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The material posted is
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Jim AjiokaAn
June 1, 2012
Phys.Org™
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New test to detect arsenic contamination in drinking water
Bacterial pigments. Credit: Jim AjiokaAn economical and easy-to-use biosensor could reduce the chance of being poisoned by arsenic – a common contaminant of wells in parts of Asia.
Arsenic is one of the most common elements on Earth and is present as arsenic salts in all water. The World Health Organization sets the safe level for arsenic in drinking water at 10 parts per billion. From the Himalayas to Southeast Asia, arsenic levels in drinking water can be more than 10 times that amount, yet the wells are rarely tested. The problem has been termed “the largest mass poisoning of a population in history”, with calls for a reinvigoration of moribund well-testing campaigns.
For instance, of the more than 400,000 shallow tube wells in Nepal, it is estimated that nearly 10% of them are contaminated with arsenic, which can cause a variety of health problems, including skin lesions, diseases of the blood vessels of the hands and feet, and cancer of the skin, bladder, kidney and lung.
Several arsenic testing kits are available on the market, but they require expensive machinery to read the outputs, and almost all of them use mercury bromide, which is extremely toxic.
Dr. Jim Ajioka from the Department of Pathology, along with Dr. Jim Haseloff from the Department of Plant Sciences and colleagues from the University of Edinburgh, has designed a whole-cell arsenic biosensor that is cheap, non-toxic and easy to use.
Some species of bacteria are natural arsenic biosensors: in the presence of less than 10 parts per billion of arsenic, they initiate the production of enzymes and an efflux pump for the detoxification and removal of arsenic. For the sensor, the team will take the genes that detect arsenic and combine them with bacterial genes that produce coloured pigments. The modified bacteria will turn green when arsenic levels are safe, and purple when arsenic levels are unsafe. The test uses a harmless strain of the soil-dwelling bacterium Bacillus subtilis, which poses no threat to human health or the environment.
The extremely simple visual output combined with the low cost (estimated at around $0.50 per test) and the lack of need for any expensive monitoring equipment make the whole-cell arsenic biosensor ideal for use in rural areas where arsenic contamination of drinking water is widespread.
With the assistance of Cambridge Enterprise, the University’s commercialisation arm, the team has received a translational grant from the Wellcome Trust. It is anticipated that a functioning device can be built within the next 18–24 months, with field testing to follow.
Provided by University of Cambridge
Drinking water
Drinking water is water of sufficiently high quality that it can be consumed or used without risk of immediate or long term harm. Such water is commonly called potable water. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion (often 5% or less) is actually consumed or used in food preparation.[citation needed]
Over large parts of the world, humans have inadequate access to potable water and use sources contaminated with disease vectors, pathogens or unacceptable levels of dissolved chemicals or suspended solids. Such water is not potable and drinking or using such water in food preparation leads to widespread acute and chronic illness and is a major cause of death in many countries.
Typically, water supply networks deliver potable water, whether it is to be used for drinking, washing or landscape irrigation. One counterexample is urban China, where drinking water can optionally be delivered by a separate tap.
For more information about Drinking water, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Arsenic
Arsenic (pronounced /ˈɑrsnɪk/; also /ɑrˈsɛnɪk/ when attributive) is the chemical element that has the symbol As and atomic number 33. Arsenic was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250. Its atomic mass is 74.92. Arsenic is a notoriously poisonous metalloid with many allotropic forms, including a yellow (molecular non-metallic) and several black and grey forms (metalloids). Three metalloidal forms of arsenic, each with a different crystal structure, are found free in nature (the minerals arsenic sensu stricto and the much rarer arsenolamprite and pararsenolamprite). However, it is more commonly found as arsenide and in arsenate compounds, several hundred of which are known. Arsenic and its compounds are used as pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and in various alloys.
For more information about Arsenic, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
New test to detect arsenic contamination in drinking water
An economical and easy-to-use biosensor could reduce the chance of being poisoned by arsenic – a common contaminant of wells in parts of Asia.
Jun 01, 2012 |
Tracing arsenic threat to groundwater
In the driest inhabited continent on earth, underground water accounts for a large portion of Australia’s most precious resource – freshwater.
Water Directories
Fracking
What's New In Fracking
EPA: WHATS NEW IN FRACKING
- May 2012: Draft Permitting Guidance for Oil and Gas Hydraulic Fracturing Activities Using Diesel Fuels
- April 2012: EPA Issues Oil and Natural Gas Air Pollution Standards
- April 2012:
- Memorandum of Agreement among the U.S. Departments of Energy and Interior and U.S. EPA about Collaboration on Unconventional Oil and Gas Research (PDF)
Natural Gas Extraction-Hydraulic Fracturing
EPA: Natural Gas Extraction – Hydraulic Fracturing:
- Improving our scientific understanding of hydraulic fracturing
- Providing regulatory clarity and protections against known risks
- Assuring compliance
- Promoting transparency and conducting outreach
Related Information on Fracking
Related Information Regarding Fracking:
Additional EPA information:
Other federal government information:
- What is shale gas? (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
- Review of emerging resources: U.S. shale gas and shale oil plays (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
- U.S. Department of Energy Natural Gas Subcommittee of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board
- Subcommittee website shalegas.energy.gov
- Final report (PDF) (23 pp, 3.5 MB)
Hydraulic Fracturing Study
EPA’s Hydraulic Fracturing Study:
-
- Stakeholder involvement strategy for EPA’s study of hydraulic fracturing and its potential impact on drinking water resources
- August 2011 request by EPA requesting participation in EPA’s Hydraulic Facturing Study
- September 2010 request by EPA to provide data on the chemical composition of fluids used in the hydraulic fracturing process
- November 2011 Study Plan (PDF)
- Quality assurance project plans
- Stakeholder involvement on draft UIC guidance for permitting oil and gas hydraulic fracturing activities using diesel fuels
-
Testimony:
- Testimony of Cynthia Dougherty, Director, Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water, before the Subcommittee on Water and Power, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, U.S. Senate, October 20, 2011 (PDF) (5 pp, 28 K) — Discussion of EPA’s role in ensuring that public health and water quality are protected during natural gas extraction and production activities.
- Testimony of Bob Perciasepe, Deputy Administrator, before the Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife, Committee on Environment and Public Works, U.S. Senate, April 12, 2011 (PDF) (7 pp, 35 K) — Discussion of EPA’s role in ensuring that public health and the environment are protected during natural gas extraction and production.
Tribal Water Resource Directory
+ opens topic menu
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Tribal Programs – Drinking Water
Tribal Programs – Drinking Water
On this page
Information for Tribal Public Water Suppliers- Rule Monitoring Placards
- Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification
- Tribal Drinking Water Compliance Information
- Drinking Water Training for Tribes and Tribal Operators
- Tribal Drinking Water Needs
- Funding Opportunities
- Regional Information
- Links
- Tribal PWSS & UIC Programs
- Tribal Source Water Protection Program
Information for Tribal Public Water Suppliers
Information for Tribal Public Water Suppliers
- Treatment in the Same Manner as a State for the Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) Program
- An Overview (PDF) (12 pp, 50K)
- Factsheet (PDF) (3 pp, 39K)
- Frequent Questions (PDF) (3 pp, 30K)
- Building Water System Capacity: A Guide for Tribal Administrators (PDF) (6 pp, 3MB) EPA 816-K-01-006, July 2001
- Preventive Maintenance Tasks for Tribal Drinking Water Systems (booklet) (PDF) (35 pp, 78K) EPA 816-F-01-017, June 2001
- Preventive Maintenance Tasks for Tribal Drinking Water Systems (log sheets) (PDF) (96 pp, 99K) EPA 816-F-01-017, June 2001
-
You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA’s PDF page to learn more.
Rule Monitoring Placards
Rule Monitoring Placards – check to make sure you download the correct placard for your public water system type PDF
- Total Coliform Monitoring Requirements
- Community Water Systems Serving 1,001 – 10,000 People (PDF) (1 pp, 56K)
EPA 816-F-08-004, January 2008 - Community Water Systems Serving 25 – 1,000 People (PDF) (1 pp, 53K)
EPA 816-F-08-005, January 2008 - Noncommunity Water Systems Serving 1,001 – 10,000 People (PDF) (1 pp, 54K)
EPA 816-F-08-006, January 2008 - Noncommunity Water Systems Serving 25 – 1,000 People (PDF) (1 pp, 53K)
EPA 816-F-08-007, January 2008
- Community Water Systems Serving 1,001 – 10,000 People (PDF) (1 pp, 56K)
- Surface Water Treatment Rules Monitoring Requirements (SWTR/LT1ESWTR):
- Systems Serving Less than 10,000 People Using Conventional or Direct Filtration (PDF) (1 pp, 40K)
EPA 816-F-08-001, January 2008 - Systems Serving Less Than 10,000 People Using Slow Sand, Diatomaceous Earth, or Alternative Filtration (PDF) (1 pp, 40K)
EPA 816-F-08-002, January 2008 - Unfiltered Systems Serving Less than 10,000 people (PDF) (1 pp, 40K)
EPA 816-F-08-003, January 2008
- Systems Serving Less than 10,000 People Using Conventional or Direct Filtration (PDF) (1 pp, 40K)
- Nitrate Monitoring Requirements:
- Community and Noncommunity Water Systems (PDF) ( pp, K)
EPA 816-F-08-008, January 2008
- Community and Noncommunity Water Systems (PDF) ( pp, K)
Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification
Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program
- Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program Final Guidelines:
- Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program Final Guidelines (PDF) (15 pp, 121K)
EPA 816-R-05, May 2005 - Federal Register Notice: Notice of Availability: Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program Final Guidelines
- Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program Final Guidelines (PDF) (15 pp, 121K)
- Tribal Operator Certification Program Draft Guidelines: March 2000 Federal Register notice of availability of the draft guidelines | Public comment draft (PDF) (20 pp, 66K)
- Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program | PDF Version (1 pp, 46 K)
This notice announces the program details of EPA’s voluntary Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program, effective October 1, 2010. The program enables qualified drinking water operators at public water systems in Indian country to be recognized as certified operators by EPA.
- Application (PDF) (15 pp, 149K)
EPA 816-B-09-002
Tribal Drinking Water Compliance Information
Tribal Drinking Water Compliance Information
Each compliance report discusses the violations at public water systems on Indian reservations; EPA’s enforcement and compliance assistance activities with respect to Tribal PWSs; and the financial assistance EPA has provided to facilitate the provision of safe drinking water to Tribes.
Drinking Water Training for Tribes and Tribal Operators
Drinking Water Training for Tribes and Tribal Operators
Tribal Drinking Water Needs
Tribal Drinking Water Needs
- >Final 2001 Report to Congress on Drinking Water Needs for American Indian and Alaska Native Village Water Systems (PDF) (47 pp, 1MB) February, 2001, EPA 816-R-01-006 excerpted from main report
- >Fact Sheet on 2001 American Indian and Alaska Native Village Water System Survey (PDF) (4 pp, 298K)
- 1997 Needs Survey Report (PDF) (7 pp, 495K)
Funding Opportunities
Funding Opportunities
Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants Tribal Set-Aside (DWIG TSA) Program Guidance PDF (34 pp, 98K)
Links
Links
- The American Indian Environmental Office (AIEO) at EPA is responsible for overseeing many environmental programs that benefit Tribal populations.
- Native American Water Association
- The Indian Health Service also has programs that promote public health.
Tribal PWSS & UIC Programs
Tribal PWSS & UIC Programs
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History of the Tribal PWSS and UIC Programs
In 1974 the United States Congress passed legislation, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), designed to maintain and improve the quality of the nation’s drinking waters. Two major regulatory programs were created in the SDWA: the Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) and the Underground Injection Control (UIC) programs.
Congress authorized EPA to delegate responsibilities to states for implementing and enforcing national standards within their jurisdiction. States must apply to EPA if they want this “primacy” responsibility and must develop PWSS or UIC programs that meet national requirements. EPA is still responsible for developing national regulations, overseeing state primacy programs and implementing programs in states without primacy.
Because of their unique status, Indian tribes were not eligible to assume primacy in the original Act. Instead EPA regions were responsible for primary enforcement authority of PWSS and UIC programs on Tribal lands. This changed in 1986 when the Amendments to the SDWA added provisions that allow federally recognized tribes to assume primacy for the PWSS and UIC programs. Section 1451 (“Indian Tribes”) of SDWA authorizes the EPA to treat Indian tribes in a manner similar to states and to assign primary enforcement responsibility (primacy) to qualified tribes.
The PWSS and UIC programs are very complex and costly to operate. For many tribes (especially those that do not have a large number of public water systems or underground injection wells), the costs and resources required to achieve and maintain a regulatory program may far exceed the benefits from achieving primacy. Due to such difficulties, currently the only tribe that has sought and obtained primacy for the PWSS program is the Navajo Nation. There are a few tribes that are pursuing primacy in the PWSS and UIC programs.
Today´s Tribal Direct Implementation Program
States and tribes that do not obtain PWSS and UIC program delegation continue to be directly implemented by the EPA region in which the State or reservation is located. All EPA regions, excluding Region III (which has no federally recognized tribes), operate tribal PWSS and UIC programs to manage public water systems or underground injection wells on Indian lands.
EPA’s 1997 inventory shows that there are nearly 1000 public water systems (740 community water systems, 90 nontransient noncommunity water systems and 130 transient noncommunity water systems) that the EPA regional offices manage on Indian lands serving a population of nearly 500,000. There are also over 5,300 injection wells (one Class I well, 4,300 Class II wells, 0 Class III wells and 1,042 Class V wells) on tribal lands that are managed by regional UIC staff.
As the primary enforcement authority for tribal public water systems, EPA regions are responsible for enforcing against those systems that do not comply with federal drinking water regulations. A formal enforcement action is taken as a last measure. EPA regions dedicate a great deal of resources to provide tribes with technical assistance to help their systems or wells comply with federal standards. Regional staff visit reservations as often as possible to provide compliance assistance on site. Many Regions also fund circuit rider programs which enable other qualified persons the opportunity to provide technical assistance and training directly to tribes.
For more information on the Tribal PWSS and UIC programs, please contact your program representative.
Source water assessment and protection programs
Source Water Assessment and Protection Programs
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments of 1996 required states to develop and implement source water assessment programs (SWAPs) to analyze existing and potential threats to the quality of the public drinking water throughout the state. Using these programs, most states have completed source water assessments for every public water system — from major metropolitan areas to the smallest towns. Even schools, restaurants, and other public facilities that have wells or surface water supplies have been assessed. A source water assessment is a study and report, unique to a water system, that provides basic information about the water used to provide drinking water. States are working with local communities and public water systems to identify protection measures to address potential threats to sources of drinking water.
EPA publications and resources
- Source Water Assessment and Protection Programs Final Guidance (PDF) (160 pp, 486K)
Describes the elements of an EPA-approved state Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP), as well as EPA’s recommendations for what should be included in a state Source Water Protection (SWP) Program. The document also provides an overview of how source water assessment and protection integrates with other Safe Drinking Water Act programs and efforts and how other EPA and other federal programs can assist states in developing and implementing assessment and protection programs, and vice versa.
EPA 816-R-97-009 - Office of Inspector General Report: Source Water Assessment and Protection Programs Show Initial Promise, But Obstacles Remain (PDF) (56 pp, 625K)
- Source Water Protection Training through the Drinking Water Academy
- Delineation tools
- Potential contaminant source inventory tools
- Susceptibility determination tools
- Protection tools
Wellhead protection program
Wellhead Protection Program
The Wellhead Protection Program (WHPP) is a pollution prevention and management program used to protect underground sources of drinking water. The national WHPP was established under section 1428 of the 1986 SDWA amendments. The law specified that certain program activities, such as delineation, contaminant source inventory, contingency planning and source management, be incorporated into state WHPPs, which are approved by EPA prior to implementation. All states have EPA-approved state WHPPs. Although section 1428 applies only to states, a number of tribes are implementing the program as well.
WHPPs provided the foundation for many of the state source water assessment programs required under the 1996 SDWA amendments. Most states also use the wellhead protection program as a foundation for assessing and protecting ground water systems. State WHPPs vary greatly. For example, some states require community water systems to develop management plans, while others rely on education and technical assistance to encourage voluntary action. Other states have mandatory requirements for wellhead protection at the local level. Guidance, publications and other resources are available on state source water web sites.
EPA publications and resources
- Citizen’s Guide To Ground Water Protection (PDF) (34 pp, 2M)
- 1995-1997 Wellhead Biennial Report (PDF) (111 pp, 231K)
- Private Wells
- Septic Systems and Source Water Protection
- Locate Wellhead Protection Case Studies from Across the Country
Non-EPA publications and resources
State ground water protection program
State Ground Water Protection Programs
Many states have also developed programs that are focused specifically on ground water protection. Several states developed formal Comprehensive State Ground Water Protection Programs (CSGWPP), which were designed as a management tool for states to use to integrate all programs that affect ground water quality, thus allowing better decisions to be made. Although most states are no longer pursuing formal approval of a CSGW pp, virtually all states are pursuing at least some of the individual elements necessary for comprehensive ground water protection. Within EPA, the source water protection program is working with the underground storage tank program to address potential threats to ground water posed by leaking tanks.
Publications and resources
- Protecting the Nation’s Ground Water: EPA Strategy for the 1990s (PDF) (11 pp, 1M)
- State 305(b) reports
- National Water Quality Inventory, 1998 Report to Congress, Ground Water and Drinking Water Chapters
Report that is the primary vehicle for informing Congress and the public about general water quality conditions in the Untied States.- Ground Water Protection Programs Chapter (PDF) (47 pp, 584K)
- Complete Report (PDF) (99 pp, 2M)
- Drinking Water Quality Programs Chapter (PDF) (11 pp, 196K)
- Ground Water Quality Chapter (PDF) (35 pp, 730K)
Sole source aquifer protection program
Sole Source Aquifer Protection Program
A sole source aquifer supplies 50 percent or more of the drinking water for a given aquifer service area for which there are no reasonably available alternative sources, should the aquifer become contaminated. Designation as a sole source aquifer protects an area’s ground water resources by requiring EPA to review any proposed projects within the designated area that are receiving federal financial assistance.
Watershed-based protection program
Watershed-Based Protection Program
The goal of source water protection is to protect the drinking water resource by protecting and preserving the environmental quality of the watershed above the intake (or the aquifer around the well). The assessment is the first step in the process to protect the resource. Once a watershed has been assessed to determine its current condition and the extent of the threats to the system, a watershed plan can be developed and implemented.
EPA’s Office of Water has numerous programs that focus on watershed protection under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The Act includes programs such as the Nonpoint Source Program, National Estuary Program, the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program, and the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. Each of these programs encourage states to develop programs to promote watershed-based protection, and they have elements that support watershed-based planning and implementation. The federal programs are generally implemented at the state level.
EPA,Federal /non-governmental programs
EPA, Federal / Non-governmental Programs
There is no single federal program for implementing source water protection plans and activities. However, many federal, tribal, regional, and local programs have tools and resources that can be used to focus on protecting drinking water. Source water protection can benefit, and benefit from, other EPA programs, other federal programs and non-governmental programs:
- Other programs can use source water assessments and identified protection areas to set priorities for ongoing prevention efforts.
- Identifying source water protection areas increases federal, state and local managers’ awareness of other programs where participation might increase the protection of human health.
- Protecting sources of drinking water can help various federal programs, states, organizations and communities meet other environmental and social goals, such as green space conservation, stormwater planning, management of nonpoint source pollution and brownfields redevelopment.
- The benefits that EPA and other federal programs can provide to state and local source water assessment and protection efforts are potentially very large. These include information, technical and financial resources, and communication networks and enforcement authorities.
EPA program links
- EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
- EPA’s Office of Water
- Non-Water Program Links
- EPA program and regional offices
Other Federal Programs and Non-Governmental Organizations
- Related links: Includes links to non-EPA organizations that are related to source water protection.
Tribal programs
Tribal Programs
EPA is firmly committed to helping tribes to assess the rivers, lakes, springs and aquifers that serve as tribal public water supplies and to implement measures to protect against contamination of these water resources.
- Protecting Drinking Water: A Workbook for Tribes
The Water Education Foundation recently completed this national water quality publication using a grant from EPA. The Workbook includes background information on the importance of protecting source water from pollution and includes a step-by-step work plan for tribes interested in developing a plan for protecting their drinking water. - Source water protection fact sheet and EPA regional contacts for tribes (PDF) (4 pp, 80K)
Provides more information on source water protection, how to get started, and funding available. - Tribal drinking water programs and UIC program
- Other water pollution control funding sources
Provides information on drinking water, wastewater and watershed protection funding sources. - Nonpoint source pollution control grants to tribes
Describes opportunities to fund projects to control polluted runoff.
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