New Trend: Flammable Tap Water

Posted on Wednesday October 14th by Jebediah Reed

5diggs

The whole natural gas question in this country is a complicated one. On one hand, we have oodles of the stuff, it’s relatively low carbon, and it would seem to be a sensible pillar of our country’s energy future. On the other hand, extracting it from Mother Earth does nasty stuff to the water supply. How nasty? Check out this video shot in Fort Lupton, Colorado, a little town just north of Denver’s northernmost suburban sprawl.

Until a year ago, these Fort Lupton residents had run-of-the-mill, non-flammable water. But there’s some aggressive oil and gas production in the area, and now local faucets are liable to create a massive fireball if you hold a lit match near them. It’s hardly an isolated incident either, as communities across the west from Texas to Montana are already being affected in disturbing ways. So apparently will be communities in the eastern US sitting atop the massive Marcellus Shale formation which stretches from upstate New York down to West Virginia and which gas companies are just in the early stages of exploiting.

So it seems to shape up as a case of lower carbon emissions and potential energy independence vs. kitchen faucets across the country becoming flamethrowers. Um… whadda we do, boss?

The clip comes from an in-progress documentary called Water Under Attack — click through the jump to see a 16 minute video about Fort Lupton.

WELLSBORO - Officials in Wellsboro are requesting water conservation efforts. The Wellsboro Water and Sewer Department is requesting that you limit your water usage because of a water shortfall. They are performing maintenance on their filters and don't want to overload them.

Officials say the water shortage should last until next week so take shorter showers and don't flush your toilets as often. They say around 3,300 homes will be affected by this.

The city of Indian Wells was honored for achievements in landscaping water conservation, it was announced Friday. Indian Wells was one of four state and local municipalities and water agencies given the Intelligent Use of Water State of the Union Award, which was presented at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas by the Rain Bird Corp.

Jonathan Younger, a spokesman for the Azusa-based irrigation products company, said Indian Wells was recognized for water savings, landscape preservation and overall impact on water use in the desert city.

City officials will serve on a panel at Rain Bird's “Intelligent Use of Water Summit XI,” which will be held in April at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

City News Service

operating budget of about $63 million a year.

Ironically, in order to make up the lost revenue, the district board voted last week to cut its conservation program by about $1.7 million. The savings will come from reducing or limiting the rebates paid out for people who switch to low-flow toilets and who buy water-saving clothes washers.

Overtime pay also will be cut, which will have an impact on response times to pipe leaks and other problems. But if the problem is serious, crews will be dispatched. Ten positions are vacant at the water district and those will not be filled as well.

Before the budget woes hit, the district had built in an 8.25 percent water rate hike for the next fiscal year. Gibson said he hopes to not go above the planned rate hike, but that it might be moved up earlier in the year to generate more revenue sooner.

Paul Helliker, general manager for the district - which serves residents from San Rafael to Sausalito - said the district would try to avoid a big rate hike.

"We are looking heavily at the cost-cutting side," he said, adding that the financial picture will continue to be monitored.

The North Marin Water District, which serves customers in Novato and West Marin, also has seen a drop in water sales this year. The district also urged customers to conserve because of dwindling supplies from its main source, the Russian River.

"A lot of this is weather driven; it was a cool summer," said Chris DeGabriele, general manager of the North Marin district. "And people are watering less. There are a lot of brown laws in front of businesses and residences."

The district budgeted for lower water sales, knowing at the beginning of the year the county could face a drought. That resulted in putting off some maintenance projects.

"We have reduced revenue as well, but it's a little to early to know if we will need to make cuts," DeGabriele said.

Contact Mark Prado via e-mail at mprado@marinij.com

Georgians will have a chance to buy energy-sipping and water-efficient products today through Sunday without paying sales tax.

For the fifth year in a row Energy Star products, ranging from refrigerators to light bulbs, will be tax free over the weekend, according to the governor's office.

WaterSense products fall under the tax holiday for the second straight year.

In a news release, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue said the exemptions can help "create a culture of conservation" in the state.

The governor has been criticized by environmental groups and officials in neighboring states for not taking water conservation seriously during the Georgia's two decades of water disputes with Alabama and Florida.

The governor said shoppers could save money on the purchase and in the long run.

"The Energy Star and WaterSense sales tax holiday is a perfect opportunity for Georgians to save money at the cash register and on their water and energy bills," he said in the release.

Qualifying Energy Star products include dishwashers, clothes washers, air conditioners, ceiling fans, fluorescent light bulbs, dehumidifiers, programmable thermostats, refrigerators, doors, windows and skylights.

WaterSense-labeled products eligible for the exemption include bathroom sink faucets or aerators and high-efficiency toilets.

The exemptions covers qualifying products that cost up to $1,500 per item, according to the governor.

Lamar Bramblett, manager at 2A Appliance in Fort Oglethorpe, said he and other appliance dealers are prepared for the tax holiday, but are unsure of the exemption's effect given the struggling economy.

"Normally it does bring customers in, but I'm not sure how well it's going to work with the economy the way it is," he said.

SAVING water has become a habit for Sydneysiders, with only a slight increase in water use recorded since drought restrictions were relaxed three months ago.

Water Minister Phillip Costa said use had risen by only 1.3 per cent since the tough five-year clampdown ended in June.

The old restrictions allowed limited, hand-held garden watering and banned the hosing of hard surfaces. The new rules allow hand-held hoses (with a trigger nozzle), sprinklers and watering systems to be used any day before 10am and after 4pm. The ban on hosing hard surfaces, except for health and safety reasons, is still in force.

Businesses such as nurseries and landscaping companies are automatically exempt.

''It's very encouraging to see how well Sydneysiders have learned the tough lessons of the drought,'' Mr Costa said. ''The community have shown a terrific understanding of how precious our water is, and the days of wasting water are behind us. [People] have proved they are using common sense when it comes to this valuable resource and I am confident they will maintain this sensible approach as we move into summer.

''It seems five years of tough restrictions have really led to a change in behaviour, which is a very positive result for our environment. Despite having one of the warmest winters on record, greater Sydney continues to conserve water since Water Wise rules replaced drought restrictions.''

Preliminary figures showed Sydney Water customers used 118.6 gigalitres of water in the past three months, up just 1.5 gigalitres from the same period last year. Mr Costa said the total water consumed was similar to the early 1970s, despite a population increase of about 1.3 million.

"The Water Wise rules give people more flexibility to maintain their gardens and manage water around the home, and reinforce the importance of using water responsibly to minimise waste,'' Mr Costa said.

Despite the ban on hosing hard surfaces, people are allowed to hose their homes to clean up after last week's dust storm.

''Dust can cause respiratory problems and health implications for people with asthma and breathing difficulties,'' Mr Costa said.

"No one will be fined for washing down their home, driveway, car or business in the clean-up after the dust storm. However, it's important people continue to use common sense.''

Californians visiting the 2009 State Fair pledged to save nearly 13 million gallons of water per month at home, according to a tally of pledges taken at the "Save Our Water" exhibit at the fair. The exhibit, a joint effort of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), drew more than 9,000 visitors over the course of the fair, which ran from Aug. 21 to Sept. 7.

Fairgoers who took the pledge were asked to commit to simple water-saving actions around the house, including taking shorter showers, turning off the tap while brushing their teeth, and washing only full loads of laundry. The pledges were tallied last week.

"This kind of response shows that Californians understand our state is in a water crisis," said DWR Director Lester Snow. "As we prepare for a potential fourth year of drought, it is critical that Californians get serious about conserving water."

The 4,000-square-foot exhibit featured educational information about the state's water problems, including interactive games and age-appropriate information for children. The exhibit was highlighted at the fair's "Save Our Water Day" on Sept. 1, and the first 1,000 visitors through the gates that day received free water conservation grab-bags with shower timers, water-saving tips and other information.

"It is very gratifying to see the response to our call for conservation at the State Fair's Save Our Water exhibit. It shows that the conservation message is getting through," said Timothy Quinn, ACWA's executive director. "Water conservation is a major priority for local water agencies, and the public is responding. As we move into the new water year -- which may again be a dry one -- it is critical that we continue to help Californians do what they can to reduce their water use."