Facts About Water for The U.S. Population

These are the key findings:

Groundwater overdraft is 25% higher than its natural replenishment (Pimentel et al., 2004a).

A 1 pound loaf of bread requires about 250 gallons of water to produce the grains for the loaf.

Agriculture is the largest consumer of water in the nation, consuming approximately

Waterborne infections account for approximately 940,000 infections and approximately 900 deaths each year (Seager, 1995).

So imagine, 1 pond of bread requires 250 Gallons of Water to produce the grains of the loaf, then the water requires raise a chicken before it can be serve on the table would be at least 50 times.

I am sure you can envisage the seriousness of the the Water shortage for the Nation & also globally.

So, please save Water for Our Great Health.

Water Resources —

Fresh water is vital to maintaining all life, including crop and livestock production. The average amount of water pumped per American for personal, irrigation, and industrial use is approximately 1.7 million liters (500,000 gallons) per year.

Agriculture is the largest consumer of water in the nation, consuming approximately 80% of total pumped fresh water (Pimentel et al., 2004a).

A corn crop that produces about 9,000 kg/ha (140 bushels/acre) requires about 9 million liters/ha (1 million gallons/acre) of water. A 1 pound loaf of bread requires about 250 gallons of water to produce the grains for the loaf.

The rapid increase in water use in the U.S. is stressing both surface and groundwater resources. Currently, groundwater overdraft is 25% higher than its natural replenishment (Pimentel et al., 2004a). For example, in some regions of Arizona, water from aquifers is being pumped 10 times faster than it is being replenished (Pimentel et al., 2004a).

Associated with both surface and groundwater supplies is pollution, which causes serious public health problems.

Waterborne infections account for approximately 940,000 infections and approximately 900 deaths each year (Seager, 1995).

Nearly 40% of treated drinking water supply in the U.S. is contaminated with dangerous microorganisms (Platt, 1996).

Waterborne disease outbreaks in the U.S. are caused by microbial pollution, like E. coli, characterized by severe diarrhea and occasionally death. In addition, some ground and stream water is more than 90% polluted with significant quantities of harmful chemicals from agriculture and industry.

Approximately 80,000 different chemicals are used in the U.S. and many adversely affect human health as well as plants, animals, and microbes.

Land, Water and Energy Versus The Ideal U.S. Population

Rainbow looks at whether it could tap groundwater

These sound to be a very encouraging news. If it is implemented. It is going to be beneficial to the people in Rainbow Valley. As well as the people in Temecula area in Southern California.

However, the question is that the study on the ground water quality as well as the transportation water; then back from Southern California after filtration , the pipeline quality issues need to be look at thoroughly.

As my research found that the Pipeline with over 50 years of deposit; it can bring back the contaminations & pollutions after the filtration from Temecula.


Therfore, I hope that these issues would be addressed for the Great Health of the people.

Rainbow looks at whether it could tap groundwater
By: LORELL FLEMING - Staff Writer

FALLBROOK ---- It started out as something of a pipe dream: the idea of tapping into water collected in the Rainbow Valley Basin as a safe, reliable and locally controlled source of water.

Now, the Rainbow Municipal Water District may be inching closer to making that dream a reality and reducing the district's dependency on imported water, which makes up 100 percent of the current supply.

Armed with a $200,000 state grant and $100,000 of its own money, the district has studied rainfall totals and other data in the basin and is starting to develop a groundwater-management plan.

The initial study showed the district could extract between 1,000 and 3,000 acre-feet of water from the basin each year ---- enough to address the needs of the nearly 2,000 Rainbow district customers, said engineer Chris Trees.

Trees works for Encinitas-based Dudek & Associates, an engineering firm that contracts regularly with the district and was hired to complete the basin study. About $90,000 of the grant money has been spent so far, Trees said.

Dudek staffers are expected to finish the first draft of the groundwater plan in early April, according to Derek Reed, the Dudek engineer overseeing the project. Once the draft is complete, there will be a 30-day period for public review, as well as public workshops to discuss the plan. The district held a workshop Thursday to discuss initial findings of the study.

The Rainbow district uses about 30,000 acre-feet of water to meet the needs of its 7,100 customers in the rural pockets of North San Diego County: Fallbrook, Bonsall, Rainbow and parts of Vista.

An acre-foot is a measurement of water that is equivalent to about 326,000 gallons, about the amount of water that two families with four members would use in a year.

The next step would be to apply for another grant to do a field study, an analysis of samples from the basin's soil and groundwater, according to Reed.

Even if it is feasible to draw water from the basin, the project could take years, officials said. Public hearings must be held, environmental impacts must be studied and reports must be compiled.

Reed said it could be five to 10 years before the district draws water from the basin, which is east of Interstate 15 and west of Rainbow Mountain. The basin's southern border is Rainbow Valley Boulevard. Its northern border is where Rainbow Valley Boulevard curves to meet Old Highway 395.

Idea takes root

One of the people who pushed the Rainbow district three years ago to pursue a grant for a groundwater study was the district's former Division 5 director, Paul Christensen, Trees said.

Efforts to reach Christensen about the groundwater study that is under way were unsuccessful Thursday.

But the grant paved the way for what could be the district's first step in cutting some of its dependency on outside water agencies.

And officials such as the district's general manager, Greg Ensminger, said that finding a local source that could provide up to 10 percent of the district's water would be a coup.

"Anytime we can move away from being solely dependent on one source, that's a good thing," Ensminger said.

Water views

Division 4 Director Russ Hatfield said he is reserving judgment on the idea until he sees whether getting water from the aquifer beneath the basin, treating it, and providing it to customers would be a financial asset or liability for the district.

"What do you do after you get the water out of there?" Hatfield said. "Do you build a treatment facility to treat the water? Where is the money coming from? It could be a huge capital venture. We're using a lot of our money on infrastructure (improvements, repairs and maintenance)."

Rainbow water board President Bill Bopf, Division 3 director, said he would like to move forward with the groundwater study to get those questions answered.

"We should go through with the next phase. Get a grant, do the field study and see if this is possible," Bopf said in an interview last week. "It would be good to reduce our dependency on imported water."

Rua Petty, a Rainbow resident and vice president of his community's planning group, said that using the basin to serve Rainbow customers is an idea that might be worth exploring further.

"It might be worthwhile if it's economically viable and the science works out," Petty said during a public workshop Thursday about the groundwater study. He also said he would like to see it determined who legally has rights to the groundwater.

"It's a huge, kind of unknown, variable," Petty added.

Division 2 Director Jack Griffiths said he agrees that water rights need to be determined.

"That reinforces my fear of putting more money into this without having the legalities settled," Griffiths said during the workshop.

Water flows

All of the water that comes to the Rainbow district is imported. Rainbow gets its supply from the San Diego County Water District, which gets its supply from the Metropolitan Water District. The Colorado River and the state water project in Northern California are the sources of the Metropolitan district, which gets about 4.4 million acre-feet of water annually to distribute to local water districts and agencies, according to Metropolitan spokesman Bob Muir.

Once coming from Metropolitan's sources, the water for Rainbow goes to Lake Skinner near Temecula for treatment, then to the county water authority.

Muir said Metropolitan's board supports local districts' efforts to diversify water sources.

"That increases the pool of water available for Southern California," Muir added.

Contact staff writer Lorell Fleming at (760) 731-5798 or lfleming@nctimes.com.

North County Times - North San Diego and Southwest Riverside County columnists

Feedster Claims

No Need to Click Here - I'm just claiming my feed at Feedster

Membrane Bioreactors Technology To Turn Waste Water Into Pristine Water

As reported, New technology known as membrane bioreactors beats the compromise limit and even gets lower than the Oklahoma standard, according to manufacturers Zeon, U.S. Filter, Kubota and Mitsubishi.

The advanced treatment plant design marries typical biological processes and membrane technologies, special filters through which water is forced, removing nearly all particles and bacteria to produce nearly potable water.

"Think of it like a screen on the window. We design the membrane pour sizes, and in this case to target phosphorus," said Steve Jones, project engineer with Garver Engineers.

The technology is routinely used in the drinking water industry, mostly in coastal areas where there is limited drinking water, Jones said, and no municipality in Arkansas and Oklahoma uses the membrane technology.

Anyway, the tecnology that applied to treats Waste Water to Drinking Water must be safe & also have the "Green" or "Eco" consideration.

Always have the Water for Great Health of People in mind.

New Technology To Meet Water Standards
By Richard Dean Prudenti
The Morning News

SILOAM SPRINGS -- Clean, clear water flowing in Sager Creek through Siloam Springs could model cleanup efforts for Arkansas and Oklahoma waterways.

Advanced technology capable of turning wastewater effluent into pristine water is prompting Siloam Springs leaders to spend money to modify the wastewater treatment plant to meet Oklahoma's water quality standards.

The city must limit the phosphorus level of the water the treatment plant discharges into Sager Creek approximately 750 feet from the state line, as required by Arkansas and Oklahoma environmental agencies.

Sager Creek is a tributary of Flint Creek, which feeds the Illinois River in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma officials prefer a phosphorus level of 0.037 milligrams per liter of water but agreed to a compromise of 1 milligrams per liter after Arkansas officials argued technology could not achieve lower limits.

New technology known as membrane bioreactors beats the compromise limit and even gets lower than the Oklahoma standard, according to manufacturers Zeon, U.S. Filter, Kubota and Mitsubishi.

The advanced treatment plant design marries typical biological processes and membrane technologies, special filters through which water is forced, removing nearly all particles and bacteria to produce nearly potable water.

"Think of it like a screen on the window. We design the membrane pour sizes, and in this case to target phosphorus," said Steve Jones, project engineer with Garver Engineers.

The technology is routinely used in the drinking water industry, mostly in coastal areas where there is limited drinking water, Jones said, and no municipality in Arkansas and Oklahoma uses the membrane technology.

David Cameron, the city administrator, plans to recommend this technology during a Siloam Springs Board of Directors work session at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the City Administration Building at 400 N. Broadway.

Siloam Springs would be added to the list of more than 100 places in the country using the advanced technology, Jones said.

City board members first must agree to spend $3 million more than the expected $12 million needed to expand the treatment facility.

"We're not going to build a plant to barely squeak by," Cameron said. "We need assurance that we can get way below the (compromise level); otherwise, we're walking on egg shells everyday."

Several Northwest Arkansas cities have until 2009 to comply with the water quality mandate set by both states or face legal action.

Expansion in Siloam Springs must begin in early 2007 when the city will renew its wastewater permit, which currently does not require phosphorus reductions. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality will include a phosphorus limit in the 2007 permit and require the city to comply within three years, when Oklahoma environmental officials plan to test water quality and possibly pursue more stringent discharge limits.

"No city can feel confident that it can remain at 1 milligram per liter forever," said Miles Tolbert, Oklahoma secretary of environment. "I can see why Siloam Springs wants to do it," Tolbert added. "They can make this one investment and not have to go back in a few years to do another upgrade. What a wonderful thing not to have to worry about this again."

Cameron hopes the federal or state government will help financially with the upgrade.

"This technology is not normal and warrants attention on a federal level as well because this is an issue being dealt with all over the country," he said.

Garver Engineers of Fayetteville is willing to design the plant expansion and seek federal money.

The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality might not be in a position to help fund the project, according to its director, Marcus Devine. However, he said, "I think their forethought -- thinking ahead of the curve -- is impressive."

Voluntary efforts to comply with ideal water standards through a new kind of treatment plant provides a model for both states dealing with the phosphorus issue.

"They have looked under every rock to see what technology's out there," said Ed Fite, administrator of the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission, who helped the city select Garver Engineers.

"Siloam Springs realizes to sustain economic activity that's going on and quality of life they have to ... approach wastewater treatment needs on a proactive basis," Fite said.

Fite commended Fayetteville as well for spending $125 million on treatment facility upgrades to release phosphorus at the compromise limit.

"They are actually discharging less than that, getting close to the number we want," Fite said.

Oklahoma battled Fayetteville in the U.S. Supreme Court and won a 1992 ruling that upstream states can be required to meet the water quality standards of a downstream state.
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