USING WATER EFFICIENTLY: IDEAS FOR RESIDENCES

http://www.epa.gov/watersense/pubs/res.html

Efficient water use can have major environmental, public health, and economic benefits by helping to improve water quality, maintain aquatic ecosystems, and protect drinking water resources. By using water more efficiently and by purchasing more water efficient products, we can also help mitigate the effects of drought. Efficiency measures can also save the homeowner money on their water and energy bills. This list of measures is not meant to be comprehensive, but rather a starting point.

Bathroom—where over half of all water use inside a house takes place:

•Do not let the water run while shaving or brushing teeth.

•Take short showers instead of tub baths. Turn off the water while soaping or shampooing.

•If you must use a tub, close the drain before turning on the water and fill the tub only half full. Bathe            small children together.

•Never use your toilet as a waste basket.

Kitchen and Laundry—simple practices that save a lot of water:

•Keep drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until the water is cool.

•Wash fruits and vegetables in a basin. Use a vegetable brush.

•Do not use water to defrost frozen foods; thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

•Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher; wash only full loads.

•Add food wastes to your compost pile instead of using the garbage disposal.

•Wash only full loads of laundry or use the appropriate water level or load size selection on the washing machine.

Equipment—homes with high-efficiency plumbing fixtures and appliances save about 30% of indoor water use and yield substantial savings on water, sewer, and energy bills:

•Install low-flow faucet aerators and showerheads.

•Consider purchasing a high efficiency washing machine which can save over 50% in laundry water and energy use.

•Repair all leaks. A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons per day. To detect leaks in the toilet, add food coloring to the tank water. If the colored water appears in the bowl, the toilet is leaking. Toilet repair advice is available on <www.toiletology.com/index.shtml> .

Landscape Irrigation—depending on climate, up to 75 percent of a home’s total water use during the growing season is for outdoor purposes (During drought conditions outdoor watering restrictions may be imposed, so some of the following tips will not apply.):

•Detect and repair all leaks in irrigation system.

•Use properly treated wastewater for irrigation where available.

•Water the lawn or garden during the coolest part of the day (early morning is best). Do not water on windy days.

•Water trees and shrubs, which have deep root systems, longer and less frequently than shallow-rooted plants that require smaller amounts of water more often. Check with the local extension service for advice on watering needs in your area.

•Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only – not the street or sidewalk.

•Use soaker hoses or trickle irrigation systems for trees and shrubs.

•Install moisture sensors on sprinkler systems.

•Use mulch around shrubs and garden plants to reduce evaporation from the soil surface and cut down on weed growth.

•Remove thatch and aerate turf to encourage movement of water to the root zone.

•Raise your lawn mower cutting height – longer grass blades help shade each other, reduce evaporation, and inhibit weed growth.

•Minimize or eliminate fertilizing, which promotes new growth needing additional watering.

•When outdoor use of city or well water is restricted during a drought, use the water from the air conditioning condenser, dehumidifier, bath, or sink on plants or the garden. Don’t use water that contains bleach, automatic-dishwashing detergent or fabric softener.

Other Outdoor Uses:

•Sweep driveways, sidewalks and steps rather than hosing off.

•Wash the car with water from a bucket, or consider using a commercial car wash that recycles water.

•When using a hose, control the flow with an automatic shut-off nozzle.

•Avoid purchasing recreational water toys which require a constant stream of water.

•Consider purchasing a new water-saving swimming pool filter.

•Use a pool cover to reduce evaporation when pool is not being used.

•Do not install or use ornamental water features unless they recycle the water. Use signs to show the public that water is recycled. Do not operate during a drought

TOP FIVE WATER MYTHS

Exclusive for WaterTechOnline.com    Author: Max Jay, NTP Intern

5. There is less water on the planet now than previously.

This is entirely untrue. However, the planet’s population has been steadily increasing, giving us the impression that there is less water on the planet. Water is recycled through a complicated process that cleans and reuses essentially everything. In reality, there is the same amount of water on Earth now as there has always been, but the increasing population spreads the water far thinner than it has ever had to be. Many areas are looking into inexpensive desalination processes in order to compensate for this demand.

4. Water with vitamins is better for you than regular water.

We often see people running around with vitamin enriched water believing it is a healthier option. However, what the bright colors of the mineral waters don’t tell you is that they’re loaded with other stuff too, like sugars and artificial flavorings.

3. Drinking cold water causes cancer.

As ridiculous as it sounds, this myth has been circulating on Internet message boards and in chain emails for several years. The theory behind this urban legend is that drinking cold water after a meal allows fats to coagulate. Supposedly these coagulated fats adhere to the walls of the intestine and cause cancer. However, according to snopes.com, “the internal heat of the human body quickly nullifies any temperature differences among the various items that have been swallowed.”

2. There are more pollutants in drinking water today than in the past.

Many people believe that the number of harmful substances in our water supply has increased exponentially within the past 25 years or so. While this is a logical assumption due to the increased use of automobiles and machinery that release toxins into the atmosphere, it is actually a false conception. In actuality, 25 years ago it merely seemed as though there were less pollutants in the drinking water due to the level of technology we had to detect them. Today, we have far more sensitive and sophisticated tests that allow us to know and understand more about our water than we have ever been able to in the past.

1. Bottled water is better and safer than tap water.

This is a common misconception. Sometimes bottled water can be healthier, but other times it’s just more marketable. In reality some of these bottled waters are just tap water that gets bottled and shipped out. Often times, if stored for too long, the chemicals used to make the plastic seep into the water, which is incredibly unsafe, especially if used multiple times. Obviously the FDA gives the companies a level of quality to maintain, however the tap requirements set by the EPA are very similar.

Comments

The one I like the best is the coloured flavored water fad. Nothing beats RainSoft Reverse Osmosis water cold with ice, nothing.

WATER SOFTENER

A water softener will improve the condition of your hair and skin, but there’s a practical argument for the investment, too: Reducing the amount of calcium, iron or magnesium in your water can extend the lives of your water-using appliances.

Water is considered hard if it contains more than 1 grain per gallon (GPG) of calcium, iron or magnesium. Indianapolis water typically ranges from 12 to 20 GPG, according to Citizens Water.
Hard water leaves mineral deposits behind when it flows, leaving stains near drains, spots on dishes, film on shower glass, scale on tubs and your clothes looking dingy. It will clog and shorten the lives of dishwashers, washers, water heaters, faucets and toilets, according to a 2010 Battelle Memorial Institute study that was commissioned by the Water Quality Research Foundation.

The study found gas water heaters using hard water lost half their efficiency over a 15-year lifetime, whereas those using softened water retained their original efficiency rating.

Showerheads using hard water lost 75 percent of their flow rate in less than 18 months, while those on softened water maintained a full flow.

Water conditioning companies will usually offer free analysis of your water.

About 70 percent of U.S. homes have hard water, according to the U.S. Geological Survey Office.

 

To explain why water softeners are beneficial and how they work, one needs to understand the differences between hard and soft water. It is presumed in this document that the water you are using meets all health regulations and is known to be safe.
What is Hard Water?
Hard water contains large amounts of calcium and magnesium — two minerals that cause the soapy scum on glasses and lime residue on bathroom fixtures. While suitable for drinking and gardening, hard water can cause mineral build-up in water heaters, pipes, dishwashers and showerheads, reducing its flow. Soap and shampoo’s ability to lather is reduced, and laundry becomes stiffer and duller in appearance.
As Table 1 shows, water hardness is measured with five different classifications and can be expressed in mg/litre or parts per million (ppm) or grains per gallon (gpg).
Table 1 Water hardness classifications
SOFT below 17 mg/litre or ppm (0 1 gpg)
SLIGHTLY HARD 17.1 – 60 mg/litre or ppm (1.1 – 3.5 gpg)
MODERATELY HARD 61 – 120 mg/litre or ppm (3.6 – 7 gpg)
HARD 121 – 180 mg/litre or ppm (7.1 – 10.5 gpg)
VERY HARD over 180 mg/litre or ppm (ovetr 10.5 gpg)

How to Decide if You Should Buy a Water Softener
Above 121 mg/litre, you may want to consider a water softener. Generally speaking, groundwater (well water taken from aquifers in the ground) is hard. Some municipalities in Canada use groundwater to supply water to residents. Residents, in small or rural communities, may not have municipal water service and get water from private or communal wells.
The most crucial step in deciding whether your home should have a water softener is to find out if your water is hard. If you have municipal water, call your water department or utility. If you have a well, contact a water-softening company that can conduct a test and classify its hardness.
How Does a Water Softener Work?
A water softener uses a medium that serves to exchange “ions” of calcium and magnesium with sodium and potassium.
This occurs in four steps:
1. To do the ion replacement, the water in the house runs through a resin bed of small plastic beads or zeolite. The beads are covered with sodium or potassium ions. As the water flows past the ions, they swap places with the calcium and magnesium ions. Eventually, the beads contain nothing but calcium and magnesium, and softening stops. It is then time to regenerate the beads or zeolite.
2. To regenerate, the beads need to regain their sodium or potassium ions by being flooded with a salty, brine solution that is rich in sodium or potassium.
3. Once completed, the calcium and magnesium, dirt and sediments are flushed from the beads and into the drain in a process called backwash.
4. The final phase rinses the mineral tank with fresh water and loads the brine tank so it’s ready for the next cycle.
Automatic water softeners are usually programmed to recharge at specific times that will not disrupt the occupants. It is more water-efficient to have a metered model that will regenerate only when required.
What are The Benefits of a Water Softener?
A water softener reduces water hardness, making it easier to shower and clean fabrics and dishes. With softened water, less soap is needed for bathing and laundry. Skin feels cleaner and clothing softer. Pipes, fixtures and appliances have less scale build-up. With less build-up, appliances can operate efficiently. Mineral-derived odours may be reduced; and, there are fewer deposit stains on bathroom fixtures.
What are The Different Kinds of Water Softeners?
Water softeners come in four different types — offsite, manual, semi-automatic and automatic.
Offsite — the portable exchange unit does not regenerate at your home, a company replaces the cylinder.
Manual — requires manual operation to perform backwashing, brining and rinsing.
Semi-automatic — all functions are controlled automatically, with the exception of regeneration.
Automatic — all functions are performed automatically, including regeneration.
This last type of softener can be controlled by the following systems:
Time-clock — regenerates on a pre-set schedule.
Water meter — regenerates based on volume of water; has two units so one can recharge while other is operating.
Hardness sensor — monitors the hardness of the water and activates regeneration when necessary via a sensor. This system is most costly to buy but will use less water and salt.
Where to Buy a Water Softener
Water softeners are sold by water equipment dealers, department and hardware stores. Units should be certified to the appropriate standards as outlined in the Certification section.

Where do I Install a Water Softener?
Water softeners are installed where the water line enters the home. A professional installer should carry out the installation. A separate cold line will be required for drinking and cooking purposes if you prefer to not consume softened water.
What Does a Softener Look Like?
There are two basic types of water softeners. There is a single upright cabinet style and an upright twin-tank style. Both are approximately 1.5 m in height and about .5 m in width.
How do I Maintain My Water Softener?
While most softeners need little care and will last for many years — problems may occasionally occur.
To ensure smooth functioning, the water softener should regenerate at least once a week to assure its longevity. If your softener is not working properly, there are several things to watch for.
• Check for salt build-up in the brine tank. If a crust has formed, remove it using a vacuum, clean with soap and water, and rinse well.
• If your water contains iron, check for iron deposits in the resin bed. If it is present, use an iron-removing product to clean the softener.
• Check the resin tank injector. If it is plugged with “dirty” salt, shut off the softener’s bypass plug, run a manual regeneration and then clean the injector and injector screen.
Consider machines that have controls that minimize water use during regeneration. Often, one cycling a week will be sufficient for a family of four.
Concerns About Water Softeners
Is softened water safe to drink?
A water softener cannot remove microbiological contaminants that cause illness and should only be used to treat drinking water that is considered to be microbiologically safe.
Water softeners replace “hard” minerals with “soft” minerals such as sodium. The fact that sodium chloride (a salt) is used to soften water raises a concern about the potential health risks for those persons suffering from hypertension, kidney disease or congestive heart failure.
As the incidence of hypertension increases and the number of individuals on sodium-restricted diets rises, water softener manufacturing companies have begun to promote the use of potassium chloride as a safe alternative to sodium chloride. However, potential health risks are also a concern where potassium chloride (also a salt) is used to soften water. Water containing high levels of sodium or potassium should not be used for drinking, making coffee, juice, infant formula or for cooking.
If you do not want this additional sodium or potassium in your diet, or if you are on a medically prescribed diet use a Reverse Osmosis system for consumption.

RainSoft is the only water company with a lifetime warranty on all parts. This is a 59 year old international company who will do the job right. Water softeners, filters, Ultra violet lights, Reverse osmosis and many other treatment devices are sold/serviced by this trusted water purification company.

SO UNIQUE – MAY JUST CATCH ON WORLD WIDE

Mongolian city to be cooled by giant ice cube

Giant ice cube will cool Mongolia’s capital city of Ulan Bator during the sweltering summer, as well as supply drinking water to citizens.

In one of the grandest geo-engineering projects in the world to date, the Mongolian capital city of Ulan Bator is preparing to keep cool this summer by freezing and storing a gigantic block of ice, reports the Guardian.

The ambitious project, which is being spearheaded by Mongolian engineering firm ECOS & EMI, will use the giant ice cube to reduce energy demand from air conditioners during the hot summer months, as well as to reinforce irrigation supplies. Citizens of Ulan Bator will also be able to tap the ice for drinking water.

The plan is a practical one for Ulan Bator because of the city’s unusually bipolar climate, which can be unbearably hot and dry during a few summer months but bitterly cold in the winter. In fact, Ulan Bator is the coldest national capital in the world. As a result, ice can be farmed during colder months and made to last through the summer.

To generate the giant ice cube, engineers have looked to nature for inspiration. The idea will be to artificially create “naleds” – sheet-like slabs of layered ice, common in subarctic climates, that form from successive flows of freezing, pressurized ground water. Naled ice is far thicker than regular ice formation on lakes, since new layers continue to form as long as there is enough water pressure to penetrate the surface. In fact, naleds can be so thick that they have been used as drilling platforms, and even to build river crossings for tanks.

Officials will manipulate the naled-forming process by drilling bore holes in the ice that forms on the nearby Tuul River. As the water discharges across the surface of the ice, it will freeze in successive layers, much like stacking ice rinks on top of ice rinks.

Although it may sound like an extreme solution to global warming, Mongolian authorities say the technology could soon be utilized to combat rising temperatures in cities around the world. Giant ice cubes could even be used to create cool microclimates or ice-themed amusement parks that help sweaty citizens beat the heat in the summer.

“Everyone is panicking about melting glaciers and icecaps, but nobody has yet found a cheap, environmentally friendly alternative,” said Robin Grayson, a Mongolian-based geologist. “If you know how to manipulate them, naled ice shields can repair permafrost and build cool parks in cities.”

The process could technically be duplicated anywhere in the world that has winters with at least a couple of months of temperatures between minus 5 and minus 20 degrees C.

http://bit.ly/tnVPU9

5 REASONS NOT TO DRINK BOTTLED WATER

5 REASONS NOT TO DRINK BOTTLED WATER
It’s expensive, wasteful and — contrary to popular belief — not any healthier for you than tap water.
By Chris Baskind, MNN Mother Nature Network

http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/5-reasons-not-to-drink-bottled-water#

BOTTLES, BOTTLES EVERYWHERE: Bottled water produces up to 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per year. (Photo: quinn.anya/Flickr)
Bottled water is healthy water — or so marketers would have us believe. Just look at the labels or the bottled water ads: deep, pristine pools of spring water; majestic alpine peaks; healthy, active people gulping down icy bottled water between biking in the park and a trip to the yoga studio.
ShareIn reality, bottled water is just water. That fact isn’t stopping people from buying a lot of it. Estimates variously place worldwide bottled water sales at between $50 and $100 billion each year, with the market expanding at the startling annual rate of 7 percent.
Bottled water is big business. But in terms of sustainability, bottled water is a dry well. It’s costly, wasteful and distracts from the brass ring of public health: the construction and maintenance of safe municipal water systems.
Want some solid reasons to kick the bottled water habit? We’ve rounded up five to get you started.
1) Bottled water isn’t a good value
Take, for instance, Pepsi’s Aquafina or Coca-Cola’s Dasani bottled water. Both are sold in 20 ounce sizes and can be purchased from vending machines alongside soft drinks — and at the same price. Assuming you can find a $1 machine, that works out to 5 cents an ounce. These two brands are essentially filtered tap water, bottled close to their distribution point. Most municipal water costs less than 1 cent per gallon.
Now consider another widely sold liquid: gasoline. It has to be pumped out of the ground in the form of crude oil, shipped to a refinery (often halfway across the world), and shipped again to your local filling station.
In the U.S., the average price per gallon is hovering around $3. There are 128 ounces in a gallon, which puts the current price of gasoline at a fraction over 2 cents an ounce.
And that’s why there’s no shortage of companies that want to get into the business. In terms of price versus production cost, bottled water puts Big Oil to shame.
2) No healthier than tap water
In theory, bottled water in the United States falls under the regulatory authority of the Food and Drug Administration. In practice, about 70 percent of bottled water never crosses state lines for sale, making it exempt from FDA oversight.
On the other hand, water systems in the developed world are well-regulated. In the U.S., for instance, municipal water falls under the purview of the Environmental Protection Agency, and is regularly inspected for bacteria and toxic chemicals. Want to know how your community scores? Check out the Environmental Working Group’s National Tap Water Database.
While public safety groups correctly point out that many municipal water systems are aging and there remain hundreds of chemical contaminants for which no standards have been established, there’s very little empirical evidence that suggests bottled water is any cleaner or better for you than its tap equivalent.
3) Bottled water means garbage
Bottled water produces up to 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per year. According to Food and Water Watch, that plastic requires up to 47 million gallons of oil per year to produce. And while the plastic used to bottle beverages is of high quality and in demand by recyclers, over 80 percent of plastic bottles are simply thrown away.
That assumes empty bottles actually make it to a garbage can. Plastic waste is now at such a volume that vast eddies of current-bound plastic trash now spin endlessly in the world’s major oceans. This represents a great risk to marine life, killing birds and fish which mistake our garbage for food.
Thanks to its slow decay rate, the vast majority of all plastics ever produced still exist — somewhere.
4) Bottled water means less attention to public systems
Many people drink bottled water because they don’t like the taste of their local tap water, or because they question its safety.
This is like running around with a slow leak in your tire, topping it off every few days rather than taking it to be patched. Only the very affluent can afford to switch their water consumption to bottled sources. Once distanced from public systems, these consumers have little incentive to support bond issues and other methods of upgrading municipal water treatment.
There’s plenty of need. In California, for example, the American Society of Civil Engineers estimated the requirement of $17.5 billion in improvements to the state’s drinking water infrastructure as recently as 2005. In the same year, the state lost 222 million gallons of drinkable water to leaky pipes.
5) The corporatization of water
In the documentary film Thirst, authors Alan Snitow and Deborah Kaufman demonstrated the rapid worldwide privatization of municipal water supplies, and the effect these purchases are having on local economies.
Water is being called the “Blue Gold” of the 21st century. Thanks to increasing urbanization and population, shifting climates and industrial pollution, fresh water is becoming humanity’s most precious resource.
Multinational corporations are stepping in to purchase groundwater and distribution rights wherever they can, and the bottled water industry is an important component in their drive to commoditized what many feel is a basic human right: the access to safe and affordable water.
What can you do?
There’s a simple alternative to bottled water: buy a stainless steel thermos, and use it. Don’t like the way your local tap water tastes? Inexpensive carbon filters will turn most tap water sparkling fresh at a fraction of bottled water’s cost.
Consider taking Food and Water Watch’s No Bottled Water Pledge. Conserve water wherever possible, and stay on top of local water issues. Want to know more? Start with the Sierra Club’s fact sheet on bottled water.

Comments

Reverse Osmosis is the best true way to know for sure the drinking water is pure and safe. Run it through a RainSoft water softener and then a RainSoft reverse osmosis. 
Bottoms up

WATER SCARCITY – TIME TO ACT

WATER SCARCITY – TIME TO ACT11, published April 2011, Public Service Europe
http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/228/water-scarcity-time-to-act
In 60 per cent of European cities, water is being used at a faster rate that it can be replenished – claims Philip Monaghan
Water is kind of important. It makes up between half and three quarters of the human body weight, needs to be topped up on a regular basis and we cannot go without it for more than about week.
As well as drinking it, we also use water for cooking and sanitation – not to mention industrial processes. Yet, despite water being essential to our survival – more often than not in the West, we treat it with disdain. A fact reflected in its low price compared to petrol or electricity – things we may be addicted to but can live without. And how the developed world fritters it away! You may leave the kitchen tap running into an unplugged sink at home but you would not pour petrol from the station pump down the drain, right?
What makes matters worse in terms of our taking water for granted, is that despite 70 per cent of the earth’s surface being covered by water, only 2.5 per cent of the total volume is freshwater and fit for human consumption, coupled with the fact that in 60 per cent of European cities with more than 100,000 people, groundwater is being used at a faster rate than it can be replenished. By 2025, 1.8m people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity and two thirds of the world population could be under stress conditions.
No need to reach for Valium just yet though, because this is all about change – maybe. It would appear that the United Nations leadership is mulling over whether to name 2012 as the year of water given the importance of sustainable water management in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. This should be welcomed, of course. But local governance needs to be a key area of any water campaign here.
This goes beyond calls for a new shadow price for water or for the world’s largest industrial users, to develop water-security strategies. It requires new forms of water stewardship between citizens, municipal authorities and the private sector. Perhaps, a chance to do things differently then, by looking at the learning from water co-operatives in Bolivia and Finland?
In rural Finland, there are more than a thousand water cooperatives serving farm businesses and villages. According to the UN, while licensed by the government and allotted a limit to the amount of water they can extract, the cooperatives have complete control over price. This means they can offer favourable rates to their members, because their decision is not influenced by fluctuations of the market. The Finnish water cooperatives also have the network benefits of partnering with other regional associations. If, for instance, the water quality in one area is not sufficient due to extenuating natural circumstances – the cooperative may buy from a neighbouring cooperative-owned network. Therefore, ensuring continued low prices and supply dependency.
Taking this learning a step further should involve residents recognising and accepting that they have rights and responsibilities, when it comes to water. This, after all is, is a fair way to realise genuine change. Each of us would have a right to access quality water to sustain life, but we also have a responsibility to not abuse it – say, by watering our gardens during times of drought. This is something, which needs to be backed up by serious sanctions for those who cheat. Ever heard of a neighbour or local golf club being taken to court by the authorities for flagrantly disobeying a hose pipe ban? No, neither have I.
Real behaviour change will require new controls like water efficient planning rules for buildings and incentives including tax breaks for green roofs or water butts. For some laggards, it may also require a push rather than a nudge in the right direction. Clearly, this raises big dilemmas over our costly and ageing national water infrastructure. Especially, in an age of austerity. Take the UK’s forthcoming new water strategy, for example. Given parts of Britain suffer from worse water scarcity than areas of the Sudan and Syria according to Waterwise, it is a tremendous window of opportunity for Cameron’s administration to show the world how to do things better. The Prime Minister could also back up commitments to both devolve power and to be the “greenest government ever” by setting out a bold vision for water resiliency.
Philip Monaghan is a strategist and change manager in the fields of economic development and environmental sustainability. He is author of the forthcoming book Local Resilience

Comments

We as Canadians waste a lot of water!!! Car washes, pools, lawn watering all things we do and take for granted put a huge strain on municipalities. They try to add as much chlorine as needed to kill e-coli and colliform and away it goes..By saving a bit of water each day can really add up….

Water Art

LIGHT SHOWER TOWERS
WaterCanada, September 7, 2011, Written by Kerry Freek, Editor

Toronto’s newest stormwater system is breathtaking.
Housed in the pavilion basement at Sherbourne Common, a new park in the city’s rapidly developing East Bayfront area, the treatment facility cleans collected storm and lake water with ultraviolet (UV) light. The treated water is then sent underground to the north side of the park where it is released through three nine-metre-high art sculpture towers. The water flows from the tops of the towers down metal mesh veils and into a 240-metre-long water channel, or urban river, where it then flows into Lake Ontario.
Artist Jill Anholt’s Light Showers water towers are lit at night; as people move over the bridge of the water channel, motion sensors trigger shifting light patterns in the water as it falls from the sculptures. The mesh veils of the art sculptures are designed to capture water in the winter to form unique ice patterns.
Regardless of its attractiveness, the system and others like it have elicited some blowback from critics, especially in a time when many municipalities are worried about growing infrastructure deficits. Are the extra features necessary? Anholt’s sculptures don’t contain UV lamps and play only a minor role in the treatment process—they provide further aeration and act as a conduit to bring treated water to raised pools.
While some people may criticize Waterfront Toronto’s choice, others believe the art is a worthwhile investment. Waterfront Toronto chair Mark Wilson sees it as a catalyst for the further development of the East Bayfront neighbourhood. “The park has already helped us attract private and public sector partners who are working with us to transform this former industrial area into a dynamic new community,” he says. The City plans to recover the cost for the art feature—$1.9 million—through development fees as part of Waterfront Toronto’s public art strategy.
Others argue that making infrastructure visible is important to public understanding. During last April’s Out of Water: Sustaining Development in Arid Climates conference at the University of Toronto. (see “In the Eye of the Beholder,” a blog post at watercanada.net), one audience member said water infrastructure is often designed to blend with the environment. “Often, we don’t even know it’s there—but is that a good thing?” she asked. Maybe it’s important, she posited, that we see, recognize, and feel comfortable with the mechanisms that allow us to maintain the lives we’re accustomed to living and, at a basic level, survive.
During a presentation at the Ecocity World Summit this August in Montreal, Concordia University graduate student Cecilia Chen discussed the importance of mapping the flows of streams and aquifers beneath and around urban spaces to increase awareness that cities are, in some ways, nothing more than watersheds. Water’s role in an urban ecosystem, she said, goes unrecognized because it travels underground and out of sight. It’s only when a storm drain overflows and what she calls “hybrid water” becomes visible that awareness increases.
James Roche, director, parks design and construction for Waterfront Toronto, isn’t interested in separating infrastructure, landscape, and public space. “There’s more to gain from combining these fields,” he says. Roche says we ignore water’s important, though background, role in commerce and cities. “It changes how we live on a daily basis. The Sherbourne Common design helps to bring water back into the public realm.” … Sherbourne Common serves as a reminder of the role water plays in our lives.

Water art is a great way to promote and bring awareness to this sometimes forgotten treasure. Filtration systems and UV lights are used to clean up the water for the displays before shown to the public. Modern day art may bring people to think about where run off from highways, storm sewers and industrial pollution actually goes…

 

5 CHEMICAL THREATS to the GREAT LAKES

ONTARIO RESIDENTS BE ON THE ALERT!   The Great Lakes have faced various threats for years, from industrial pollution to invasive species, but another challenge worries many researchers these days – the emerging chemical threat.
5 Chemical Threats to the Great Lakes by Brian Kemp, CBC News Posted: Sep 22, 2011 7:43 AM ET
The Great Lakes have faced various threats for years, from industrial pollution to invasive species, but another challenge worries many researchers these days — the emerging chemical threat.
It’s not just pesticides, as scientists are finding worrying levels of pharmaceutically active compounds such as anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, anti-epileptics, and beta blockers in lake water. As well, hormones, pesticides and alkyl phenols have been identified as threats.
The five Great Lakes straddle the U.S.-Canada border. Heavy populations exist in some areas of the lakes while other locations are quite remote. Both countries have been monitoring pollution in the lakes in recent years.
These products and medicines flushed down toilets and dumped into sinks are not stopped at water treatment plants, which are not geared to deal with them.
A new report, prepared for the International Joint Commission by two Windsor, Ont. Researchers, has outlined the threats the chemicals pose. The International Joint Commission was formed by the U.S. and Canadian governments to find solutions to problems in the Great Lakes Basin.
The compounds “are receiving attention due to their potential adverse effects on animals and humans at low levels of exposure,” said the report, co-authored by Merih Otker Uslu and Nihar Biswas of the University of Windsor. They sound a warning later in the report, which is a review of data collected from 2007-11.
“The toxic effects on aquatic organisms, alterations on the reproductive system of aquatic organisms and the promotion of the development of resistant bacterial strains representing a health risk to humans, are among the adverse effects of these compounds.
“Although chemicals of emerging concern have been detected in different environmental compartments for a long-time period, their environmental releases have not been completely regulated by the regulatory communities in the United States and Canada.”
Uslu and Biswas called for a comprehensive risk assessment of each chemical of emerging concern.
Pharmaceutical substances
Sewage treatment plants are not designed to handle pharmaceutical substances, the report suggests, leading to a “vast” array of drugs in varying levels in the Great Lakes.
“The main concern regarding the presence of pharmaceutical residues in the aquatic environment has been focused on antibacterials which may promote the development of resistant bacteria strains representing a health risk to humans,” said the International Joint Commission report.
Substances such as antidepressants, antibiotics, and steroid hormones that eventually make it into groundwater that is then tapped into a house “may also pose adverse effects on humans.” The levels of pharmaceuticals found were quite low, and the study does not delve into how much water needs to be consumed before health is affected.
Levels of caffeine have been found as well.
Pesticides
The warning about pesticides in the lakes is simple and disturbing: “Many pesticides are suspected of being endocrine disruptors which can cause sexual abnormalities and reproductive failure.”
Elevated levels of pesticides are found in the Great Lakes during late spring and summer when agricultural activities are in full bloom. The studies considered by Uslu and Biswas found elevated levels of pesticide in watersheds that flow into the lakes, passing golf courses and farms on the way.
In one study, seven great blue heron colonies were sampled in the St. Lawrence River in 2001 and 2002. Samples were analyzed for 21 pesticides. More than half of these 21 pesticides were detected in about 50 per cent of the samples, the study stated.
The level of pesticides in the lakes, as well as the type of chemical, depends on where the test samples are taken. The Humber River watershed has higher levels of the chemical atrazine than the Don River watershed because it includes more agricultural area.

Flame retardants
Flame retardants are chemicals that can be added to paint or other materials.
“These substances are highly toxic and persistent in the environment. Due to high lipophilicity and stability, they have the potential for accumulation in sediments and bioaccumulation in wildlife,” said the report.
Some flame retardants have chemical structures similar to PCB, and “are also considered potential endocrine disruptors.” Some types of retardants originate from manufacturing processes and can come from the air.
Synthetic musk fragrances
The musks are used in a number of products, including perfumes, cosmetics, detergents and cleaning products.
Bisphenol A, used to make plastics, has been widely detected in drinking water, in Detroit and Windsor, Ont., and in the water of 17 other Ontario communities. (Canadian Press)
“Due to their lipophilic nature, synthetic musks could not be effectively removed in sewage treatment facilities and are retained in sewage sludges,” said the report.
Among fish taken in Chicago, the chemicals were found in all of the samples.
Bisphenol A
“Bisphenol A is a well-known plasticizer used to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. It is a highly persistent endocrine disruptor and therefore subjected to risk assessment studies by regulatory authorities around the world,” said the report.
It has been widely detected in drinking water, in Detroit and Windsor, Ont., and in the water of 17 other Ontario communities.
Bisphenol A was declared a toxic substance by Canadian authorities in October 2010. It does not pose a danger to human health though through food packaging uses, Health Canada said.

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Points to Ponder/ Our Concerns

These are chemicals we all need to take a good look at. We find these chemicals in our water here in Ottawa, in low amounts but how low is safe. I know for our customers a Reverse Osmosis drinking system is a piece of mind product that takes the worry out of water.

Be careful – don’t get burned

Unfortunately, as the world gets bigger and more complicated, it’s hard to know who to trust. Here’s a true story and a little advise from us here at RainSoft Ottawa.

An older lady and long time customer of ours bought an air purifier from a company we shall refer to as “the Snidely Whiplash” company. After a while she called them saying it wasn’t working. It took “the Snidely Whiplash” company two weeks to get to her home and what happened then is hard to believe. The air purifier needed repairs and would have to be taken away but “may we test your water?” They proceeded to look under her kitchen counter, proclaim that the RainSoft R.O. system was outdated and delivering undrinkable water and TWO HOURS later had her talked into one of their brand new systems worth several thousand dollars! They left with her air purifier and the RainSoft R. O. system and have not been back.

You can read between the lines, right? Our system was in perfect working order, having been serviced yearly. Two hours of badgering someone would most certainly wear down the best of us. After about fifteen minutes I would have used some vocabulary that my kids don’t know I know but this customer was old school and I think, felt bullied. So now she has spent thousands of dollars she didn’t need to spend, “the Snidely Whiplash” company has her old R. O. system and her air purifier – more dollars gone – and she is left feeling foolish and ashamed.

We think this kind of behavior is reprehensible. We could not be any more outraged if this customer was our very own mother! We stand behind our products 100% and we stand behind this particular customer 100% should she wish to pursue the matter with “the Snidely Whiplash” company.

So here’s our advise: if you are skeptical (and who wouldn’t be after hearing stories like this) we don’t mind. In fact, we encourage it. Due your due diligence, phone the Better Business Bureau, ask us for references, talk to us a lot. RainSoft has been in business for 59 years, in Ottawa for 40 and here at Canotek for 12. We live here, we work here, we play here. We are your neighbours and we’re not going anywhere. We want you to be happy with our product and our service. We do not want you to buy stuff you don’t need or don’t want. I know it’s getting hard to believe these days but some if us still care about our reputation and about treating people with courtesy and respect.

To “the Snidely Whiplash” company……………..

Buying a house in the country?

Lots of properties in the country surrounding Ottawa are on wells and septic systems. If you are out house hunting in those areas, it pays to have a little knowledge under your belt. There is a lot of useful information on the

CMHC website.

Remember, if there is a problem, you can count on RainSoft  613-742-0058

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