supply,” David Gaddis, the CEO and general manager of D.C. Water, said during a news conference at The Wharf on Tuesday.

The report from the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin revealed that a catastrophe on the Potomac — such as a severe drought, chemical spill, infrastructure failure or algae bloom — could disrupt the water supply for weeks. The commission found such a disruption could result in a loss of $15 billion in gross regional product within the first month.

I mean, what could go wrong? A hurricane? 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: But First, Coffee  up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

Franklin County Freep, Pennsylvania Faces Widespread Lead Pipe Crisis Despite Increased Funding

Pennsylvania is grappling with a significant lead pipe issue, ranking among the states with the most lead water service lines. Cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia alone report having 29,000 and 25,000 lead pipes, respectively, though experts believe the problem is even larger due to a lack of comprehensive data.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) estimates that more than 660,000 service lines in Pennsylvania contain lead. A report by NRDC highlights that many U.S. cities, both large and small, continue to have residents using lead pipes for their drinking water, often without knowing the materials used in their service lines.

All drinking water, and all plumbing systems have lead. The only question is how much. 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Loungewear garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

At Maryland Matters, Gerald Weingard, EPA and Bay states are greenwashing Chesapeake Bay progress

Forty years of formal efforts to restore the water quality and living resources of the Chesapeake Bay have failed despite the expenditure of more than $12 billion. For 27 years, the Bay states solemnly agreed upon repeated voluntary restoration agreements and failed to comply without Environmental Protection Agency sanctions.

In 2010, the EPA was forced by a court settlement to impose mandatory requirements for Bay states to assure that Bay-choking nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution were reduced. This was to comply with Clean Water Act (CWA) requirements so that 100% of Bay waters met the law’s minimum standards for clean water.

EPA generously gave the recalcitrant states until 2025 to comply or face penalties. As the states fail again by wide margins to meet CWA requirements, a feckless EPA again refuses to impose any sanctions to prod the states into compliance.

Instead, EPA and the Bay state governors decided in 2022 to punt in lieu of ramping up efforts to tamp down the most egregious pollution sources — agriculture and developed land stormwater. They agreed to take two years to “recalibrate” (read delay) and develop a new plan for beyond 2025. The draft issued in July was a real nothingburger.

I blame the EPA, and the States for setting unreasonable goals. Spend the first dollar on the easiest problem to fix, maybe don't spend the last dollar on something that can't be fixed. 

Bay Journal, This is the moment — to think big for the Chesapeake Bay. No, this is time to think small! Find the easiest problems remaining!

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Moving Indoors up on time and under budget.

Wednesday's Wetness

Done come on Thursday this week:

Waterkeepers Chesapeake, Maryland’s Plan to Take Action on PFAS, the Forever Chemical.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Enthusiasm! ready and waiting at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

Fox 45: Levels of ‘forever chemicals’ in water exceed regulations in some Baltimore schools

Along with the stress of a new school year, some Baltimore area schools also are dealing with elevated levels of PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” found in their water systems.

Water testing detected elevated levels of PFAS in several schools in Baltimore, Howard and Harford counties. In some schools, bottled water will be the new normal while solutions are being worked on.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are an expansive group containing thousands of man-made chemicals that have been used to create several products, from nonstick pans to waterproof raincoats. Though their resistance to water and heat makes the chemicals useful, it also means that once they get into the environment they don’t readily degrade, which earned them the forever chemical nickname.

Which begs the question, where do the PFAS in these water supplies come from? Most of the region of concern uses treated surface water for drinking (unlike us, whose deep well water is 40,000 years old, and remarkably free of PFAS), and presumably the water supplies in the area around the affected schools is similarly contaminated. We'll probably find that out soon enough, as the PFAS testing mandate from EPA will kick in.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Sunday Morning Coffee up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

MDDNR, Chesapeake Bay Hypoxia Report – Early Summer 2024

Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University show a higher than average volume of hypoxia—waters with less than 2 mg/l oxygen—in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia in early June, that improved to less than average size in late June though late July.

It's been dry this summer. Good for anoxia.  

The Wombat has Rule Five Sunday: My Next Ex-Wife up on time and under budget at the Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

WTOP, Limited water advisory in effect for parts of Prince George’s County

A heads up for people who live in the Camp Springs area of southern Prince George’s County. WSCC Water is asking customers to limit their water usage to help avoid a Boil Water Advisory and preserve water in case of a fire.

WSCC says crews are currently working to restore water flow to the Camp Springs water tank. The advisory impacts nearly 1,400 customers. Until further notice, customers are asked to stop all outside water use, take shorter showers, limit flushing and the use of washers and dryers.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Sydney Sweeney IS Black Cat up and pining for attention at The Other McCain. 

The Wednesday Wetness

Trash Island in Potomac River off Washington D.C.

WUSA9, 'Trash Island' cleanup underway after tropical storm, DC Water's fleet of trash skimmers is at work in the wake of Debby.

Trash skimmer boats operated by DC Water are responding to clean up the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers in the wake of Tropical Storm Debby. 

On Monday, one of the utility's five skimmers was at work removing debris from the Washington Channel. A "trash island" that formed in the river during storm conditions Friday has broken up, but high waters continue to bring debris from the upper Potomac into the D.C. waterfront area in the wake of the storm. After weeks of hot, dry conditions in the DMV area this summer, the soil has hardened — leading water to roll over it instead of being absorbed. That rolling water has pushed the current mound of debris into the water.

DC Water's skimmers remove between 400 and 500 tons of trash and debris from the Potomac annually, according to John Lisle of DC Water.  Riverkeepers on the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers report improvements in the wake of the opening of the Northeast Boundary Tunnel Project in September of 2023. The underground system is designed to catch pulses of stormwater, debris and sewage overflows during storm events, and divert the pollution to Blue Plains for treatment. The system is providing a 98% reduction in combined sewage overflow volume in an average rainfall year, according to DC water.

During Debby, the system captured more than 100 million gallons of combined sewage overflow that was headed to the Anacostia, according to Lisle. A similar tunnel system is now under construction between the Tidal Basin and Georgetown, and will take six years to complete.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Welcome, Indiana! up at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

At the Bay Journal, Get to know a stream near you — and its connection to the Chesapeake Bay

A small creek is often one of the first “natural” places a child investigates, a seemingly wild area full of adventures. The sound of water flowing though the landscape and trickling over rocks is all but universally soothing. Streams offer us a place of refuge from the stress of our everyday lives. Streams connect us to nature.

As a kid growing up in Culver City, California, I used to explore La Ballona Creek (for some reason they seem to have dropped the "La"), a fully channelized creek that is now largely street runoff.  Our house was only a few houses distant. We used to catch tadpoles and mosquito fish, and look for "treasures" there. One time my dad and I found a diamond ring.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Biker Babe In Bikini up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

WaPoo, D.C. region under drought watch as officials advise limiting water use. "Officials says short showers and other limits on water use can help the region as heat continues."

Six million residents across the region are being asked to be careful with their water use after the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments issued a drought watch on Monday. The guidance comes after a stretch of record-setting hot days that has created unusually dry conditions in Maryland, Virginia and the District, including low flow in the Potomac River.

Officials remain adamant that region is prepared. The three water supply reservoirs in the region are full, and if needed water can be directed from them into the river basin. The water-saving measures suggested by local leaders on Monday — including taking five-minute showers; turning the faucet off when brushing your teeth; and waiting to wash dishes and laundry until you have full loads — remain voluntary.

Our water system, which depends of water from deep wells, 300-400 ft, is unaffected by drought. The aquifers are managed, and even during drought spells with high water use, our usage remains under the withdrawal limits set by the state.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Redheads – Threat or Menace? up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

No-swim advisory continues on the James River. That's a lot of water. 

The Wombat makes up time with Rule 5 Sunday: Hangar Queen Double-Scoop Sunday! 

The Wednesday Wetness

NJ.com, Father and son rescue N.Y.C. man who spent the night treading water off the N.J. Shore

Two commercial fishermen helped rescue a New York City man who drifted overnight from the waters off a Queens neighborhood toward the New Jersey shoreline in Monmouth County, police said. The 34-year-old man was brought into the boat by the fishermen, a father and son, and taken to the Monmouth Cove Marina around 9 a.m. Monday, Middletown Township police said.

Township Deputy Police Chief Paul Bailey told NJ Advance Media the man entered the water in Breezy Point, a section of Queens, around 11 p.m. Sunday and was caught in the outgoing tide. He was about 2 miles off the New Jersey coastline when he was rescued.

Breezy Point and the marina are about 5 miles across the water from each other, spanning three bays, Lower, Raritan and Sandy Hook, Bailey said. The waters are busy with shipping traffic coming from the New York and New Jersey ports, he said. “It’s unbelievably remarkable,” Bailey said.

The Wombat makes up time with Rule 5 Sunday: Hangar Queen Double-Scoop Sunday!