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Whatcom County Water Lawsuit

Did you know that residents of Whatcom County may lose their water rights? If local residents do not file a court claim in the upcoming Ecology water lawsuit that is to take place in the Spring of 2024, then they will lose their water rights. According to the Whatcom Family Farmers, this lawsuit determines the…

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PFAS, the toxic ‘forever chemical’ in Arizona drinking water.

Toxic Forever Chemicals in Your Water – Recently the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has confirmed the presence of PFAS in 57 public water systems throughout Arizona.  Most public water systems will have to screen for a minimum of 29 kinds of PFAS under EPA’s Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, but only for systems serving more…

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Forever Chemicals

Toxic Forever Chemicals in Your Water Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances, known as PFAS, the toxic synthetic ‘forever chemicals’, are found in many areas of the home, including drinking water. While this has indeed made our lives easier, PFAS has been known to have certain health effects ranging from mild to severe: liver problems, risk of asthma, reduced response to…

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Microplastics in Water

What are microplastics and how do they impact your drinking water? Plastic is the most prevalent type of debris found in our ocean and Great Lakes. While plastic debris can come in various shapes and sizes, those that are less than five millimeters long are called “microplastics.” Microplastics develop as a result of larger plastic…

pfas in drinking water

Harmful Chemicals Threaten Local Drinking Water

In 2019, Governor DeWine called state officials to assess the threats to drinking water across the state of Ohio. Once announced, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency made a plan to test the water of 1,500 public water systems. They tested communities, schools, daycares, and mobile home parks, which account for 90 percent of Ohio’s population. Following…

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Water Quality after Building Closure Due to COVID19

While schools, businesses, and restaurants are closed for months due to the COVID19 pandemic, water quality will degrade over time as the water stagnates. Standing water can lead to undetectable levels of chlorine and also increase the risk for growth of Legionella. It is also possible that this water left sitting could contain excessive amounts…

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Road Salt and Your Water

Road Salt and Your Water There are many different factors that can lead to water contamination. Everything from the runoff from storms to pharmaceuticals and even corrosion of water pipes can create contaminants that can get into your water supply. Most people are familiar with contamination such as lead but are unaware of other sources…

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Alarming Lead Levels in Drinking Water

Due to the aging infrastructure in the U.S., many communities are grappling with lead contamination in their water systems. One story that made national headlines was the alarming levels of lead in Flint, Michigan’s drinking water. Lead enters the water supply mainly through leaching from corroded pipes and older plumbing fixtures. But the problem is…

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Should Fluoride be Added to Local Area Tap Water?

This October, the Meadville Area Water Authority will be adding Fluoride to its water. Whether or not you approve of the addition of Fluoride to a local water facility we wanted to provide you with some facts from the Water Systems Council and Water Quality Association about Fluoride. Fluoride Facts Natural trace element Occurs naturally only in the…

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How does Water Contamination Affect You?

This past May, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a New York-based environmental advocacy group found that United States residents have a 1 in 4 chance of drinking unsafe water that has not been properly monitored for contaminants in accordance with federal law. That’s close to 77 million Americans who ought to be concerned about…