Department of Water Resources
California Water News
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
July 20, 2009
4. Water Quality –
Marin sewer agencies focus on repair costs of private pipes
Marin Independent Journal
Under-the-counter clean water
S.F. Chronicle
New study shows pools may be ickier' than you think
Fresno Bee
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Marin sewer agencies focus on repair costs of private pipes
Marin Independent Journal-7/19/09
By Rob Rogers
Hoping to prevent the kind of sewage spills that have plagued the county in the past, several of Marin's sewer districts are uniting to tackle the problem of leaking laterals - the privately owned pipes that connect homes and businesses to the publicly owned sewer mains in the streets.
Older or damaged laterals can become clogged by grease or punctured by tree roots, causing pipes to back up and leading to excess water flows during storms. Given the extent of the county's laterals - 769 miles, as opposed to 755 miles of public sewer mains - sanitary officials believe that as many as half of Marin's sewage spills could be caused by damaged laterals.
"A few agencies in the Bay Area, such as Vallejo and the East Bay Municipal Utility District, did an analysis" of the situation in their areas, said Jason Dow, general manager of the Central Marin Sanitation Agency. "First they went out and repaired the public main line, and saw some reduction of wastewater flows. Then they replaced all the laterals in the same area and saw a significant reduction. So in particular cases there can be a lot of infiltration from laterals."
Fixing that problem is a challenge, officials say, because the home or business owners who are responsible for maintaining laterals may not be aware that anything is wrong - and may not have the incentive to undertake repairs costing thousands of dollars.
"To be honest, most people are not aware of the situation," said Harry Saraydarian, executive
director of the North Bay Watershed Association, a group of seven Marin wastewater agencies. "Inspections don't cost that much, maybe a couple of hundred dollars. But repairs can be expensive, depending on the length of the private lateral.
The cheapest I've heard of is about $4,000."
In some areas, several homes or businesses share a common lateral, making it difficult to determine who is responsible for its repair.
"We do have an inordinate amount of those in the pristine hills of Sausalito," said Patrick Guasco, sewer system coordinator for the city. "Most of those owners don't realize they are responsible for the shared line. That can create obstacles for moving forward."
A few areas, such as Sausalito, require property owners to have their laterals inspected when the property is sold, or when the owner undertakes extensive repairs. Others, like the Ross Valley Sanitary District, offer financial incentives that help owners pay for the cost of repairing damaged laterals.
"We're going to be offering replacement or repair costs (for damaged laterals) up to $4,000," said Guasco, who serves as chairman of the Ross Valley Sanitary District board.
Led by the North Bay Watershed Association, sewer officials are considering applying both solutions and a host of others, such as certifying plumbers for lateral repairs, on a countywide basis.
But an ordinance requiring sewer line inspections as a condition of property sales is likely to meet stiff opposition from real estate agents. The Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District dropped plans for a similar ordinance after a campaign by the Marin Association of Realtors.
"In reality, waiting for inspection until a house is sold or remodeled above a certain dollar point will address only a small percentage of problems," said Katie Beacock, president of the Marin Association of Realtors. "It would be more cost-efficient to do blanket repairs, and finding some way to offer a method of helping homeowners pay, such as tacking the cost on to their property taxes over a number of years. We know point-of-sale does not work."
Guasco believes the inspection requirement has worked well in Sausalito.
"When it first came to Sausalito in 2007, there was a lot of outcry by the Realtors," Guasco said. "But the city needed to address not only the public problems (caused by damaged laterals) but the private overflows that occur. We were able to piggyback on to the lateral grant program (of up to $1,000 per repair) offered by the Sausalito Marin City Sanitary District, and folks started coming around. What we're doing now is working well."
A point-of-sale inspection requirement is part of a proposal the California Association of Sanitation Agencies plans to present to its members in August - a proposal some members hope will eventually become state law.#
http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_12873884?IADID=Search-www.marinij.com-www.marinij.com
Under-the-counter clean water
S.F. Chronicle-7/19/09
By Zahid Sardar
For eco-conscious kitchen remodelers, permanent water filtering devices are another way to help the environment.
"You can eliminate odors and contaminants that affect the taste of water the same way as bottled water manufacturers do but without wasteful plastic bottles and containers," says Todd Pope, who produces Zuvo, an on-demand water filter for home use.
Zuvo uniquely uses nature's oxygenating tricks as well as the purifying properties of ultraviolet light to destroy water-borne microorganisms. "UV disrupts the DNA in living organisms and has a germicidal effect," Pope says.
Zuvo's space-saving white polypropylene and brushed steel cylinder contains fluorescent tubes and carbon filters that produce sanitizing ultraviolet rays and a catalytic chamber that produces oxygen to enhance tap water that flows through it.
The 5-inch-wide Zuvo cylinder can be hidden under the sink or displayed on a kitchen counter where you can see its bluish UV light rays in action. Zuvo, like other permanent filtration systems, has to be attached to pipes that circulate tap water through the device to produce filtered water sans the odor and taste of chlorine.
But it wastes not a drop. Another time-saving advantage: A single Zuvo carbon filter helps to rid 500 gallons of tap water of suspended particles for as long as six months.
Expert opinion: The Zuvo Water Purator produces cleansing ozone that is infused into tap water via a device called a Venturi. Strong ultraviolet light also destroys organisms as water passes through a replaceable carbon filter that rids it of chlorine odors.
Do-it-yourselfers can install Zuvo atop kitchen counters in just minutes. It takes at least a couple of hours when the device is placed under the sink; it then requires a countertop butler faucet to dispense filtered water. Because bottled water generally requires about 4 ounces of crude oil per bottle to produce, Zuvo's elimination of plastic bottles and transportation costs has a greening advantage.
Pros: Two Zuvo filters used annually cost less than a year's worth of Brita filters; several new well-styled stainless steel and chrome-finish butler faucets are available. Although Zuvo light tubes contain mercury, the company has a postage-paid recycling program for proper disposal.
Cons: The filter lasts long but it is initially costly. Add the cost of the unit and the price of professional installation and it would be about four years before it would prove to be more economical than Brita water filters. Zuvo requires a nonstandard hole in the sink for above-counter installations.
Cost: Zuvo costs $300; butler faucets range from $60-$80. Each $30 filter treats 500 gallons. UV fluorescent tubes cost $79.99 and last for about three years. Professional installation costs vary. Five-pack Brita filters cost about $20; each cartridge treats 40 gallons.#
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/19/HOSK18FRBS.DTL
New study shows pools may be ickier' than you think
Fresno Bee-7/20/09
By Derby Cox
A new pool study might give swimmers pause before they dive in this summer.
Among the findings: About one in five Americans admitted to urinating in the pool and about one third said they do not take showers before swimming.
Seventy-eight percent think fellow swimmers engage in unhygienic behavior, according to the survey, which was conducted by the Water Quality and Health Council, an independent group of science experts and health professionals
Besides the "ick" factor, unhygienic behavior can cause illnesses including diarrhea, respiratory illness and infections. Between 2005 and 2006, almost 4,500 people were affected by the illnesses across 31 states according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What can you do? The CDC offers these tips to keep the water clean:
- Don't swim when you have diarrhea.
- Don't swallow the pool water.
- Shower with soap before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers.
- Take your kids on bathroom breaks or check diapers often.
- Change diapers in a bathroom or diaper-changing area and not at poolside.
- Wash your child thoroughly (especially the rear end) with soap and water before swimming."
And before you go for a swim, examine the pool. The water should be clean and clear, and the sides should be smooth, not sticky or slippery. You should be able to hear the pool filtration system. A strong smell - even a strong chlorine smell - is another warning sign.#
http://www.fresnobee.com/627/story/1545419.html
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