Fracking and Wastewater Injection Are Being Blamed for Earthquakes

Water News in a Nutshell.

 

In a Nutshell: The U.S. Geological Survey links a 2011 earthquake in Prague, OK that destroyed 14 homes to wastewater injection by oil companies.  Wastewater injection is blamed for the high volume of earthquakes  that are currently occurring in states like Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma.

Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey have linked an earthquake in Oklahoma in 2011 to the injection of oil-drilling wastewater underground. The latest research adds to a long list of studies that point to a possible relationship between fracking operations and unusual geological activity recorded in various regions across the United States.

The study, published in the journal Geology, said that the 5.7 magnitude earthquake that occurred near Prague, Okla., on Nov. 6, 2011, could also be the largest and most devastating ever linked to hydraulic fracturing. It destroyed 14 homes and injured two people and was felt all the way to Milwaukee, more than 800 miles from the site.

Oil and gas wastewater injection well.

U.S. natural gas production generates huge amounts of wastewater, used for hydraulic fracturing to create cracks in rocks and release natural gas, and also in extraction of oil from oil wells. Either way, a significant proportion of that water has to be disposed of and one method of getting rid of it is to inject it back underground in deep wells.However, many scientists have raised concerns that this process can trigger earthquakes. Geological activity has been detected lately in places previously believed to be calm but now hosting major oil and gas projects, such as Arkansas, Texas, Ohio and Colorado.According to data from Geology, the number of earthquakes in the middle parts of the United States has increased by 11 times compared to the number recorded 30 years ago. As other studies have also pointed to a link with injecting wastewater underground, the National Academy of Sciences has called for further research into such seismic events.Still, the research from U.S. Geological Survey noted that wastewater has been pumped underground for over 17 years without causing any trouble. Researchers speculated that as wastewater filled compartments that used to be full of oil the pressure that was needed to keep the fluid going down built up, triggering the earthquake, said Heather Savage, geophysicist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and co-author of the report.

Geoffrey Abers, who also took part in the research, said that even though the amount of water injected into the well was not big, it may have caused a series of tremors that culminated in the main shock. He noted that an unexpectedly large earthquake triggered by a relatively small injection suggested that the risk of inducing big earthquakes from even small injection activities was likely to be higher than previously thought.

So far, an official account of the sequence of events has not been released and wastewater is still being injected at the site. In a statement responding to the paper, Oklahoma Geological Survey seismologist Austin Holland stated that “these earthquakes could be naturally occurring” and further investigation into the causes of the earthquake was underway.

Source: Waste Water Processing.

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Hot Tap Water Can Be a Hazard to Your Health 

Temperatures in home hot water heaters can be too high and pose a potential scald hazard for young children and seniors, according to a new study.

In the United States, burns from hot tap water result in about 1,500 hospital admissions and 100 deaths per year. Water at 140 degrees can lead to a serious burn within three seconds, while it takes 10 minutes for water at 120 degrees to cause a serious burn, according to the researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Young children and seniors have thinner skin that burns more quickly, making them more vulnerable.

Even though manufacturers adopted voluntary standards to preset hot water heaters below the recommended safety standard of 120 degrees, water heater temperatures remain dangerously high in a large number of homes, the researchers said.

They tested the temperature of hot tap water in more than 700 homes in Baltimore. Despite the fact that 99 percent of the water heaters in the homes were installed after the voluntary standard was implemented, hot water temperatures were above 120 degrees in 41 percent of the homes, and at or above 130 degrees in 27 percent of the homes.

Gas water heaters were less likely to have safe temperatures, as were water heaters that held fewer gallons per person. The researchers also found that renters were less likely to have safe hot water temperatures than homeowners.

The study appears in the March issue of the Journal of Burn Care Research.

“Delivering hot water at a consistent temperature is difficult,” lead author Wendy Shields, an assistant scientist with the Bloomberg School’s department of health policy and management, said in a school news release. “As a hot water tank is depleted, replenished and reheated, water temperature will not be constant throughout the tank. In addition, water heater thermostats are not designed to provide precise estimates of water temperatures, making it difficult for residents to assess the exact temperature.”

“One potential solution is to equip faucets with anti-scald devices, such as thermostatic mixer valves, anti-scald aerators or scald guards, but until engineering solutions can be implemented on a large scale, attention must be paid to educational messages,” Shields said. “To prevent scald burns, families should be encouraged to test hot water temperatures after adjusting gauges to ensure that a safe temperature is achieved.” 

Source: Health Day

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The Pure Water Occasional catalogs the intriguing happenings of the complex world of water.

Keeping Your Well Safe and Clean

Reprinted from the Paris Beacon News.

Floods, droughts, and power outages can affect the safety of water supplies in private wells. Being prepared for the unexpected may minimize the damage, according to Steve Wilson, hydrologist at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

In the event of a flood, store a supply of clean water that you can use during and after the flood. Disconnect the power supply to your well to prevent any electrical damage. Also, plug the vent holes temporarily to keep debris out of the well.

If flood water overtops the well, assume that the well water is contaminated, Wilson said. Once the water recedes, have your well disinfected and sampled for bacteria before using it again.

Also, inspect your wellhead to be sure no debris got into the well. This is a particular concern if the vent screen is missing. If you think there is debris, have a contractor clean and disinfect your well.

“If the water reaches your well but doesn’t overtop it, take the precaution of disinfecting your well and have samples tested before using it again,” Wilson said.

Septic systems can also be damaged or cause contamination during floods. Make sure the access points are sealed. Your septic system should have a backflow preventer ahead of the tank to keep sewage from backing up into your home during a flood. If your septic system has its own pump, but sure to shut off the power.

In droughts, private wells can go dry. In case of a shallow dug or bored well, you may not have many options to restore the water supply to your home. These wells are built in areas without significant aquifers to store water that seeps into the well slowly.

In a very dry year, such as occurred in some locations in Illinois in 2012, the water table may have dropped below the well. In this situation, one option is to have a portable water tank as a backup system.

“You can have water delivered or haul it yourself from a municipal source, and practice conserving water until the situation changes,” Wilson said.

In some locations, a deeper well might be possible. Contact the Illinois State Water Survey to find out about your options.

When a power outage occurs, the only option is to have a backup generator to keep the well pump working. Keeping the power working is particularly important in the winter for older wells in which the piping comes to the surface. Loss of power could mean frozen pipes as well, which could burst. If you have a well house, it may be possible to use a portable propane heater to keep pipes from freezing.

Water well owners interested in learning how to maintain their own wells can take the Private Well Class, a free, step-by-step online education program to help well owners understand groundwater basics, well care best practices, and how to find assistance.

Well owners will also learn how to sample their well, how to interpret sample results, and what they can do to protect their well and source water from contamination. For more information, visit the Private Well Class website (http://www.privatewellclass.org) or e-mail info@privatewellclass.org. 

Source: Paris Beacon News

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Dr. Peter Gleick Receives a Lifetime Acheivement Award on World Water Day

As part of the World Water Day celebration,  Dr. Peter Gleick and the Pacific Institute were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Silicon Valley Water Conservation Awards ceremony in San Jose, California. Dr. Gleick is President and co-founder of the Oakland, CA organization that, over 25 years, has built a reputation in California and around the world as one of the most innovative, independent non-governmental organizations in the fields of sustainable and equitable water management.

Dr. Gleick said: “Water is closely connected to each of the vital resource issues of our time – human and ecosystem health, poverty, conflict, energy, food, sustainable communities, and strong economies.” 

Gleick is considered by many to be the world’s leading expert, innovator, and communicator on freshwater resources. He was named a MacArthur Fellow for his work and called  a “visionary on the environment” by the BBC. A member of the US National Academy of Sciences, he is author of many scientific papers and eight books, including the biennial water report, The World’s Water, Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water and as coauthor, A Twenty-First Century U.S. Water Policy.

Dr. Peter Gleick

According to WCPOnline, “Gleick and the Pacific Institute have done extensive research and education to understand and influence how we use water and how we must move to a sustainable approach – a ‘soft path for water’ that recognizes the realities of a renewable but ultimately limited resource. The Pacific Institute drives a vision and strategy of a comprehensive approach to water use and management that takes advantage of remarkable engineering skills and technologies – but also looks to the innovative application of economics; smart incentives for efficient water use; appropriate regulatory approaches and expanded public education and community participation in water decision making.”

Pacific Institute offers a wealth of information and offers its research  free of charge online.

Shrimp’s Dirty Secrets: Why America’s Favorite Seafood Is a Health and Environmental Nightmare

by Jill Richardson

Water News in a Nutshell.

 

Americans love their shrimp. It’s the most popular seafood in the country, but unfortunately much of the shrimp we eat are a cocktail of chemicals, harvested at the expense of one of the world’s productive ecosystems. Worse, guidelines for finding some kind of “sustainable shrimp” are so far nonexistent.

In his book, Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood, Taras Grescoe paints a repulsive picture of how shrimp are farmed in one region of India. The shrimp pond preparation begins with urea, superphosphate, and diesel, then progresses to the use of piscicides (fish-killing chemicals like chlorine and rotenone), pesticides and antibiotics (including some that are banned in the U.S.), and ends by treating the shrimp with sodium tripolyphosphate (a suspected neurotoxicant), Borax, and occasionally caustic soda.

Upon arrival in the U.S., few, if any, are inspected by the FDA, and when researchers have examined imported ready-to-eat shrimp, they found 162 separate species of bacteria with resistance to 10 different antibiotics. And yet, as of 2008, Americans are eating 4.1 pounds of shrimp apiece each year — significantly more than the 2.8 pounds per year we each ate of the second most popular seafood, canned tuna. But what are we actually eating without knowing it? And is it worth the price — both to our health and the environment?

Shrimp rank way ahead of second-place tuna as America’s seafood choice. You might prefer not to know where it comes from.

Understanding the shrimp that supplies our nation’s voracious appetite is quite complex. Overall, the shrimp industry represents a dismantling of the marine ecosystem, piece by piece. Farming methods range from those described above to some that are more benign. Problems with irresponsible methods of farming don’t end at the “yuck” factor as shrimp farming is credited with destroying 38 percent of the world’s mangroves, some of the most diverse and productive ecosystems on earth. Mangroves sequester vast amounts of carbon and serve as valuable buffers against hurricanes and tsunamis. Some compare shrimp farming methods that demolish mangroves to slash-and-burn agriculture. A shrimp farmer will clear a section of mangroves and close it off to ensure that the shrimp cannot escape. Then the farmer relies on the tides to refresh the water, carrying shrimp excrement and disease out to sea. In this scenario, the entire mangrove ecosystem is destroyed and turned into a small dead zone for short-term gain. Even after the shrimp farm leaves, the mangroves do not come back.

A more responsible farming system involves closed, inland ponds that use their wastewater for agricultural irrigation instead of allowing it to pollute oceans or other waterways. According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, when a farm has good disease management protocols, it does not need to use so many antibiotics or other chemicals.

One more consideration, even in these cleaner systems, is the wild fish used to feed farmed shrimp. An estimated average of 1.4 pounds of wild fish are used to produce every pound of farmed shrimp. Sometimes the wild fish used is bycatch — fish that would be dumped into the ocean to rot if they weren’t fed to shrimp — but other times farmed shrimp dine on species like anchovies, herring, sardines and menhaden. These fish are important foods for seabirds, big commercial fish and whales, so removing them from the ecosystem to feed farmed shrimp is problematic.

Additionally, some shrimp are wild-caught, and while they aren’t raised in a chemical cocktail, the vast majority is caught using trawling, a highly destructive fishing method. Football field-sized nets are dragged along the ocean floor, scooping up and killing several pounds of marine life for every pound of shrimp they catch and demolishing the ocean floor ecosystem as they go. Where they don’t clear-cut coral reefs or other rich ocean floor habitats, they drag their nets through the mud, leaving plumes of sediment so large they are visible from outer space.

Source:  Alternet.

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Neeri scientist treats contaminated water using plant waste

By Snehlata Shrivastav

Water News in a Nutshell.

 

In a Nutshell: Researchers in India have developed a highly effective way of removing heavy metals from water using plant waste materials like orange peel and rice husks. 

NAGPUR: Most people in rural India still do not have access to potable drinking water.Treatment of water to remove pollutants like heavy metals and disease causing microorganisms using low cost technologies and making it available to masses still remains a big challenge for the government. However, scientists across the country have been working to devise cheap and effective technologies for water purification.As a part of this effort, scientists at the water technology management division (WTMD) of National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri) has developed a technology to convert contaminated water into potable by removing heavy metals in it even at extremely low concentrations. The technology, which uses locally available plant waste material like orange peel, rice husk and wild nuts, is extremely low cost, effective and viable.Neeri director Satish Wate, who has been instrumental in convincing his scientists to take up projects based on societal problems, sees water as a priority area for the institute. “We do work on high end technologies and projects for the corporate sector but solving common man’s problems is our first goal,” he said.Head of WTMD division Pawan Labshetwar, who has been supervising the project, says removal of both inorganic and organic contaminants from water has been an integral part of Neeri research.

This particular process has been developed by a young fellow scientist Manish V Rahate who basically got the idea of utilizing local plant waste from his guide Shyam Shukla at Lamar University in USA while pursuing his Master’s degree. Rahate also received support from VA Mahisalkar from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT). He says though his process has given excellent results at laboratory level, it needs to be scaled up for community use.

“We have tried it for a minimum of 1000 litres of water and the plant waste material can be reused. The three-step process costs just Rs5-6 per 1000 litres. In the first step, the heavy metals present in the lowest possible concentration are adsorbed using plant waste. Second step uses sand and coal powder to filter other contaminants and makes water more palatable. Last step uses a specially developed metal oxide which acts as an oxidant and disinfects water from organic pollutants-micro-organisms like bacteria,” Rahate said.

Since plant materials are rich in substances called as pectin and lignin which are good adsorbents of heavy metals, the researchers have chosen them for removal of arsenic and iron. The process uses 12 different plant materials like rice husk powder, dried and powdered wild nuts, mango leaves, banana and orange peels. These powders form the first layer of the filter. Rahate has labelled his process as L3 (low cost, low technology and locally available) and KISS (Keep it simple and sweet). He would be presenting his work at the international workshop for young environmental scientists titled ‘Urban water resources and risks’ to be held in June first week in Paris.

Rahate has already received the ‘Young water professional’ award for this process at an international conference held in January in Malaysia. “There is still a long way to go to make this process commercially available. But I am confident of making this happen very soon,” he said.

Source Reference: Times of India.

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New Requirements for Ballast Water Dumped by Ships

Editor’s Note:  The following is excerpted from Boston.com.  Go here for the full article.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency has issued new requirements for cleansing ballast water dumped from ships, which scientists believe has provided a pathway to U.S. waters for invasive species that damage ecosystems and cost the economy billions of dollars.

The Three Basic Coal-Based Filter Carbons and Their Special Properties

The heart of most water filtration systems is filter carbon, usually called “granular activated carbon,” or GAC.   Activated carbon is the preferred treatment for a large percentage of  contaminants on the EPA’s list of monitored water issues.  Carbon is an effective treatment for a large percentage of chemical contaminants, including disinfectants like chlorine and chloramine, plus it is very effective at improving the aesthetic qualities of water like taste, odor and color.

Filter carbon is a manufactured product, but it starts from a natural source.  It can be made from any carbonaceous raw material.  Coconut shells are a common raw material used in carbon making, but by far the most common source material is coal.

Carbons made from lignite tend to have a large pore diameter. The pore diameter is measured by a property know to manufacturers as the “molasses number.”  The higher the molasses number the more suited the carbon is to remove colors from liquids.

Bituminous coal activated carbons have a broad range of pore diameters. Since these carbons have both a fine and wide pore diameter, they are well suited for general de-chlorination and the removal of a wider variety of organic chemical contaminants from water, including colors.

Because of its versatility, bituminous carbon is the most commonly used carbon for general water treatment.

In addition to the “molasses number,” qualities that are used to grade filter carbons are the so-called iodine number, the ash content, the abrasion number, the bulk density, the peroxide number, and the phosphorous content.  

Reference.

EPA’s Comprehensive Survey Finds Little Positive About the Condition of America’s Rivers and Streams

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the results of the first comprehensive survey looking at the health of thousands of stream and river miles across the country, finding that over half — 55 percent — are in poor condition for aquatic life.

“The health of our Nation’s rivers, lakes, bays and coastal waters depends on the vast network of streams where they begin, and this new science shows that America’s streams and rivers are under significant pressure,” said Office of Water Acting Assistant Administrator Nancy Stoner. “We must continue to invest in protecting and restoring our nation’s streams and rivers as they are vital sources of our drinking water, provide many recreational opportunities and play a critical role in the economy.”

The 2008-2009 National Rivers and Stream Assessment reflects the most recent data available, and is part of EPA’s expanded effort to monitor waterways in the U.S. and gather scientific data on the condition of the Nation’s water resources, stated the release.

Findings of the assessment include:

– Nitrogen and phosphorus are at excessive levels. Twenty-seven percent of the nation’s rivers and streams have excessive levels of nitrogen, and 40 percent have high levels of phosphorus. Too much nitrogen and phosphorus in the water—known as nutrient pollution—causes significant increases in algae, which harms water quality, food resources and habitats, and decreases the oxygen that fish and other aquatic life need to survive. Nutrient pollution has impacted many streams, rivers, lakes, bays and coastal waters for the past several decades, resulting in serious environmental and human health issues, and impacting the economy.

– Streams and rivers are at an increased risk due to decreased vegetation cover and increased human disturbance. These conditions can cause streams and rivers to be more vulnerable to flooding, erosion, and pollution. Vegetation along rivers and streams slows the flow of rainwater so it does not erode stream banks, removes pollutants carried by rainwater and helps maintain water temperatures that support healthy streams for aquatic life. Approximately 24 percent of the rivers and streams monitored were rated poor due to the loss of healthy vegetative cover.

– Increased bacteria levels. High bacteria levels were found in nine percent of stream and river miles making those waters potentially unsafe for swimming and other recreation. 

– Increased mercury levels. More than 13,000 miles of rivers have fish with mercury levels that may be unsafe for human consumption. For most people, the health risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern, but some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child’s developing nervous system.

EPA plans to use this new data to inform decision making about addressing critical needs around the country for rivers, streams, and other waterbodies. This comprehensive survey will also help develop improvements to monitoring these rivers and streams across jurisdictional boundaries and enhance the ability of states and tribes to assess and manage water quality to help protect our water, aquatic life, and human health. Results are available for a dozen geographic and ecological regions of the country.

Read the entire press release here.

The EPA Must Protect Our Water From Coal Pollution

by Mary Anne Hitt

Water News in a Nutshell.

 

In a Nutshell: We think of coal-fired power plants as one of our worst air polluters.  They are, but what isn’t so widely known is that they are also one of our worst water polluters. They dump more toxins into US lakes and rivers than any other industry, and a 28% increase is expected over the next 15 years.

Source: Huffington Post.

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