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The following is a list of interesting sites
for your study of drinking water. They will provide you with a wealth of important and expert information about drinking
water, safety and quality.
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Important if you have children:
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Tapwater at
Risk: This extensive, three-part newspaper series published in
1996 by the Houston Chronicle explores the safety of the nation's tap water,
explains the dangers
threatening our water and describes what
communities can do to protect it. This series is old, but the
issues discussed are the same as we are facing 15 years later. |
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Drinking Water: Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC)
Drinking water comes from a variety of sources including public
water systems, private wells, or bottled water. Ensuring safe
and healthy drinking water may be as simple as turning on the
tap from an EPA-regulated public water system. Other water
sources may need a water filter, a check on water fluoridation,
or an inspection to ensure a septic tank is not too close to a
private well. It is important to know where drinking water comes
from, how it’s been treated, and if it’s safe to drink. |
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CDC - Water Disinfection for Travelers: Waterborne disease is a risk for international travelers who visit countries that have poor hygiene and inadequate sanitation, and for wilderness visitors who rely on surface water in any country, including the United States. The list of potential waterborne pathogens is extensive and includes bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasitic helminths. Most of the organisms that can cause travelers’ diarrhea can be waterborne. Where treated tap water is available, most travelers’ intestinal infections are probably transmitted by food, but where untreated surface or well water is used and there is no sanitation infrastructure, the risk of waterborne infection is high. Microorganisms with small infectious doses can even cause illness through recreational water exposure, via inadvertent water ingestion.
CDC Travelers'
Health |
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American Water Works Association: The American Water Works Association is an international nonprofit educational association dedicated to safe water. Founded in 1881 as a forum for water professionals to share information and learn from each other for the common good, AWWA is the authoritative resource for knowledge, information, and advocacy for improving the quality and supply of water in North America and beyond.
Consumer
Resources,
How to interpret your
Consumer Confidence Report,
Water Information,
Kids Resources,
AWWA response to EWG water quality rankings. |
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NSF
International helps protect you by
certifying products and writing
standards for food,
water and consumer goods. A never-ending supply of drinking water is something that many of us take for granted. We simply turn on the tap and there it is. Do you know where your drinking water comes from or how its quality compares to other water sources around the country? Many people now use home water treatment devices, but how do you know which product is right for you?
NSF International has been involved in helping consumers answer these and many other questions about drinking water for more than a quarter century.
(about
NSF) |
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National Drinking Water Clearinghouse: Helping small communities by
collecting, developing, and providing timely information relevant to drinking
water issues. Excellent resources
including a very informative magazine,
On
Tap (Drinking Water News For America's Small Communities):
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A Lesson in Microbiology:
Are you confused by the difference between a virus and bacteria? Ever wonder about emerging pathogens? This article provides an overview on microbiology and provides a glimpse of a world we can’t even see. |
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Emerging and Re-Emerging
Pathogens: Compelling Reasons to Protect
Drinking Water. (pdf file) |
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To Floridate or
Not: Some Communities Still Struggle for an Answer. (pdf
file) |
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Disinfection Byproducts and Waterborne
Disease: The Need for Balance
is
Essential. (pdf file) |
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Endocrine Disruptors:
What are they doing to you? Certain chemicals
such
as pesticides, fertilizers, fuel additives, and detergents, are routinely
found
in groundwater and surface water. These chemicals can interfere
with the
balance of normal hormone functions in animals, including
humans. |
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Can Public Water Utilities Compete with Bottled Water? Isolated water
contamination incidents have turned people off from turning on their taps
to enjoy a drink of water. Water coolers, once the central station for office
gossip, are now found in home kitchens. Joggers, walkers, hikers, and
bikers carry plastic bottles, chugging store-bought water instead of water
from home.... |
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Groundwater
101: One of our most valuable resources is right beneath
our
feet and we can’t even see it. |
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Distribution
101: How does water get from the source to your tap?- Most customers think distribution systems are the network of pipes
beneath roads and streets that transport water from treatment plants to
individual households, businesses, and other customers. And while this
is true, distribution systems also include pumps, storage tanks, fire
hydrants, service connections, meters, and other equipment.
A Brief History of Drinking Water Distribution: |
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Teaching Children about the Hydrologic Cycle - How do kids learn best
about the hydrologic cycle and how important drinking water is? Today
there are dozens of wonderful, colorful books about water. This is a review
of first learning books, primarily picture and story books for children aged
four to eight. |
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What
do ppm or ppb mean?
Most contaminants are expressed as parts
per million (ppm). This means that the concentration of a particular
substance is very low even though the regulatory agency may consider it a
significant amount. (pdf file) |
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What Private Well Owners Need To Know About Water Testing
- If you’re the owner
of a private water well, one of your most important
ongoing responsibilities is testing the water. What you
do with the results of a proper water test can make all
the difference in the safety and quality of your water.
Bacteria and Private Wells
- Millions of Americans get their drinking water from
private
wells and National Ground Water Association (NGWA)
public surveys show a high level of well owner
satisfaction. Importantly, the owners of household wells
are responsible for their own well maintenance and water
testing. And being a good water well steward means
having regular—at least yearly—tests for coliform
bacteria. Here are the answers to some common questions
regarding bacteria in water from wells. (pdf -
page 19) |
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Are Small Community Water Systems More at Risk? The
upshot is that many of the assertions of those working
with small community water systems were confirmed by the
results of this survey. Small systems are, indeed, more
likely to be in violation of water regulations, and more
likely not to be raising rates on an annual basis to
avoid what has been called “rate shock” when water
systems try to address long term problems. |
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Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: America's Aging
Infrastructure Desperately Needs an Overhall -
...another infrastructure crisis is happening largely
out of sight and out of mind: the country’s drinking
water and wastewater systems are deteriorating. And
while these systems rarely make the national news, the
threat that deteriorating facilities poses to hard-won
environmental and public health improvements is no less
real. (pdf -
page 16)
Rainwater Harvesting - same
issue |
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H2O - The Mystery, Art, and Science
of Water: a fascinating, multi-disciplinary examination of the
nature, properties, place, significance, importance, and role of WATER
in the life and culture of this planet which
includes The Chemistry of
Water by Professor Jill Granger.
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National Resources Defense council (NRDC) is the
nation's most effective environmental action group, combining
the grassroots power of 1.3 million members and online activists
with the courtroom clout and expertise of more than 350 lawyers,
scientists and other professionals.
Water Issues |
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The
Environmental Working Group (EWG) mission is to use the
power of public information to protect public health and the
environment.
Health/Toxics: Our Water,
Bottled Water Investigation,
National Drinking Water Database |
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The Sierra
Club has been working to protect communities, wild places,
and the planet itself Since 1892. We are the largest and most
influential grassroots environmental organization in the United
States.
Safe Drinking Water,
Bottled
Water, |
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Environment Canada:
Water - Canada is one of the highest water users per
capita in the world? It's no wonder that easy access to safe,
clean water is considered to be an important issue. Managing
Canada's water resources, which represents about seven per cent
of the world's renewable freshwater, is everyone’s
responsibility. |
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Lifewater
Canada is a
group of volunteers that trains, equips & supports the rural
poor in Haiti & Africa to drill wells and build washrooms.
The links provide references for rain water harvesting, fog
collecting, hand digging wells, solar disinfection, and other
topics related to water acquisition and treatment in developing
countries. |
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The Water Page is an independent initiative dedicated to the promotion of sustainable water resources management and use. A particular emphasis is placed on the development,
utilization and protection of water in Africa and other developing regions.
The
links page provides good resources. |
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The Hydrologic Cycle: University of Illinois
(summary,
details); Michigan State University Institute of Water Research
(details);
USGS;
Wikipedia;
Physicalgeography.net |
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Water for the Ages: This is a list of some organizations
working on water and sanitation (WatSan) issues in multiple
countries around the world. |
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Food
& Water Watch works to ensure the food,
water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and
sustainably produced. So we can all enjoy and trust in what we
eat and drink, we help people take charge of where their food
comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing
freely to our homes, protect the environmental quality of
oceans, force government to do its job protecting citizens, and
educate about the importance of keeping the global commons — our
shared resources — under public control. |
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Drinking
Water: A comprehensive list of government web resources from
the National Library of Medicine that
covers a wide variety of drinking water topics. |
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Blacksburg Christiansburg VPI Water
Authority
AWWA;s The Story of Drinking
Water -
(geared toward children),
From the River to the Tap, and
Fascinating Water Facts. |
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Water
Structure and Behavior by Dr. Martin Chaplin.
Explanations of the
complex behavior of water have been
published, many quite recently. "In
this site, I have brought
together a self-consistent selection of these ideas,
which I hope
will encourage both the understanding of water and further
work." His site includes a Magnetic
water discussion and a discussion on
Homeopathic theory. |
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Explain That Stuff -
Water: One of the truly amazing things about water is that it's never used up: it's just recycled over and over again, constantly moving between the plants, animals, rivers, and seas on Earth's surface and the atmosphere up above. Let's take a look at this life-giving liquid and find out what makes it so special. |
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Enhanced, Altered Water: No discussion about water treatment would be complete
these days without
mention of what I call "altered" water - water that
has been treated in some
way (clustering, photonic treatment, oxygenation,
vortex treatments, etc.) to purportedly "enhance" it's health
effects. Regardless of any alleged health
benefits, these products
are extremely effective at separating customers
from their money - I have seen
some of this bottled water sell for more than
$16 a gallon (that's about 3,000 times
more than the cost of tap water). In
my estimation, the fact that these
products appear to flourish and multiply is
a sad testament to the inability of
many consumers to effectively evaluate
claims about a product's effectiveness.
Aqua Scams: water treatment pseudoscience and quackery, by Dr.
Stephen K. Lower, "A retired chemistry professor
who casts a jaundiced
eye at alternative water treatment
methods involving magnets, "catalysts",
electric fields,
methods, and similar dubious methods. The purpose of this
site is to examine the scientific validity of the
explanations given by the
proponents of "alternative" water treatment
devices or, in the case of
"clustered water", of a fictional
alternative form of water that is purported to
be a restorer of youth and vigor.
My motivation for doing this is entirely
non-vested and very simple: after
thirty-four years of teaching general,
physical, and environmental Chemistry, it
disturbs me to see my favorite
science presented incorrectly (and often mangled
into Pseudoscience) in
the promotion of processes or devices offered to the public. The
Water Structure article is also interesting and informative.
North Texas Skeptic has
a discussion of "clustered
water" claims. I also devote a few
paragraphs to discussing
how to evaluate the claims made by
these companies. |
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Health Alert: There is a chemical that I guarantee you and
your family are
exposed to daily that can cause serious health problems.
Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO) is a colorless and odorless
chemical compound, also referred to by some as Dihydrogen Oxide,
Hydrogen Hydroxide, Hydronium Hydroxide, or simply Hydric acid. Its basis is
the highly reactive hydroxyl radical, a species shown to mutate DNA, denature
proteins, disrupt cell membranes, and chemically alter critical
neurotransmitters. The atomic components of DHMO are found in a number of
caustic, explosive and poisonous compounds such as Sulfuric Acid,
Nitroglycerine and Ethyl Alcohol.
Youtube Warning |
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World Health
Organization (WHO): Drinking Water Quality
page - a number
of links to world Drinking Water
Quality Guidelines and general water
quality issues.
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Water Research Center:- Online information
guide to topics related to water quality, drinking water,
groundwater
and surface water, common water quality problems
and water analysis and
testing. They also offer drinking
water testing and analysis services
provided by a certified
laboratory.
The water Library, compiled on a number of topics ranging
from water quality, drinking water, water treatment,
evapotranspiration, groundwater, lake management, mold, private
wells, septic systems, radon, and wellhead protection. |
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"Khotso,
Pula, Nala!" (Peace, Rain, Prosperity!) Basotho
Greeting. The
Peace Corps'
Water
in Africa site. Here, (in the U.S.)
we turn on the water
tap and expect clean, safe water to
emerge. That is not an expectation in
much of the
world. At this site Peace Corps volunteers describe water
quality, water procurement, and water use in their villages. Many
pictures of the water procurement processes in Africa. (Extremely interesting
site - RJ) |
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Environment,
Health, and Safety Online - Environmental Health & Safety
Online, for EHS Professionals and the general
public! We hope to answer your questions and concerns about the effects of chemicals
in the air you breath, the quality of the water you drink, food safety, and
compounds found in building materials, etc. that you and your family may be
exposed to.
Endocrine
Disruptors and Human Health
Drinking
Water Information (Bottled Water or Tap Water?)
State
contacts for laboratories certified to test drinking water for
contaminants
FAQs
about Drinking Water
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The Groundwater Foundation is a nonprofit organization that educates people and inspires
action to ensure sustainable, clean groundwater for future generations.
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USGS Water
Resources of the United States: The U.S. Geological
Survey collects information needed to understand the Nation's
water resources, and provides access to water data,
publications, and maps, as well as to recent water projects and
events. |
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The UK
Rivers Network: A new environmental organization designed to
campaign on river issues throughout England, Wales, Scotland,
Ireland,
and North Ireland.
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The World's Water: Water is one of our most critical resources, but around the world it is under threat. Worldwater.org is dedicated to providing information and resources to help protect and preserve fresh water around the globe. |
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Cryptosporidium/coccidial/parasitology
research: Division of Biology, Kansas State University. The definitive site for Cryptosporidium/Coccidial Research. |
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The Why Files
- The Science Behind the News:
Endocrine Disruptors, a search on
Drinking Water |
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National
Environmental Health
Association Position on Endocrine Disrupters
and the Endocrine/Estrogen Letter
(the most comprehensive source of unbiased, accurate information
about the scientific, regulatory and political issues associated with suspected endocrine
disrupters with excellent
links).
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100 Ways To Conserve
Water
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#1 |
There are a number of
ways to save water, and they all start with
you.
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#2 |
When washing dishes by
hand, don't let the water run while rinsing.
Fill one sink with wash water and the other
with rinse water. |
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#3 |
Some refrigerators, air
conditioners and ice-makers are cooled with
wasted flows of water. Consider upgrading
with air-cooled appliances for significant
water savings. |
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Adjust sprinklers so only
your lawn is watered and not the house,
sidewalk, or street. |
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96 more ways to conserve water
Plus other helpful information and a
wealth of water-related resources. |
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Drinking Water In The News - search Google,
MSN,
or
Yahoo
for current news about drinking water. You may search the US National Library of Medicine
(NLM) and
PubMed databases for the following topics and read the most current
abstracts from medical journals. (The search is actually conducted at
the NLM. The NLM does not hold the copyright on the abstracts found in PubMed, the journal publishers do.
required disclaimer-RJ)
Disinfection
byproducts and cancer: note that the references go back to the
mid
60s
Disinfection
byproducts and adverse pregnancy outcomes: note, this is a
relatively new finding - most of the relevant references only go back to
the
mid 90s.
Solar
disinfection of drinking water: Solar disinfection of water may
significantly reduce morbidity in communities with no other means of
disinfection of drinking water, because of lack of resources or in the
event of a disaster.
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