An annotated collection of web site links concerned with topics as they relate to drinking water safety and quality in various states.

State Sites or Topics
The Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA)	The ASDWA is the professional Association serving state drinking water programs. Formed in 1984 to address a growing need for state administrators to have national representation, ASDWA has become a respected voice for state primacy agents with Congress, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other professional organizations. ASDWA's principal activities include:.....
PSR - Generations at Risk	This report brings together for the first time information about the reproductive health effects of selected chemical exposures with California chemical use and emissions data.
CNN	MTBE dangers were known, report claims - March 23, 1999 - The oil industry knew about MTBE threats to drinking water before the controversial gasoline additive was introduced in California, according to an article in the March 16 edition of the Sacramento Bee.
Vinny's North Carolina Water Supply & AQ Related Material	This site has technical and policy information on the loan and grant programs that North Carolina administers for public water systems. It is not very useful for people on private water systems (e.g., wells). The information may be useful to people outside the state for good discussions on environmental review requirements. A section that deals with environmental review for infrastructure projects under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) or the various State Environmental Policy Acts (SEPAs) can be found here. The official site for the Loan and Grant Unit of the NC Public Water Supply Section.
North Carolina Division of Health, Public Water Supply	North Carolina's Source Water Assessment Program Pollution prevention is becoming an increasingly important strategy for protection of the environment. Pollution prevention is also recognized as the most effective approach for ensuring a reliable, long-term, and safe supply of public drinking water at a reasonable cost to consumers. For the protection of public drinking water supplies relying on ground water in North Carolina, the state has an EPA approved, voluntary Wellhead Protection Program administered by the Public Water Supply Section of the Division of Environmental Health. North Carolina also has a Water Supply Watershed Protection program for the protection of public water systems relying on surface water.
U.S. Water News Online	Santa Monica water supply threatened by MTBE July 1996 - SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Santa Monica is the first city in California to be forced to shut down a large part of its drinking-water supply because of contamination by the gasoline additive MTBE - and may be the first large city in the nation to face such a problem. Excessive amounts of MTBE in water supplies have forced this city of about 100,000 - adjacent to Los Angeles and famed for its beaches - to close three of the five wells in a field that supplies 40 percent of its drinking water.
CNN	MTBE dangers were known, report claims - March 23, 1999 - The oil industry knew about MTBE threats to drinking water before the controversial gasoline additive was introduced in California, according to an article in the March 16 edition of the Sacramento Bee.
CNN	Rural America gets clean water dollars BOSTON (CNN) July 16, 1999 -Most Americans take clean drinking water for granted. But, for close to 7 million people in the United States, what comes out of the tap isn't necessarily clean enough to drink without worrying about getting sick, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
CNN	Water, water everywhere -- but will there be enough to drink? Part I of a two-part series exploring the issues of water supply in distribution facing the next millennium. Read the second installment here.
City of Los Angeles Water Services	Los Angeles water department information page: Contains information on water contaminants, purification options, etc.
CNN	World's poor pay most for drinking water, commission says Report: Millions die each year due to contaminated water.
CNN	Drinking fluids reduces bladder cancer risk, study finds BOSTON (CNN) -- Men who drink a large amount of fluid reduce their risk of getting bladder cancer by half, according to a new study at the Harvard School of Public Health.
CNN	Toilet water on tap? - San Diego hopes to recycle waste water - SAN DIEGO (CNN, April 25, 1997) - While San Diego is a city of many natural and man-made riches, water isn't one of them. The city imports 90 percent of its water from the Colorado River and the state water project. But engineers have flushed out a startling solution to the region's water woes. If all goes according to plan, by the year 2001, the city's sewage water will be treated and recycled right into the drinking tap.
Central Coast Water Authority	Virtual Tour of the Polonio Pass Water Treatment Plant
Santa Clara Valley Water District's Water Quality	Responsible for ensuring that the drinking water that the District provides is of the highest possible quality, meeting or exceeding all federal and state drinking water standards.
San Jose Water Company	Welcome to SJW on the web, information about the work and business of Silicon Valley's water company.
Drinking Water and Health	Colorado State University, Cooperative Extension - A discussion of important water contaminants and solutions.
Colorado Water Knowledge	Resources at Colorado State University: Interesting facts about water issues in Colorado {site can be slow}
Colorado Water Resources Research Institute	The Colorado Water Resources Research Institute (CWRRI), an affiliate of Colorado State University, exists for the express purpose of focusing the water expertise of higher education on the evolving water concerns and problems being faced by Colorado citizens. Kid Zone. {Site contains many water related links.}
Denver Water Company	Mission Statement - Denver Water will provide our customers with high quality water and excellent service through responsible and creative stewardship of the assets we manage. We will do this with a productive and diverse work force. We will actively participate in and be a responsible member of the water community. [Denver, Colorado has very good water relative to many places in the country, but read the 1999 Water Quality Report.]
CNN	Insecticide found in Florida drinking water supply - ATLANTA (CNN, July 15, 1997) - TAMPA, Florida - Recent water tests indicate that tiny amounts of the insecticide malathion, used by medfly fighters, have made their way into Tampa's drinking water supply.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection	Working with Floridians to Protect, Conserve, and Manage Florida's Environment and Natural Resources. Water Resource Management
Hoosier Environmental Council	Hoosier Environmental Council works to restore and protect Indiana's natural environment upon which all life depends. Pesticides, Toxins & Endocrine Disrupters
Handbook On Drinking Water Quality	Fort Wayne, IN - Information on drinking water issues, including a description of water treatment practices - interesting general information on how a water treatment plant works.
National Water Quality Database (NWQD)	The National Water Quality Database is an information management tool for locating water quality and waste management educational resources created by the 50 State Cooperative Extension Services. You can search by category (i.e. Drinking Water Quality) or by state. Alternate link to The National Extension Water Quality Database with a different interface.
National Extension Water Quality Database	Welcome to the Purdue - CSREES-USDA Water Quality Information Management Project. You have computer access to educational materials prepared by Extension Specialists from throughout the United States. Purdue - CSREES-USDA Water Quality Information Management Project Search Tool
Ames Iowa Water & Pollution Control Department	Virtual Tour of the Ames water treatment plant
Cryptosporidium/Coccidial	Research Division of Biology Kansas State University: Detailed discussion of the biology of cryptosporidium and links to related sites.
Environmental Estrogens and Other Hormones (EEOH).	Environmental Estrogens (EE) are a wide variety of natural compounds and synthetic chemicals that may mimic natural estrogen hormones. They have been linked to growth, reproductive and other health problems in wildlife and laboratory animals and may affect human health. Select main menu items for overviews, more details, and special features.
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ)	The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) was created by the Louisiana Legislature on February 1, 1984 by statute known as the Louisiana Environmental Quality Act (EQA) . Its mission is to maintain a healthful and safe environment for the people of Louisiana. The department is staffed with highly-trained biologists, chemists, physicists, geologists, engineers, lawyers, and other professionals dedicated to preserving and protecting Louisiana's environment.
Maryland's Natural Resources The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Home Page / Weekly Newsletter	Excess nitrogen, in surface and groundwater systems used for drinking water, is dangerous to the health of certain groups of people and animals. For example, infants less than six months old are particularly susceptible to harm because their stomachs are not acidic enough to prevent certain growth of certain bacteria which convert nitrate to nitrite. High levels of nitrites can oxidize hemoglobin to form methanoglobin which is unable to carry oxygen. Brain damage or death by suffocation can result from this condition known as methemoglobinemia or blue baby syndrome. (The search engine on the home page will pull up other topics of interest)
Maine Department of Environmental Protection	The Maine Environmental Priorities Project (MEPP) is a new and unprecedented effort in Maine designed to identify, compare and rank environmental problems according to the relative risk they pose to Maine's ecology and to citizens' health and quality of life. MEPP Phase I Comparative Risk Ranking - In its 1996 Consensus Ranking of Environmental Risks Facing Maine, the Maine Environmental Priorities Project determined that six problem areas merited a "high" ranking: Drinking Water and Domestic Use Water; Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems; Indoor Air; Outdoor Air; Surface Water and Sediments; and Terrestrial Ecosystems (particularly due to the magnitude of development pressure, especially in sensitive areas in the southern part of the state).Drinking Water and Domestic Use Water - Summary Statement: The Steering Committee concluded that, compared to the other issues ranked, the contamination of drinking water in Maine constitutes a high risk to both human health and quality of life.
Detroit News	Use search engine with topics of interest, i.e. drinking water, lead, etc. You can also search the Archives
Detroit Free Press	A keyword search on "drinking water" provides a list of many interesting articles.
Health Risks from Enteric Microbes in Water and their Control by Disinfection	Professor Mark D. Sobsey is an eminent environmental microbiologist whose work for the past twenty years has focused on the occurrence, transport, fate, and effects of enteric viruses and other microbes of public health importance. From the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ESE Notes
Formation and Control of Disinfection By-Products	The primary objective of this project, sponsored by the American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AWWARF) is to evaluate the impact of ozonation on the formation of halogenated and non-halogenated disinfection by-products (DBPs) resulting from subsequent chlorination and chloramination with and without coagulation. From the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ESE Notes
Water Quality and Waste Management (WQWM)	North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service Care and concern for our environment is the biggest public issue of the 1990s. ... The Water Quality and Waste Management Initiative has evolved in response to the dire need to protect and preserve our world. Through North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, we can link the science of today with the environment of tomorrow. WQWM search engine
North Dakota Department of Health - Environmental Health Section	Enter topics of interest (drinking water, cryptosporidium, etc.)into the search engine or go to the Division of Water Quality page.
Water Center	University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension: list of articles on water quality that can be faxed or read to you 1-800-832-5441 or (441-7188 in Lincoln area)
Water Center Environmental Programs Unit	University of Nebraska-Lincoln The Water Center/Environmental Programs Unit is part of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Its mission is to implement focused water research, teaching, extension and service programs within the University of Nebraska at the post-secondary education level and to address environmental needs associated with the agriculture and natural resources areas of IANR. Search for UNL Extension publications by keyword - drinking water, for instance, produces a number of articles
New Jersey-American Water Company Website!	New Jersey-American Water Company, a private, investor-owned business, is the largest and only statewide water utility in New Jersey. We are proud to assure our customers a water supply they can enjoy and use with confidence. Water Quality,
State of New York, Department of Health	Our site is divided into the following categories: from the Commissioner page; directory services; how to get New York State vital records information; information for consumers; information for physicians and other health care providers; health care data for researchers; and our public health forum Info for Consumers - Drinking Water - Includes the 1998 Annual Report of Public Water Supply Violations.
State of Ohio Environmental Protection Agency	The Ohio EPA mission: To protect human health and the environment through responsible regulation supported by sound science, quality service, and comprehensive environmental education
About Your Drinking Water CITY OF COLUMBIA, South Carolina	The City of Columbia's Department of Utilities and Engineering has published a Lead Public Education Newsletter annually since 1993. This is the electronic version of the newsletter. This year, the newsletter has been expanded to include additional information on water quality. The convenience of having an adequate and safe supply of drinking water is often taken for granted. We hope the information contained in this newsletter will help our customers make better informed personal choices about their water supply.
Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality	Lead in Drinking Water
Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality	Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division home page.
City of Portland Bureau of Water Works	Cross Connection (Backflow) Prevention Program - Fire sprinklers and lawn irrigation lines sometimes pose risks to consumers. Improperly protected plumbing systems may cause or allow waste water to flow in the reverse direction. This "backflow" may contaminate potable water and cause serious illness. Hospitals, mortuaries, chemical plants, and other commercial establishments which create hazardous wastes may also be a source for contaminating potable water.
Oregon Health System	Pipeline: Oregon Drinking Water News PIPELINE is published quarterly by the staff of the Oregon Health Division, Drinking Water Program. It is intended to provide useful information on technology, training, and regulatory and policy issues to those involved with the state's public water systems to improve the quality of drinking water in Oregon.
City of Portland Bureau of Water Works	The Bureau of Water Works operates the water supply system that delivers high-quality drinking water to more than 840,000 people who live in the Portland metropolitan area. The primary water source is the Bull Run Watershed located 26 miles east of downtown Portland, Oregon in the Mt. Hood National Forest. Portland also uses groundwater as a supplemental water supply. Water Quality,
South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources	Our mission and objective is to provide environmental and natural resources assessment,financial assistance, and regulation in a customer service oriented manner which provides protection of public health, conservation of natural resources, preservation of the environment, and promotes economic development. ANNUAL COMPLIANCE REPORT of SOUTH DAKOTA PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM VIOLATIONS
Nashville Metro Water Services	Soft Water is Not for Drinking
Texas Rural Water Association (TRWA)	Established in 1969, TRWA is a nonprofit statewide trade association with an active membership consisting of more than 800 municipal utility districts, special utility districts, nonprofit water supply corporations, small-town water departments, investor-owned utilities and individual members. In addition, more than 200 water industry suppliers participate in TRWA activities as associate members. TRWA members provide water and wastewater service to 2.5 million customers. TRWA is dedicated to helping directors, managers and operators of each member utility provide efficient service and clean, safe drinking water for their customers. TRWA is affiliated with the National Rural Water Association and the National Alliance of State Rural Water Associations. Go to links page for listings of a number of water related sites.
Utah, Department of Environmental Quality - Divisions of Both Drinking Water & Water Quality	Mission, Dpt. Of Water Quality - Protect, maintain and enhance the quality of Utah's surface and underground waters for appropriate beneficial uses; and to protect the public health through eliminating and preventing water related health hazards which can occur as a result of improper disposal of human, animal or industrial wastes while giving reasonable consideration to the economic impact. The Division of Drinking Water (DDW) acts as the administrative arm of the Utah Drinking Water Board. It implements the rules which they adopt. As such, it is engaged in a variety of activities related to the design and operation of Utah's public drinking water systems. See DDW Programs and Initiatives and Staff Contacts and Functions. DDW's Mission Statement is to "protect the public against waterborne health risks through assistance, education and oversight".
Blacksburg, Christiansburg, VPI Water Authority	Our primary job is to pull water from the New River and treat it through the process of purification. Then, when the water is clean, it is wholesaled to Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and VPI and then comes to you via your household plumbing for your use and consumption. A lot of steps comprise the process of water treatment and purification. Take the time to fully investigate this site so you can better understand how we are able to ensure that the water you drink is safe and healthy. The American Water Works Association's The Story of Drinking Water (EXCELLENT and EDUCATIONAL) Fascinating Water Facts Operations - From River to Tap & Take a Tour of the Plant.
Washington State Department of Health, Environmental Health Programs - Division of Drinking Water	Ensuring that the residents of Washington have safe, reliable and affordable drinking water is very important. It can also be very complex, and sometimes difficult to understand. Because of this, the Division of Drinking Water maintains a number of simple one and two page Fact Sheets designed to help consumers, water system operators, and decision makers become better informed about public water systems in Washington State. Additional sources of information, sometimes more technical in nature, may also be found in Publications that may be ordered from the Department of Health or other sources. The Water Tap Newsletter
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources	Copper and your health - In 1991, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established guidelines for controlling lead and copper levels in public water supplies. The information contained in this presentation will discuss the health effects of copper and ways to reduce exposure to copper in drinking water.
CNN	Milwaukee learned its water lesson, but many other cities haven't - MILWAUKEE (CNN, September 2, 1996) - Until 1993, most Americans took the cleanliness of public drinking water for granted. The United States has a reputation for high standards in its water systems; it wasn't until a parasite slipped through the cracks in Milwaukee and killed more than 100 people that water systems managers started to take a closer look at how they monitored their product. Even so, today, the Natural Resources Defense Council estimates that more than 50 million Americans are still drinking from substandard water systems. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention find that as many as half the water utilities in the country sometimes fail to remove the same microbe that caused half the people in Milwaukee to get sick three years ago.
CNN	Wisconsin fights modern farming's water-contaminating ways - ARENA, Wisconsin (CNN, October 7, 1996) - Farmers have been using weed killers and chemical fertilizers for years to help boost their crop production, but often those chemicals trickle into your drinking water. Wisconsin is taking steps to protect its water sources before it is too late.
Educating Young People About Water	Provides materials, searchable by grade level or subject, to help users develop water education programs while forming key community partnerships. From the University of Wisconsin Extension.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point	Central Wisconsin Groundwater Center Releases 1997 Groundwater Quality Reports for Wisconsin Counties - Drinking water testing in 1997 found some private well owners have water contamination problems, according to the Central Wisconsin Groundwater Center at UWSP. One in sixteen private drinking water well samples tested at the UWSP Environmental Task Force Lab in 1997 had an unsafe level of nitrate nitrogen. One in seven contained coliform bacteria.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Drinking Water and Groundwater	Search on 'drinking water' or other topics of interest to discover information about the state of water in Wisconsin.

State Sites or Topics