The News Review:

- Arsenic in drinking water seen as threat
- EID may back up Folsom.
- Water algae threat growing
- Water management seminar concludes

Arsenic in drinking water seen as threat
USA Today – Aug 30, 2007
He made his remarks at an annual conference of the Royal Geographical Society in London on Wednesday. The country worst affected is Bangladesh, where hundreds of thousands of people are likely to die from cancers of the lung, bladder and skin caused by arsenic, the research said. Arsenic, which is odorless and tasteless, enters water supplies from natural deposits in the Earth or from agricultural and industrial practices. World Health Organization guidelines set a safe limit of 10 parts per billion of arsenic in water supplies, but 137 million people drink water with levels higher than that — and 57 million drink water with a level of more than 50 ppb, according to the research. Arsenic poses long-term health risks “exceeding every other potential water contaminant,” according to research presented by Allan Smith of the University of California, Berkeley, an adviser to the WHO on arsenic. “Most countries have some water sources with dangerous levels of arsenic, but only now are we beginning to recognize the magnitude of the problem,” Smith said. “It is the most dangerous contaminant of drinking water in terms of long-term health risks, and we must test all water sources worldwide as soon as possible.

EID may back up Folsom.
Free with registration – Sacramento Bee – AccessMyLibrary.com – Aug 30, 2007
30–Stating that cooperation among water providers should be standard practice, El Dorado Irrigation District board members agreed to consider aiding the city of Folsom by installing an intertie allowing water transfers between the district and city water systems in an emergency. Brian Mueller, engineering manager of the district’s drinking water division, said city officials approached the district with the intertie proposal a few months ago. Folsom’s water system currently is fed by a single water source and single treatment plant, and city officials seek backup capacity in case of an emergency, Mueller said. The intertie, proposed for construction before summer 2008, likely would be installed off Sophia Parkway, near.

Water algae threat growing
NEWS.com.au – Aug 30, 2007
He said the algae was from a species called microsystis and its numbers could increase if the predicted warm weather eventuates. The SCA has stepped up its water quality testing regime. "We are fortunate to have a world class water supply system with the flexibility to draw on the highest quality of water from a number of sources if the algae in Warragamba Dam became more of a concern," Mr Koperberg said. Share this article.

Water management seminar concludes
Khaleej Times – Aug 30, 2007
Zahir bin Khalid Al Sulaimani, Director-General of Water Resources, Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources, spoke about ‘water status and sewerage water treatment in Oman’, while Dr Saleem Zikri of Sultan Qaboos University presented a paper on ‘management demand for underground water’ and Professor Linus and Khalifa Al Hinai, also from SQU, on the use of automatic control in developing management of water supply for agricultural sector in the Sultanate. Dr Shawki Al Barghouti, of the UAE, delivered a paper on ‘water quality and management’. The conference, titled ‘Managing demand for water in the rural areas in the light of tourism development and the need for water’ and organised by the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources, was attended by water experts, consultants and academics from around the region…
Zahir bin Khalid Al Sulaimani, Director-General of Water Resources, Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources, spoke about ‘water status and sewerage water treatment in Oman’, while Dr Saleem Zikri of Sultan Qaboos University presented a paper on ‘management demand for underground water’ and Professor Linus and Khalifa Al Hinai, also from SQU, on the use of automatic control in developing management of water supply for agricultural sector in the Sultanate. Dr Shawki Al Barghouti, of the UAE, delivered a paper on ‘water quality and management’. The conference, titled ‘Managing demand for water in the rural areas in the light of tourism development and the need for water’ and organised by the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources, was attended by water experts, consultants and academics from around the region.