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Welcome to our February Newsletter
While this February will still be the shortest month of the year, we will gain an extra day!

Normally our calendar years are made up of 365 days, but every four years we add a day to make what is known as a ‘leap year’.

Here's why:
The Gregorian calendar, the most widely used across the globe, measures a year to be 365 days following the Earth's orbit around the Sun. However, the Earth's orbit takes 365.24 days to complete its solar orbit and an extra day every four years is added to keep calendar seasons synchronized with solar seasons.
Cyber Attacks Against U.S. Water Districts
With the recent attack carried out by the U.S resulting in the killing of Cammander Qassem Soleimani, government officials have warned that Iran may attempt to carry out retaliation cyber attacks against the United States.

Thankfully the threat of contaminating a drinking water supply through terrorism is relatively small. It would take very large quantities of any given contaminant; chemical, biological, or radiological, to contaminate a water supply which lessens the threat due to the increased security measures put into place following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Treatment protocols are also in place to deactivate many contaminants should such a threat become a reality. 

However, computer hacking, aka cyber attacks, is a real threat that can impact an entire district if there is a breach in security. The four critical lifeline utilities constantly under threat from amateur hackers and extremists to sophisticated operators are transportation, water, energy and communications. Last year alone, more than a dozen small to mid-sized U.S. utilities were hit by cyber attacks, disabling several that ended with FBI involvement. It is crucial to stay one step ahead of the threat; the EPA released a Cyber-security Brief for the water sector to help find deficiencies within a district and help protect them from future attacks. 

Water Testing For Real Estate Transactions
If you are buying or selling a home that utilizes well water make sure one of the first things you do is have the water tested.

The majority of real estate transactions will require a water test to be analyzed before the inspection period is over. Often times you only have a few days to complete your inspections and decide if you want to move forward with the purchase.

Contaminants in well water can delay your transaction and result in additional negotiations for the installation of water treatment systems so getting it completed early will save you unnecessary stress and paperwork filing for extensions.

Often times your home inspector will provide services to collect a water or radon sample during the inspection process. This is usually the best option as they are trained professionals and know where and how to properly collect the water samples to achieve accurate results. If you are not having a home inspection or your inspector does not offer this service you can hire a third party to collect the water sample for you. Some lenders may allow home owners or buyers to collect their own samples but it is always best to check with your lender first.

Each lender may have different requirements of what they want to see for test results. These can range from a simple bacteria test to a more comprehensive test including metals, minerals and radon. It is very important to know that while your lender may only require a basic test you would be best informed by testing for all of the common contaminants in your area. The comprehensive test results will let you know if your water is safe to consume and alert you to any treatment that may be needed. If treatment is needed you can negotiate with the seller to install the treatment system. This will help protect your health, your investment in the home and save you added costs down the road.

It is important to be aware of the laws in your state for collecting water samples. In Maine, radon samples in both water and air that will be used in a real estate transaction must be collected by a professional registered with the Maine Radon Program .

New Hampshire does not mandate radon testing for real estate transaction at this time. For more information: The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
Road Salt Contamination
We are now in the heart of winter in New England. The end is in sight but we are sure to get hit with a few more wintery mixes. For slippery roads during inclement weather, our biggest line of defense is road salt. Road salt is great on dangerous slick roads, walk ways and parking lots and is used often because it is inexpensive, easy to work with and is quite effective. Road salt is made up of 40% sodium and 60% chloride ions. When salt is spread on icy surfaces, salt crystals pull the water molecules out of ice formation and create brine, which continues to speed up the melting process. Road salt is most effective in temperatures 15⁰F and higher, and loses effectiveness in more frigid temperatures. If overused, road salt can cause some problems in the environment and our drinking water.

As the road salt melts, it separates into sodium and chloride ions which then get washed off the roads and into the environment. Along the side of the road, sodium and chloride can alter soil chemistry and kill plants, as well as cause health issues in wildlife that consume it. As the snow and ice melt, the sodium and chloride ions can run off into water supplies. Water contaminated with sodium chloride has a higher density, and tends to settle down at the lower levels. Because of this, it does not receive the dissolved oxygen from the top layer. When the water is void of oxygen, it cannot sustain aquatic life and causes an unhealthy underwater ecosystem.

Chloride ions are completely soluble and there is no natural process of removal, this means they do not break down or get absorbed by vegetation. There is no way to remove chloride from water; it can only be diluted to bring down concentration. The EPA standard for Chloride is 250mg/L, above this it can be toxic to aquatic life. 90% of chloride found in watersheds is from use on roads and parking lots. There are no human health concerns with chloride, but at high levels it can cause an unpleasant taste and can cause corrosion of pipes and plumbing fixtures. High levels of sodium in drinking water can be a concern to people with hypertension that are on a sodium restricted diet. If on a limited diet, it is advised to keep sodium content in drinking water at 20mg/L or below.

Despite the problems it can cause, road salt still remains our first line of defense in slick conditions. It is needed to make roads, parking lots and walkways safe for travel, as icy conditions can be dangerous. The best we can do is to make sure we are using it in a safe and responsible manner.
 
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has a section of their website devoted to salt application, including a certification course that is available to snow removal professionals called the NH Green SnowPro Certification. For more information on NHDES’ road salt reduction initiative you can visit:  https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/was/salt-reduction-initiative/

At Maine.gov you can find their best practices manual for controlling salt on Maine roadways. https://www.maine.gov/mdot/mlrc/docs/technical/2015-08-17-June2015FINAlversion.pdf
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A & L Laboratory
Granite State Analytical www.granitestateanalytical.com