Article #11 1/10/13
Brian Bienkowski. Environmental Health News. "New Rules Tackle Bacteria in Drinking Water." Scientific American.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=new-rules-tackle-bacteria-in-drinking-water
Topic: Health
This article is about a new regulation that will take effect in the U.S. within the next 3 years that will detect the presence of harmful bacteria more accurately. The new regulation is predicted to cost utilities $14 million each year and about 155,000 public water systems will have to agree/cooperate. Before this new regulation, water agencies have been using an indicator called total coliform which checks for dangerous fecal matter in drinking water. However since this is not necessarily a health threat the new regulation will add tests for E. coli and if any amount is found then customers will immediately be notified. Environmental groups have sided with the EPA and other health organizations on this decision and agree that this regulation will be effective. E.coli can get into the water supply through runoff or sewage and affects about 70,000 people a year in the U.S, causing diarrhea and in some cases kidney failure and death.
I chose this article because I drink water many times a day and I drink from public fountains often so I wanted to read about how organizations were going to make drinking water healthier. My only concern is where the government will get the $14 million needed for this regulation to be put into effect.
Topic: Health
This article is about a new regulation that will take effect in the U.S. within the next 3 years that will detect the presence of harmful bacteria more accurately. The new regulation is predicted to cost utilities $14 million each year and about 155,000 public water systems will have to agree/cooperate. Before this new regulation, water agencies have been using an indicator called total coliform which checks for dangerous fecal matter in drinking water. However since this is not necessarily a health threat the new regulation will add tests for E. coli and if any amount is found then customers will immediately be notified. Environmental groups have sided with the EPA and other health organizations on this decision and agree that this regulation will be effective. E.coli can get into the water supply through runoff or sewage and affects about 70,000 people a year in the U.S, causing diarrhea and in some cases kidney failure and death.
I chose this article because I drink water many times a day and I drink from public fountains often so I wanted to read about how organizations were going to make drinking water healthier. My only concern is where the government will get the $14 million needed for this regulation to be put into effect.