When the Smoke Clears:
Aftereffects of Wildfires on Communities' Water Quality
 On November 8th, 2018, a fire started near Camp Creek Road in Butte County, California. Over the next 17 days that fire would ravage 153,336 acres of land, making it the deadliest and most destructive wildfire on record in California, and the sixth deadliest U.S. wildfire in recorded history. Five hundred miles south on November 8th, another fire started in Woolsey Canyon between Los Angeles and Ventura counties, ultimately engulfing 96,949 acres over the next 13 days. By the time both fires were completely contained, 89 people had lost their lives, tens of thousands of people had lost their homes and businesses, and the people of Paradise had lost their entire town.
It is impossible to overstate the tragedy of the Camp and Woolsey fires. The road to recovery will be a long, expensive, and painful one and, unfortunately, rebuilding is only the first of many costs. In addition to the obvious aftermath of a wildfire, there is a subtle yet salient issue these communities will now face: tainted water quality. (read more)
It's Not the Lettuce, It's the Water:
Romaine Recall Sheds Light on Ag Water Quality
Thanksgiving this year was salad-less, thanks to a nation-wide romaine lettuce recall on November 20th. And while many Americans were probably more than happy to have more room on their plates for stuffing and gravy, the E. coli outbreak that prompted the recall was rather dire. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called on consumers to throw away all romaine lettuce following 32 confirmed cases of E. coli bacteria poisoning in 11 U.S. states and Canada.
Recall attention focused on the produce itself, but throwing the lettuce away was merely a temporary solution to our seemingly ever-present food safety issues. If we wish to prevent foodborne illnesses, the real culprit that must be dealt with is deficient agricultural water quality. (read more)
In Case You Missed It:
Babcock Labs is a 2018 Top Workplace! (read more)
ESOP Month: Babcock Labs Celebrates Being Employee Owned (read more)
Toilet-to-Tap: Babcock Labs Sponsors CUC Breakfast on Recycled Water (read more)
PFOA & PFOS: Not Why, But How? (read more)
Cultivating Conservation: Winning Strategies for Water Agencies (read more)
Back to School: Few CA Schools Have Tested for Lead Despite Aid (read more)
From the Ashes: Wildfire Effects on Water Quality (read more)
June Bloom: Harmful Algal Blooms on the Rise (learn more) PFAS Report Released: New CDC Data Intensifies Drinking Water Concerns (read more)
Babcock Labs in the Community (read more)Babcock Labs Now Women-Owned ESOP! (read more)
EPA Awards Babcock Labs UCMR 4 Small Systems Contract (read more)
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As we prepare to welcome 2019, I find it important to reflect on some of the key industry issues of 2018 as they provide a prelude to the focal-points and challenges our industry is sure to experience in the New Year. 
