Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Prescription Drugs in Drinking Water: Guest Blog

A Guest Blogger from Sacramento, CA. writes...

"I recently heard an interview [with an employee from The Groundwater Foundation] on the radio. She repeated the mantra prevalent in the municipalities and administrative circles that cleanup of the water is impracticably expensive. The place to address the problem is with the sewage discharges, not water treatment for drinking as she seemed to imply, and I beg to differ about cost. Combine wetland treatment with reverse osmosis and you greatly lower the costs, while preventing the accumulation of drugs, nitrates, chloride and other salts in our water supplies -groundwater and surface water- in the first place. "

"The California Central Valley has perfect conditions for such a solution and a pressing need unacknowledged by the state water regulatory boards. To counter this there is also a pressing need for a cost study showing practical cost levels rather than the extreme one usually referred to which calls for reverse osmosis of the sewage discharge directly, without wetland. The state here is -- by policy -- now directing new urban sewage discharges to land over our aquifer and they will foul it in short order unless compelled or persuaded to change. Can you help?"

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Ann Bleed Resigns

It was with great surprise that we learned of Ann Bleed’s resignation. It has been a pleasure to work with her over the years of her service. On behalf of everyone here at The Groundwater Foundation I would like to thank Dr. Ann Bleed for her leadership at the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. Ann has faced her challenges with knowledge and passion. We will miss her and wish her all the best in whatever the next step in life may be for her.

Please share your thoughts on how her departure will affect our state and the water issues we are currently facing.

Jane Griffin

President, The Groundwater Foundation