The News Review:

- While law debated private interests seek deep water supplies
- City reviews long-term water supply plans
- Dry January worsens state’s water shortages
- DWR Schedules Second Snow Survey of 2008-2009 Season
- Neenah changes chemistry to reduce lead in city water supply
- Impact of High Lead Levels on DC Kids

While law debated private interests seek deep water supplies
Carlsbad Current Argus NM 
n Monday five companies with undisclosed ownership notified the State Engineer that they intend to drill deep wells in the Santa Fe area and pump out up to 24 billion gallons a year. They are among various companies that in the past year have been preparing to exploit a rare unappropriated water supply that underlies the Rio Grande Valley before the New Mexico Legislature considers a bill that could give the state engineer authority over deep wells. The House Agriculture Committee on Tuesday recommended passage of House Bill 19 sponsored by Rep. Mimi Stewart D-Albuquerque. However the bill’s fate is uncertain. While the state engineer is charged with managing New Mexico’s water state law contains an exception — wells that tap into aquifers that start at least 2500 feet below the land’s surface contain briny water and are disconnected from upper aquifers.

City reviews long-term water supply plans
Sun newspapers FL 
* Swiftmud public water supply policies and preference have changed. * Swiftmud grant funding opportunities are uncertain. * City must meet all secondary water quality standards including total dissolved solids. The following options for future water supply were presented for consideration: * Groundwater. * Groundwater and off-stream reservoir. * ff-stream reservoir. * ff-stream reservoir and water treatment plant expansion (surface water).
Related from Yolog: Japan’s Long-Term Bonds Complete Weekly Loss on Supply Concerns

Dry January worsens state’s water shortages
California Farm Bureau CA 
“We've been preparing for this water cutback given the lack of rainfall and have cropped our farms very conservatively” Wilson said. “When we drew up our water plan for this year we were counting on carryover water we'd banked in 2008 but now there are concerns about the availability of that water too. Westlands spokesperson Sarah Woolf said the water supply stored in San Luis Reservoir (20 percent of capacity) has been “over-allocated. ” How the estimated 100000 acre-feet of water that farmers saved and carried over from 2008 will be allocated hasn't yet been determined. At the water delivery levels currently being discussed experts say 2009 crop losses could easily exceed the nearly $309 million in losses suffered in 2008. Using a new statistical model researchers at the University of California Davis estimate that an 85 percent cut in CVP and SWP water deliveries from the delta could result in more than 40000 lost jobs and a $1. 15 billion income loss in the Central Valley.

DWR Schedules Second Snow Survey of 2008-2009 Season
MSNBC 
Thissurvey is the second of five monthly measurements that help water supplyplanners estimate the amount of spring snowmelt runoff into reservoirs. Water Supply ThreatsCalifornia’s snowpack water content is particularly significant this yearbecause the state has endured two years of drought and reservoirs are low. Because less-than-normal water supply conditions exist the initial StateWater Project (SWP) allocation for 2009 was placed at only 15 percent ofwater contractors’ requested amounts. The results of this survey willimpact future allocations.

Neenah changes chemistry to reduce lead in city water supply
Appleton Post Crescent  USA 
Town of Menasha residents who have a Neenah mailing address also received the notices by mistake. The notices do not apply to the town’s water supply. Larry Wettering Neenah’s director of public works and utilities said six of 30 samples taken at city residences in November exceeded the maximum contaminate level for lead of 15 parts per billion. ne sample registered 105 ppb but that was considered an anomaly. Five others tested between 23 and 39 ppb.

Impact of High Lead Levels on DC Kids
Washington Post United States 
Kids – washingtonpost. children due to high concentrations of the metal in the city’s water supply from 2001 to 2004. Marc Edwards one of the authors of the study discusses the findings the potential risks and some possible courses of action for parents and city officials.