Welcome to our May Newsletter
As we go through the ups and downs and daily changes during these uncertain times it is always good to try and find something to look forward to.
This month we celebrate Mother’s Day! In a time of social distancing our celebrations need to be from afar so pick up the phone, turn on your FaceTime, or write a letter to show how much you love them.
In this Edition

Phosphorus and Water Quality

Corrosion
in
Water Bears

Industry News
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Phosphorus and Water Quality
The winters in New England are long and our lawns can take a beating with the weather. When the nice weather finally arrives many people like to add fertilizers to their lawn trying to achieve that lush green lawn we all desire. Did you know that adding fertilizer to your lawn can affect our water quality? Even if you live far from a lake or river, your lawn and household maintenance can affect water quality. This is because everyone lives in a watershed! 

In short, a watershed is a precipitation collector. It is an area of land that drains all the streams and rainfall to a common outlet such as the outflow of a reservoir, mouth of a bay, or any point along a stream channel. It is also the land area where water soaks through the Earth filling an underground water supply called an aquifer. Water is a universal solvent, affected by everything that it comes in contact with: the land it passes over, and the soils through which it travels. The important thing about a watershed is that what we do on the land affects water quality for all communities living downstream.

Phosphorus is the nutrient that has the greatest impact on the growth of algae in lakes. Research has found that just one pound of phosphorus can feed 300-500 pounds of algae in a water body. Phosphorus is found in lawn fertilizers, manure, as well as in human and other animal waste, and causes algal blooms and excessive aquatic plant growth when present in high concentrations. While many types of algae blooms are harmless to humans, however, decomposing algae and weeds take up oxygen in the water that is vital to fish and other animal. Oxygen depletion is the most common cause of fish kills in ponds. They can also cause your water to have a foul smell until the algae bloom has passed. 
Corrosion
Corrosion is due to physical and chemical reactions between the pipe material and water.
Corrosive water can dissolve metal plumbing components causing unsafe levels of copper and lead and pinhole leaks. There are some signs of corrosion to be aware of: bluish-green stains in your sinks, metallic taste of the first water out of the tap, or small leaks in your metal plumbing components. 

The 7 top causes of corrosion are:
1. Low pH (acid water less than 6.5)
2. High pH (alkaline water greater than 8.5)
3. High levels of dissolved oxygen
4. High levels of salts dissolved in the water (total dissolved solids)
5. Corrosion-causing bacteria such as sulfate or iron bacteria
6. High velocity of water, relative to size of piping, causing wear on the piping  
7. Sand, sediment or other grit in the water causing wear on the piping

There are a few ways to treat corrosive water problems: Replacement of plumbing components that are corrosive resistant; installing a water treatment system, such as a water neutralizer, to keep the pH at an acceptable level; or running your water to drain the pipes in your home prior to using the water for drinking or cooking. A first draw lead & copper test as well as a source lead & copper test can be run to determine the source of your problem. You may also wish to consider water treatment methods such as reverse osmosis, ultra-filtration, distillation, or ion exchange. 

Because corrosive water is not a drinking water concern by itself; the by-products of corrosion, such as copper and lead, do have drinking water standards. Copper has a secondary drinking water standard of 1.0 mg/L because it causes a bitter, metallic taste to water and a blue-green staining on sinks, tubs and toilets. Copper also has a primary drinking water standard of 1.3 mg/L because it may cause severe stomach cramps and intestinal illnesses at higher concentrations.

Lead is a more serious health concern in drinking water. It has a primary drinking water standard of 15 ug/L. Long-term exposure to lead exceeding the drinking water standard has been linked to many health effects in adults including cancer, stroke and high blood pressure. At even greater risk are children, whose rapidly growing bodies absorb lead more quickly and efficiently. Lead can cause premature birth, reduced birth weight, seizures, behavioral disorders, brain damage and lowered IQ in children.
Water Bears: From the Pond to Outer Space
Tardigrades are tiny water-dwelling micro-animals that are extremely resilient and can live anywhere from mountain tops, to the deep sea, from mud volcanoes to the glaciers of Antarctica. They are also known as water bears because of their resemblance to a bear. They eat fluid, sucking juicing from moss and algae with it’s telescoping mouth.  

They look squishy in pictures and videos, but are actually covered in a hard cuticle and are as tough as nails. They are able to change their genetic makeup in order to survive different conditions. When in extreme situations they go into what is called cryptobiosis. This is an almost death-like state and they can bring their metabolic level down to .01%. In this state they create a sugary gel and antioxidants to protect their organs as well as produce a protein that can protect their DNA, even from radiation damage. In extremely cold temperatures they curl up into a ball-like shape which is called the “tun” state. This prevents the growth of ice crystals in their bodies.

Because of their resilience, scientists have been studying them and pushing them to their limits, testing their survival skills in extreme temperatures, radiation, dehydration, starvation and even their survival in outer space. In 2007 a study group from Sweden’s Kristianstad University sent a group of dried-up water bears aboard ESA’s FOTON-M3 mission, to be exposed to the airless conditions of open space and the cosmic sun rays. Once they returned home, 10 days later, they were rehydrated and 68% of the water bears revived without illness, and many of them went on to lay eggs. Others did not survive the full exposure to the cosmic rays, which are 1000 times stronger than we have on the earth’s surface. They are the first animal that has been able to survive the extreme conditions of space. From the waters in our back yards to Antarctica and space, these strange yet fascinating little critters can teach scientists a lot about the protection and repair of DNA and life in extreme conditions.

If you’re curious what a water bear looks like under the microscope, here is a video of one moving around algae: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPyn8t8HINE

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