The next BIG crisis

[William Djubin]

The next big Crisis; by EarthRehab

Water Quality for Public Safety and Ocean Eco-systems

A comprehensive and accurate Water Quality Monitoring System to calculate TMDL for the United States is not in place. This does not mean that we should not act now.

In LA and neighboring counties of California notices from the Governors Office and SWRCB have been issued to municipalities and local governments. Even with the prehistoric methods of WQMS being used it was easy to accept that many bodies of water are at risk for public health, and immediate action should be taken to avoid litigation.
Read more here State Water Resources Control Board - Los Angeles

The Nature Conservancy explains the U.S. situation and future predicament.
“Some 4.5 million hectares of wetlands disappeared in the United States between the 1950s and 1970s, chiefly through conversion to agriculture. “ excerpt from Conservation Science at The Nature Conservancy - Will Land Changes Erode Conservation Gains?

While water shortage skeptics claim that we could readily desalinate the Oceans, although costly. I pose this question.

Which Toxin infested body of Ocean Water should we desalinate first?

Support Nature Research on the Front Line.

[Cricket Tragic]

Originally Posted by William Djubin

Which Toxin infested body of Ocean Water should we desalinate first?

If you use reverse osmosis for desalination, the toxins will be kept out too, so take your pick.

[William Djubin]

I am not so sure that anyone has found a way to remove HAB's from sea water.
Red Tide is still a mystery for the USA Government.
Furthermore, the creation of Gray Water is not the creation of potable drinking water.
If you check out the California link, you will see that Arnold's office has issued 'notices of violation' for municipalities to clean up their waterways.
Where as in Florida we will be surcharged as citizens for water to dilute the pollution.

New standards for TMDL are being suggested and implemented, like only taking samples of water where it is at its worst, where people swim daily. (sounds familiar)

Cricket, would you drink the Grey Water from the Jupiter Inlet after reverse osmosis and desal?
I wont even swim there anymore, I had a 3week bacteria infection on my hand an visited the Emergency Room at Jupiter Medical the last time I did.

[Cricket Tragic]

William, I would certainly drink desalinated water from any source provided it had gone through reverse osmosis or distillation (both will remove bugs as well as salts). The toxic compounds in HAB’s are polyethers and much larger in size than the salt molecules you are removing. Should be no problem for a reverse osmosis membrane.

Grey water is already used household water, so is different to desalinated water. I would only drink that if I was desperate. I prefer to put it on my garden instead.

[William Djubin]

I wish that your wisdom was utilized in my local government. ( it's not )

I hope that forum readers will research TMDL and WQMS and HAB and the crisis.
There is too much to read already and progress is slow because of lack of information.

[Cricket Tragic]

William, my comments only relate to potential potability of desalinated water. From a practical point of view, you wouldn't choose highly polluted water to desalinate. Algae and pollutants will tend to clog the membrane. Also, the brine will have pollutants concentrated and will need to be disposed of. The most efficient way of managing water pollutants is to reduce their input into the system at the source.

[nickpecoraro]

I live in St Lucie County Florida This past year Palm Beach county, about 40 miles south of me, was running out of water. Fortunately the crisis passed but nothing, IMO, has been done to avert the next crisis.

About 25 years ago, I read an article in a magazine about a Gray water system. The wastewater from the shower and bathroom sinks would be stored in a tank outside or in the basement or roof. This water would then be recycled to flush the toilet. The article said it would be cheap to install in new houses and older houses could be refitted for a low price. But it would reduce water usage at least 40%.

It seems nothing has ever been done to implement such a system.

In Florida there are many swimming pools. I wonder why they don't fill them with sea water rather than drinking water.

Everybody has grass, and everyone wants to water their lawn to keep it green in a hot climate. They even water at night when they think no one is watching when we have water restrictions. Why don't the scientists develop a ground cover that doesn't require water?

Things can be done but we need leaders to get it done.

Nick Pecoraro

[forfismum]

Originally Posted by nickpecoraro

I live in St Lucie County Florida This past year Palm Beach county, about 40 miles south of me, was running out of water. Fortunately the crisis passed but nothing, IMO, has been done to avert the next crisis.

About 25 years ago, I read an article in a magazine about a Gray water system. The wastewater from the shower and bathroom sinks would be stored in a tank outside or in the basement or roof. This water would then be recycled to flush the toilet. The article said it would be cheap to install in new houses and older houses could be refitted for a low price. But it would reduce water usage at least 40%.

It seems nothing has ever been done to implement such a system.

In Florida there are many swimming pools. I wonder why they don't fill them with sea water rather than drinking water.

Everybody has grass, and everyone wants to water their lawn to keep it green in a hot climate. They even water at night when they think no one is watching when we have water restrictions. Why don't the scientists develop a ground cover that doesn't require water?

Things can be done but we need leaders to get it done.

Nick Pecoraro

Just for whats it worth Nick,the water in London has been used 12 times before it gets to the taps.That is unless they have built a few new towns since i was last there.I think a few of the UK members here have experience in the water business,I did a spell with one Water Board when I lived in the UK and the plant "re-conditioned" water that had been used in Birmingham and Coventry for use by the good people in Royal Leamington Spa and Stratford on Avon.Maybe there was some unrefined alcohol in the water that gave the Bard his inspiration

[William Djubin]

Cyprus and California need your water.

Please understand that Cyprus is a huge chunk of land with lots of people.

Cyprus News-
Cyprus to import water : World: News: News24
Cyprus local Blog-
The Cyprus Blog: Severe water shortage in Cyprus

California faces a severe water shortage, brought to you
By the Center for Biological Diversity
Rising Tide North America » Blog Archive » Climate-Related Water Concerns Heat Up

a quick excerpt-
Eighteen million Southern Californians may be rationing water this summer for the first time in years. The region’s water distributor is preparing to ask customers to stop using water supplies outdoors one day a week for activities such as washing the car and running sprinklers.
As in the American West, parts of Australia and the United Kingdom are experiencing stifling droughts that have sped up the melt of snowpacks and decreased the volume of river flows, the speakers said.

Going forward, Southern California likely will tap into a $5 billion water storage system as well as purchase more expensive “transfer” water to meet demand fueled by a growing population, according to Wolfe.

In an April report on climate change and water, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that arid regions like the western United States could experience reduced supplies because of global warming, while tropical areas would likely experience increased flooding (ClimateWire, April 10).

[forfismum]

I had a bit of sympathy for the folks in Florida with regards to the water problems they face until I read about the South Florida Water Management District being sued over a proposed dam which would reverse the need to use canals to carry away the atwer that once fed the Everglades.

Water once flowed practically unhindered from the Everglades headwaters south of Orlando all the way to Florida Bay. But now when a hard rain falls, canals direct the overflow into the ocean to keep it from inundating 5 million people who have settled in the area. It also has left the wetlands near ecological collapse.

Not only did our pal Nick retire to FL but he brought 4,999,999 buddies with him !!! .Can the logic of this situation be explained in simple terms?The system is buggered up by too many people who then complain about a shortage of water,a substance which has to be dumped to the ocean because of their presence.....Catch 22 ?