The News Review:

- Stricter water rationing may be ahead in the LA area
- QuantumSphere Files Patent for Energy-Efficient Water Desalination
- Low levels of toxic metal found in Sunnyvale’s groundwater

Stricter water rationing may be ahead in the LA area
Examiner.com 
Fish and Game reports this is due to failing smelt populations which normally are affected when water is transferred into the aqueduct to bring water south. This is not good news for home owners business owners firefighters and anybody else who utilizes water for business or personal use. Further restrictions could be imposed which include cities denying new business licenses due to the potential impact on water supply and usage. This at a time when businesses are closing due to the poor economy. Excess water use over 80% of normal will mean a big charge on water bills a fee that some households and businesses will have difficulty meeting unless water usage is reduced drastically. The Agriculture industry which is heaviest in Central California will be affected with crop loss and lower production meaning less fresh fruits and vegetables and higher costs to us. Last year State Firefighters spent around $1 billion battling blazes in dry areas and used an undetermined amount of water as part of its defense against the flames.
Related from Panpacmastersgames: Water rationing likely in SoCal this spring

QuantumSphere Files Patent for Energy-Efficient Water Desalination
MSNBC 
patent on a water purification process that servesas a more energy-efficient alternative to desalination methods now commonlyused to help meet growing water needs around the world. QuantumSphere intends to commercialize the forward osmosis technology toaddress the challenge of growing demand for potable water. According to LuxResearch the world’s water needs are expected to grow 40 percent by 2030and today’s stressed water resources and systems are unsustainable. Watercultivation systems are expected to see market growth from $522 billion in2007 to nearly $1 trillion in 2020. The forward osmosis process developed by QuantumSphere uses certain organicsolutions to separate water from salt water or polluted water in an osmoticpurification process. The company has constructed a prototype system thatcan purify several gallons of water a day for demonstration purposes andintends to scale the process with large development partners to servelarge-scale municipal drinking supplies. Story continues below ?advertisement |.

Low levels of toxic metal found in Sunnyvale’s groundwater
San Jose Mercury News  USA 
Chromium 6 from metal processing wastewater was among numerous toxins that were found. Cleanup Since 1993 Lockheed has pumped up treated and discharged groundwater into the city’s sewer system under a permit. “It was confined to the shallow zone. which is not the drinking water supply. The plume was contained and is decreasing” said Alec Naugle an engineering geologist with the water quality board… which is not the drinking water supply. The plume was contained and is decreasing” said Alec Naugle an engineering geologist with the water quality board. He added that a geological layer with low permeability combined with the fact that Lockheed is downhill from the city’s residents and wells makes it highly unlikely that chromium 6 could penetrate into the deeper aquifers from which drinking water is pumped. According to an April 2007 report Naugle said Lockheed’s pumping and treatment had reduced the chromium 6 from a maximum concentration of 1100 ppb at a level of 30 to 55 feet in 1987 down to a maximum concentration of 59 ppb. nly three of the 18 wells on the site had between 5 and 20 ppb.