NESC Media Room
News Releases - 2012
NESC Hosts Indonesian Leaders
Discuss Sustainability, Alternative Energy, Water Resources
Over the past year, the National Environmental Services Center (NESC), located at WVU's National Research Center for Coal and Energy, has been a veritable United Nations, hosting environmental leaders from Moldova, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Poland, China, and, most recently, Indonesia.
On February 20, 2012, NESC welcomed Dr. Eniya Listiani Dewi, chief engineer and researcher, Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology, Center for Materials Technology, and Mr. Mahendra Taher, executive director, Sumatra Sustainable Support, Association for the Autonomy of Civil Society in Sumatra. Joining the discussion about sustainability, alternative energy, and water resources were Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design faculty members Peter Butler and Jingxin Wang.
"As the world economy grows, energy and environmental concerns are taking center stage," says Gerald Iwan, Ph.D., NESC's executive director. "Opportunities for the global scientific community to come together for positive technical and cultural exchanges are, therefore, extremely important. Addressing emerging issues related to water infrastructure sustainability offers a path toward international environmental and economic progress."
The Indonesian visit was coordinated through WVU's Office of International Students and Scholars and GlobalPittsburgh through the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.
Learn more about GlobalPittsburgh by visiting their website at www.globalpittsburgh.org.
Posted February 21, 2012
National Groundwater Awareness Week
March 11-17, 2012
Now in its second decade, Groundwater Awareness Week spotlights one of the world’s most important resources — groundwater. Sponsored by the National Ground Water Association (NGWA), this annual event helps build awareness about this vital resource and asks: "Who should be aware of groundwater?"
The answer, quite simply, is "everyone."
Groundwater is essential to the health and well being of humanity and the environment. Whether you’re on a public water system or a private well, whether you are a health care official, policymaker, regulator, or someone interested in water resources or the environment in general, groundwater is important to you.
Find more information about groundwater and water well stewardship by visiting NGWA's website for well owners, www.wellowner.org.
Posted February 7, 2012
Interest rates for Rural Development Utilities Service (RDUS) water and wastewater loans--issued quarterly at three different levels: the poverty line rate, the intermediate rate, and the market rate--have been announced. The rate applied to a particular project depends on community income and the type of project being funded.
To qualify for the poverty line rate, two criteria must be met. First, the loan must primarily be used for facilities required to meet health and sanitary standards. Second, the median household income of the area being served must be below 80 percent of the state's non-metropolitan median income or fall below the federal poverty level. For 2011, the federal poverty level was $23,050 for a family of four.
To qualify for the intermediate rate, the service area's median household income cannot exceed 100 percent of the state's non-metropolitan median income.
The market rate is applied to projects that don't qualify for either the poverty or intermediate rates. The market rate is based on the average of the Bond Buyer index. The rates, which apply to all loans issued. The rates, which apply to all loans approved on or after May 23, 2
011, are:
-
poverty line: 2.25 percent;
intermediate: 3.0 percent; and
market: 3.75 percent.
RDUS loans are administered through state Rural Development offices, which can provide specific information concerning RDUS loan requirements and applications procedures.
For the phone number of your state Rural Development office, contact the National Environmental Services Center at (800) 624-8301 or (304) 293-4191. The list is also available on the Rural Development Web site at www.rurdev.usda.gov/recd_map.html.
Posted January 15, 2012
New Tech Brief Available Online
A new issue of our popular Tech Brief series is now available on the National Environmental Services Center (NESC) website at www.nesc.wvu.edu/
pdf/DW/publications/ontap/tech_brief/TB54_OilGasExtraction.pdf.
The latest Tech Brief is titled "Oil and Gas Extraction and Source Water Protection." In it, NESC Engineering Scientist Zane Satterfield examines increased activity in the oil and natural gas industries--especially with shale gas development--and how these efforts impact drinking water, wastewater, and source water protection.
This Tech Brief joins more than 50 others on topics ranging from arsenic to valve exercising. View the complete collection by clicking here.
A related article, "Communities, Water Sources and Potential Impacts of Shale Gas Development," describes the challenges a community may encounter as a result of shale gas development and offers suggestions for protecting community and water sources from potential negative impacts. The article is available through NESC's Water We Drink website at: www.nesc.wvu.edu/waterwedrink/.
If you have questions about oil and gas extraction as it relates to water quality issues, please call our technical staff toll free at (800) 624-8301.
Posted December 13, 2011
NESC Helps Renew Wastewater Partnership
Joins EPA and 16 Other Organizations to Address Water Quality Challenges
In 2005, West Virginia University’s National Environmental Services Center (NESC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with six other national organizations, launched an initiative to promote decentralized wastewater treatment system (septic system) technology and through its proper operation and maintenance reduce pollution in the nation’s waterways. This was done by the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Partners for Decentralized Wastewater Management Program which was renewed and expanded in 2008 and again at the recent November 9, 2011 signing ceremony in Washington D.C.
According to EPA, about 20 percent of U.S. residences depend on septic systems to treat four billion gallons of sewage each day. Between 10 and 20 percent of these systems are not working properly at any time and may not be adequately treating sewage. Obviously, this pollution poses environmental and human health hazards, but it is a problem that is difficult to monitor or regulate. The renewed MOU seeks to join EPA, state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and industry groups in an effort to encourage proper onsite wastewater management.
“This event symbolizes the commitment of 18 national organizations to continue providing the public with the best available information, technical support, services and oversight on this essential wastewater treatment,” said Gerald Iwan, executive director for both NESC and the State Onsite Regulators Alliance (SORA). “NESC and SORA are proud to be part of this dedicated group of professionals.”
Joining the original eight members and the six who joined in 2008 are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and NSF International. Learn more about the MOU partnership by visiting EPA’s Office of Water website at: http://cfpub.epa.gov/owm/septic/septic.cfm?page_id=263&sort=name&view=doctype_results&document_type_id=2
Posted November 22, 2011
SORA Publishes Wastewater White Papers
Seeks Appropriate Recognition of Decentralized Technologies
Septic systems have been used to treat wastewater for more than 50 years. In the decades since, great strides have been made in decentralized wastewater treatment and there are many more advanced treatment options available today in addition to the typical septic system. These systems handle one-fourth or more of the wastewater in the U.S. and Canada. Widespread acceptance of decentralized systems, however, has not kept pace with technological advancements.
To increase awareness and help decentralized wastewater systems be viewed as part of our permanent infrastructure, the State Onsite Regulators Alliance (SORA) has developed two white papers. The first, titled “Decentralized Onsite Wastewater Technologies: Sustainable Green Infrastructure Protects Source Water Quality and Public Health"” makes the case that these technologies should be more widely recognized by state and national officials as environmentally effective and economically viable options for wastewater treatment.
The second paper, "Decentralized/Onsite Wastewater Projects and Programs: Opportunities for Funding," advocates for these systems to be eligible for clean water state revolving loan and other funding programs, programs that have historically only provided funding for centralized, public sewer projects.
"Onsite wastewater systems provide another dimension to a community’s options to address its public sanitation responsibilities," says Gerald Iwan, SORA's executive director. “In addition, onsite technologies are sustainable, environmentally benign and economica--valuable characteristics in today’s world.”
Both white papers may be downloaded from the SORA website at www.nesc.wvu.edu/SORA/.
The State Onsite Regulators Alliance's mission is to advance the field of knowledge and practice of those who regulate onsite wastewater programs by increasing awareness of the latest technology, research, environmental health issues, and new federal initiatives that will affect the decentralized wastewater industry.
Posted October 20, 2011
Water We Drink Website Has New Articles and an Online Survey
The Water We Drink: Small Community Outreach Campaign, which offers information about maintaining safe, sustainable, and secure water supplies in small and rural communities, has added two new articles to its website. The articles are written especially for those who oversee local water and wastewater services, and may be downloaded at no charge and used for educational purposes, such as reprinting in newsletters and magazines, training sessions, and websites.
The website, is a joint effort by the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) and the National Environmental Services Center (NESC), located at West Virginia University, and is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The two new articles are:
Making Sure It All Adds Up: Financial Accounting for Small Water and Wastewater Systems.
Describes the importance of sound financial accounting practices for managing and maintaining water and wastewater systems, and offers 10 recommendations for improving your financial management approach.
Communities, Water Sources and Potential Impacts of Shale Gas Development.
Describes the challenges a community may encounter as a result of shale gas development and offers suggestions for protecting your community and water sources from potential negative impacts.
Additional articles and educational products addressing a wide variety of water issues–such as source water protection, capital improvements planning, setting water and sewer rates, pharmaceuticals and personal care products in our waters, impending labor shortages, water and energy, and aging infrastructure–are also available on the website.
We encourage you use the materials and to complete The Water We Drink’s new online survey to let us know how you’re using them by clicking here.
The Water We Drink project strives to raise awareness about crucial water issues and solutions, and invites everyone to use the articles and resources to support or complement state and local efforts.
Contact Sandra Fallon by calling (304) 293-6897, or e-mailing sfallon@mail.wvu.edu.
Posted September 29, 2011
New Regulations for Lead in Drinking Water
Earlier this year, President Obama signed into law the "Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act." This new law amends section 1417 of the Safe Drinking Water Act and will come into effect January 4, 2014.
The new law redefines "lead-free" under the Safe Drinking Water Act to further restrict permissible levels of lead in drinking water system components. The law requires a lead reduction from the currently allowable 8.0 percent in pipe and fittings to a new 0.25 percent weighted average when used with respect to the wette
d surfaces of pipes, pipe fittings, and plumbing fixtures. Solder and flux cannot contain more the 0.2 percent lead, which remains the same as current regulations.
This act does not apply to pipe, pipe fittings, plumbing fittings, or other fixtures, including backflow preventers, that are exclusively for nonpotable services. Toilets, bidets, urinals, fill valves, flushometer valves, tub fillers, shower valves, service saddles, or water distribution main gate valves that are two inches in diameter or larger are also excluded.
What does this mean for drinking water systems?
Drinking water systems need to go through their inventory of fittings and supplies and document what they have in stock. Water systems have until January 4, 2014, to use any old inventory. After this date, systems will not be able to use most fittings and fixtures that exceed the new standards for potable water distribution and supply.
Any drinking water systems preparing for a major upgrade prior to 2014 will want to make sure the fittings and fixtures are compliant with the new law.
"With respect to what it means for water systems, the answer is likely 'not that much,'" says Craig Mains, engineering scientist with the National Environmental Services Center. “It’s worthwhile to note that the Act is not a case of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pushing the nation toward a more restrictive standard. It is more of a case of EPA bringing the federal lead standard into conformance with those of states that have already opted for a more restrictive lead standard."
California passed a more restrictive law in 2006 with the same standards as those now being prescribed by EPA. Vermont followed with new standards that mirrored those in California. Both states' standards went into effect on January 1, 2010. Maryland has also passed a similar law that goes into effect on January 1, 2012.
To ensure that drinking water system components met the California lead content standards, the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) developed a new standard, ANSI-NSF 372 – Drinking Water System Components, Lead Content, published in late 2010. Because manufacturers of water system components find it uneconomical to manufacture items meeting two different standards and because of the existing state standards it is expected that most manufacturers will be in conformance with the federal standards well before January 2014. Water system managers should look for and use components that meet the ANSI-NSF 372 standard.
For more information, visit the Underwriters Laboratories website at:
Call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791 if you have specific questions about the Lead and Copper Rule.
Posted September 8, 2011