Water Warning: Ontario Canada Farmers and Milk Consumption

October 29th, 2007

Canoe.ca is reporting that more than HALF of Ontario milk producers are washing equipment with water containing coliform and E. coli in contravention of the Ontario Milk Act regulations. In at least 100 cases across the province, farmers are using untreated water from a river or ditch to rinse off milking equipment. No related illnesses have been confirmed among consumers, most of whom only drink milk after it's pasteurized. Still, it's a milk-safety risk that the Dairy Farmers of Ontario plan to eliminate.

The surprisingly high contamination findings come from four years of testing conducted by DFO (DFO is the producer operated marketing board responsible for distribution of all fluid milk in the province.). Starting sometime in 2008, the board will begin implementing mandatory potable water standards for equipment cleaning under the Canadian Milk Quality Assurance Program.

Some farmers have been frustrated in their attempts to install purification systems, which later failed and are now "sitting idle in a corner of the barn."  The DFO is instructing farmers on water testing, well maintenance, shocking wells, surface water challenges and overall management practices.

No injuries or infections have occurred in this instance but something must be done as it is possible to spread the bacteria through milk!

Re-using Water Bottles Causes Contamination

Many people use the same plastic bottle over and over, trying to save money on buying new bottles. How many of you WASH the bottle before reusing!? Read this article for more on how bottled water can become contaminated

Water Warning: Virginia

Water Warning: Manassas, Virginia

Northern Virginia Drought to Blame for Contamination of Water Supply

October 9th, 2007

The Virginia Department of Health cited the city for reporting too much Trihalomethane in the drinking water last week.

When Trihalomethane is ingested in large quantities for more than three consecutive months, the substance can cause health problems, including illness, and animal testing has shown it can cause cancer. No related problems have been reported from this particular contamination.

Please look into water purification options if you live in this area and have not done so already!

Water Warning: IRAQ

Ex Haliburton Employee Blows Whistle on Water Purification Standards

Something must be done about this. Stay tuned to this site for more information soon.

Florida Water Warning Partially Lifted

Boil Water Order Still in Effect in some Counties

Illegal Laundry Store Pipe Hookup Suspected to be cause of Contamination

October 6th, 2007

The boil-water order was lifted late Friday (October 5th) for Palm Beach, South Palm Beach and all parts of West Palm Beach south of Okeechobee Boulevard. The rest of the city, including all areas north of Okeechobee Boulevard, remain under the boil-water notice until they test negative for fecal contamination for two days.

City officials confirmed that they are investigating Gold Coast Linen Services after discovering that the laundry store had illegally hooked pipes up from their well water to the city's water supply and this is "highly suspected" to be the source of the contamination. Engineers have sealed the Laundry off from the city water supply to prevent further contamination.

Please go to www.sun-sentinel.com to view a local news station video clip and read the full story.

Pennsylvania Water Contamination Warning

Taken from http://www.philly.com

Utility issues warning on its water

Pennsylvania American Water yesterday advised customers in two communities near Norristown to boil their water before drinking, making it the third time in less than three weeks the company issued such a warning.
"It is different this time," said Susan Turcmanovich, spokeswoman for the privately held utility. "At about 5 p.m. last night there was a power glitch at the Norristown booster station."

Story continues at www.AirAndAqua.com

Water Warning - Florida Water Contamination

Experts blame Drought, heavy rains and cracks in aging pipes for recent contaminations of the West Palm Beach Water Supply

October 5th, 2007

West Palm Beach's woes began after routine tests found evidence of coliforms - bacteria found naturally in the environment as well as the digestive tracts of humans and animals.

Mandatory follow-up tests found a narrower subset called fecal coliform bacteria, including E. coli, which provide firmer evidence that animal or human waste may have gotten into the water.

Other possible causes for the outbreak that city officials have stated are Bacterial films, including E. coli, which can thrive in warm water, parts of the pipeline that have low pressure, standing water, runoff water from recent rainfall's drainage or possibly areas where there are low levels of chlorine present in the water.  Human's are not meant to ingest these substances!  Our bodies have just gotten better at fighting them off, why continue ingesting these harmful
substances when we can purify the water ourselves and be ASSURED that our
drinking/bathing water is pure and healthy?

Check Florida Counties for Contamination - www.dep.state.fl.us

Here is some data on skin absorption of dangerous contaminants, taken from

http://www.pristine-water.com/Chlorine%20Hazards.htm

Toxic effect of chlorine skin absorption

Hazards in the bath & shower

Chlorine chemically bonds with proteins in the hair, skin and scalp. Hair can become rough and brittle and lose color. Skin can dry out with itchy, flaky scalp occurring. Chlorine can aggravate sensitive areas in the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. Chlorine combines with organic substances forming Trihalomethanes including Chloroform. The most common volatile compounds found by the EPA in drinking water supplies are: trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride, benzene,1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, ethylene chloride,1,1 dichloroethylene, bis-1,2-dichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, chlorobenzene, dichlorobenzene, and trichlorobenzene.

Inhalation

Chlorine, trichloroethylene (TCE), chloroform, benzene and other vapors are readily absorbed through the lungs into the bloodstream. Chloroform (a Trihalomethane or THM) and TCE are two highly volatile toxic chemicals that have been identified in many municipal drinking-water supplies. The National Academy of Sciences has estimated that hundreds of people may die in the U.S. each year from cancers caused by ingesting these contaminants in water. However, the major threat caused by these water toxins is far more likely to be as air pollutants in the home according to a study by Dr. Julian Andelman. He found that in the shower when temperature and chemical concentrations increase and diameter of shower head holes decrease, volatilization increases. His data indicate that hot showers can liberate about 50% of the dissolved chloroform and 80% of the dissolved TCE into the air. Both the heat and the large surface-to-volume ratio of small droplets increase vaporization.

American Journal of Public Health May 84

Science News Sep 86

Pool & Spa News Oct. 86

We will continue to look for news of areas that have posted water warning's recently or even if old warning still exist or have not been improved to a quality standard.

References:
Robert P. King - PalmBeachPost.com

Park Rapids, MN - Boil Water Order Lifted

Park Rapids Water Warning Lifted

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) lifted the boil order on Park Rapids’ municipal drinking water late Monday afternoon.

“Everything’s clean. The tests came back negative,” public works supervisor Scott Burlingame said to the public at a city hall meeting near 3:30 p.m. .  Mayor
Nancy Carroll stated that they will now be chlorinating the water supply in hopes of avoiding any necessity of restricting use of city water in the future.

Hospitals, Schools, Grocery Stores, Restaurants and the city of Park Rapids were all affected by this.  Residents were told to boil the city water before using it for ANYTHING. You can read the full story about this at

http://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/articles/index.cfm?id=9664&section=homepage

We feel that people should know that this WILL occur and occurs very
frequently with city water supplies (you can do a simple Google search for "city water supply contamination" and come up with over 2 MILLION results!)  All of the schools, hospitals and restaurants (and more importantly your homes and family) could have used a water purification system instead of having to boil all their water or not use any water at all.  You can NEVER be sure of what exactly is in your city water supply, FILTER the water and be safe! 

As professional as I like to keep our reports here at AirAndAqua.com, I can not stress to you enough that in my personal opinion I can not stand city water.  How it tastes.  How it looks.
When you can actually SEE pieces of toilet paper and other waste in your water you know something is just not right!

Do right by your family and for yourself.  FILTER / PURIFY / CLEAN your water ON YOUR OWN, only YOU are to make sure that your families water is safe to drink and stop relying and blindly trusting your city and their water cleaning tactics!  We KNOW what works and want to pass the knowledge on to you, please feel free to browse our Water Information Page for more information on water, what's in it that is so bad and how to get rid of it!

Minnesota Department of Health - Boil Order Information Page

Water Warning: Park Rapids, MN - City Water found to have E-Coli Contamination

Residents urged to boil water (or purify it!)

PARK RAPIDS, Minnesota  - Residents of Park Rapids have been told to boil their water or switch to bottled water for the next few days after E. coli contamination was found in the city's water system. The contamination was discovered Friday, and the Minnesota Department of Health issued the boil order Saturday morning. The city began flushing its water system with chlorine Saturday evening. The Hubbard County sheriff's office told residents not to drink the water without bringing it to a boil for one minute, then letting it cool.  We would like everyone to not have to bother boiling the water when they can just filter the E. Coli out of it!

Officials are looking at a highway construction project as a possible source. Initial tests indicated the contamination happened in the distribution system, not in the city's wells. Officials expected the boil order to remain in place until further notice, likely five to seven days. The City Council and city staff met with state health officials Sunday to discuss corrective actions and decided to permanently chlorinate the city's water system. The presence of E. coli bacteria indicates that water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. The bacteria can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches and other symptoms. People with weakened immune systems are at the highest risk.  Basically when you see little particles floating around in your water, that is toilet paper, feces and other sorts of horribly disgusting (and harmful) factors which NO ONE should ever consume willingly!

Residents in this area are greatly encouraged to look into a home water purification system, if not from us than from another company but it is VITAL to your health to purify your water! Purify Your Life!

Please view our Countertop Water Purification System

New Home Water Test and Analysis Kits Added

We have added two new PurTest products to our site, A home water analysis and test kit and a Pool water test kit. Both extremely affordable, easy to use, quick results (no need to send into a laboratory like most test kits)

About the home water analysis test kit:
The most affordable & reliable comprehensive "all-in-one" home drinking water test kit on the market today. 1 test each for bacteria, lead and pesticide; 2 tests each for iron, hardness, pH, alkalinity, copper, chlorine, nitrate, nitrite.

About the PurPool Pool Water Test Kit:

Quick & Easy Bacteria Test for Pools & Spas - Results in just 20 minutes!

Over 60% of recreational pools and spas tested by the CDC have inadequate disinfection levels. Be safe and test for yourself!

• Convenient, Individual Packages


• No Samples to send in!


• Testing & Results on the spot!


• Provides Peace of Mind


• Procedure - Under 20 minutes, no incubation, On-site, no transit of sample required, No chemicals to add or measure, No power source required


• Readout / Result - Immediate, Visual, No instrumentation


• Applications - Swimming Pools, Spas, Lakes and rivers, Other recreational water venues


• Detection Range - Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, E.coli, species of Salmonella, Shigella, Enterobacter, Klebsiella and many other Coliform and
  non-Coliform bacteria. 10^3 cfu/ml.


• Ruggedness - Water Temperature: 40 - 110 F, pH: 4 - 10, Total Chlorine: 0-50 ppm, Bromine: 0- 40 ppm , 18 month shelf life

The PurPool Bacteria Test for pools and spas is easy enough for anyone to use, and is priced within reach of any pool or spa owner and operator. Until now, the only method of testing for bacteria in a pool or spa was not feasible for most owners and operators. With the PurPool Bacteria Test for pools and spas, water quality/safety should never be left to chance. Until now, pool and spa operators who were concerned about their guests' health had only one option to guarantee the quality of the water in pools and spas: change the water. Without knowing if the water is good or bad, it was simply a shot in the dark. Changing water is a delicate balancing act- unnecessary changes cost money in lost water, heating, and chemicals, and changing too late can result in RWIs among bathers. Regular testing will help pinpoint when is the best time to change water, eliminating guesswork.