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2/2/2024
HAPPENING NOW
Drinking Water Matters
Remembering East Palestine, Ohio
Friday, February 2 2024 - last updated 1048 am EST
Drinking Water Matters
Safe drinking water is first principle for every municipality. Potable water supply has been challenging engineers for millenia, as long as towns and cities have existed. From protecting the source water from sabotage, to the collection of raw water, the filtration, treatment, monitoring take up a great space in the arena of Public Works.
Provision of consistently clean, safe water to the tap improved drastically with the discovery of an alternative material for the water mains and plumbing. The first use of the new technology water pipes was in Europe just prior to WWII. PVC pipes passed all test expectations, widely adopted for the drinking water infrastructure as fast as municipal administrators could "get the lead out".
Benefits to replacing lead and copper pipes with PVC, absolutely. Risk? Calculated. PVC is made from vinyl chloride, the gas hauled by common carriers like Norfolk Southern, in certified and inspected tank cars across the network of track to domestic manufacturers such as found in the US midwest.
As we remember the hazardous materials spill incident a year ago on Friday night in East Palestine, Ohio, what have we collectively learned? Stay with us as we break down the elements of the risk-benefit of advanced technologies with the advantage of 20/20 hindsight. This discussion is our tribute to the residents of East Palestine and the first responders confronted with the immediate threat to life, to those with on-going health issues today, to the businesses forced to close their doors, we acknowledge the price paid by our neighbors for the advancement of clean, safe drinking water we all must have.
Join the discussion, how do we grip the benefits of advanced technologies while managing the risks? Email info@wtoh.us with your comments.
Streamflow situation based on provisional data from USGS streamflow gauges in the rivers and creeks of Georgia
North Georgia, Mississippi River-bound streamflows are rated mostly normal with a handful recording below seasonal normal in northwest Coosa River watershed. Down into the central and south on the Mississippi side of the state divide there are today three sites reading much above normal flow volume twice as many locations indicating below normal compared to this time yesterday.
On the Atlantic side of the divide in north Georgia, the trend is normal to above seasonal normal flows. Heading down into central Georgia, normal flows are the most common rating with Oconee River signalling above normal levels. Just one location today reports much above normal flow, that being on the Ocmulgee River. In the south, the Atlantic basin, roughly similar number of below normal ratings appear as yesterday, a handful.
Drought Map USGS 7-day average streamflow compared with historic average
Atlantic basin is holding the same two patches of Georgia in below normal rating on the drought map Friday with one small area popping up on the Mississippi side overnight.
Ogeechee River watershed hangs on the drought map Friday from Taliaferro, east Hancock and west Warren, east Washington, Glascock, Jefferson, southwest Burke, north Emanuel and north Jenkins Counties. Lower Ocmulgee River watershed remains rated below normal on the drought map into the first day of February. The same area including south Laurens, east Dodge, west Wheeler and north Telfair has been rated below normal for over a week in spite of above normal flows in the wider area of the Atlantic Basin.
For the Mississippi Basin, the southwest corner of Thomas County in the Ochlockonee watershed shows up with a below normal rating today.
Drinking Water Advisories
A boil water advisory issued for the city of Fairburn on Monday has now been lifted according to the City.
USGS Provisional Data Statement
Data are provisional and subject to revision until they have been thoroughly reviewed and received final approval. Current condition data relayed by satellite or other telemetry are automatically screened to not display improbable values until they can be verified.
Provisional data may be inaccurate due to instrument malfunctions or physical changes at the measurement site. Subsequent review based on field inspections and measurements may result in significant revisions to the data.
Data users are cautioned to consider carefully the provisional nature of the information before using it for decisions that concern personal or public safety or the conduct of business that involves substantial monetary or operational consequences. Information concerning the accuracy and appropriate uses of these data or concerning other hydrologic data may be obtained from the USGS.
USGS seven-day average streamflows at each monitoring location are rated against the historic average flow volume for this day. Results appear on the drought map, showing surface area with a rating: below normal, moderate drought, severe drought or extreme drought. The drought-rated surface area most often follows watershed lines, the physical topography of drainage and direction of flow of the surface water across the state. The watershed layer on the map shows surface area impacted by streamflows in each drainage area. Turn the directional arrows on to see which way the water flows, along with hazardous spills reported in the area that could have an impact on water quality.
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