A&L Laboratory
April 2018 Newsletter 


Welcome to the April edition of our newsletter. Each year on April 22 we celebrate Earth Day to help keep us focused on the importance of keeping our planet healthy and clean. More than 1 billion people are actively involved in Earth Day events. These events help keep the focus on clean air, water and energy across the globe.
Water Availability Following A Disaster - Are You Prepared?


In New England, we are relatively safe from natural disasters occurring but it's not impossible for one to hit and potentially cut you off from clean drinking water.  How ready are you and your family if this happens?

Preparation is key for survival.  First you should determine your water needs. Store at least one gallon of water per person which would last approximately three days; this number can vary based on age, health, physical condition, activity, diet and climate.  Water should be sealed and stored in a dark cool place. 
If the disaster out lasts your stored water supply it may be necessary to treat water at home prior to drinking.  There are several ways you can do this to help assure your water is potable; boiling, chlorination and distillation.  Before you start with any of these methods, you must first let the water sit and allow any suspended particles to settle to the bottom or stain them through a coffee filter or layered cloth.

Boiling is the safest method of treating water.  Bring water in a large pot to a rolling boil for one full minute; let the water cool before using.

Chlorination is another method to help kill any microorganisms that might be present.  Using only unscented household liquid bleach that contains 5.25 to 6.0% sodium hypochloite add 1/8 teaspoon per gallon of water, stir and let it stand for 30 minutes. There should be a slight but apparent bleach smell, if there is not then repeat the dosage and let it stand for another 15 minutes.  If you can still not smell the bleach discard and find a different water source.

Distillation is the most complex way to treat your water at home.  This process involves boiling your water and collecting only the vapor that condenses.  Fill a pot halfway with water.  Tie a cup to the handle on the pot's lid so that the cup will hang right-side-up when the lid is upside-down, making sure the cup is not sitting in the water, boil for 20 minutes.  The water collected in the cup from the lid is distilled.

All of these methods will kill harmful microorganisms; distillation however will also remove other contaminants such as heavy metals, salts, and most other chemicals.

Prepare before the unthinkable happens, it could save your life!
Legionairres' Disease: Flint, Michigan's Issues Continue

Flint, Michigan has been notorious for their drinking water problems in 2014 and 2015 when the town switched their water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River. During this switch, people became sick with lead poisoning and Legionnaires disease. For a long time, scientists were not sure how these two were linked to each other.

Legionnaires' disease is a pneumonia caused by Legionella pneumophila bacterium from water sources. When chlorine is added to water, its sole purpose is to prevent bacteria from reproducing. Most public water systems use this method and it's relatively seamless. However, when the chlorine reacts with heavy metals such as lead and iron, it decreases the amount of available chlorine, killing fewer bacteria. Scientists believe this is precisely what happened during the crisis. The chlorine being added wasn't enough to kill off the bacteria. The Legionnaires' outbreak ended when they switched back to Lake Huron, yet 12% of water samples still have Legionella. Water utility districts sample regularly and have appropriate chlorine levels, but it is not federally regulated to protect residents on the receiving end.

While Flint is doing all that it can to improve the 2015 crisis, some of the problems cannot be reversed due to the amount of sources the water trickled through (showerheads, water filters, water heaters, humidifiers, eyewash stations, etc).  Three years later, Flint's water is still unsafe to drink without a filter.  
Cape Town, Africa - Water Crisis: Day Zero

Cape Town, South Africa, home to approximately 4 million people, is experiencing a water shortage in the midst of their 3 year drought. The government will shut off water come April 16th (This day will officially be called Day Zero) and the capacity of their water source will be at 13.5%. 55% of Cape Town Residents are using 87 liters or less of water a day, which is 27 liters more than their target to avoid Day Zero. Residents are also asked to collect their bathing water for flushing toilets and keeping their showers under two minutes.

Since the early 2000s, Cape Town has grown by 30% and has been proactive in conserving water by fixing pipes and leaks and installing meters. They conserved so much that the plans to design and implement a desalination plant had been delayed. However, the wealth in Cape Town is disproportionate. Some folks have large homes with pools and can afford to install water tanks while some do not even have a car to carry water back to their home from the rationing faucets.

News From Around The U.S.
 
EPA Wants New Safeguards When Flint Crews Replace Lead Service Lines
 
Why are Texas' smaller utilities not cleaning up drinking water?

Testing for Lead in Drinking Water in New York State Schools

U.S. Waterways Are Getting Saltier, With Possible Effects on Drinking Water

"It's The Unknown": Mom Talks Health Concerns Over Contaminated Water

DES: Bill To Lower Arsenic Limit In N.H. Drinking Water Isn't Feasible
A & L Laboratory, a Division of Granite State Analytical Services | 207-784-5354 | rlabranche@granitestateanalytical.com | www.allaboratory.com
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