Industry News

Back to School: Few CA Schools Have Tested for Lead Despite Aid

Last week, drinking water fixtures at Grant Union High School in Sacramento were shut off after elevated levels of lead and copper were found in the water.

Grant Union High School is not the first school to experience risky lead levels in its drinking water; it is merely the most recent. The water quality issues the Sacramento school is experiencing should serve as a wake-up call to all California schools, the vast majority of which have yet to take advantage of the State Water Resource Control Board’s lead testing program for schools.

From the Ashes: Wildfire Effects on Water Quality

A parched preceding year paired with exceptionally hot summer months set California up for a disastrous and historic 2018 fire season. So far in 2018, Cal Fire has recorded over 876,400 acres burned. That’s more than four times the acreage burned compared to this time last year, which Cal Fire reported as just over 228,800 acres.

It is obvious that these fires are a threat to people, wildlife, structures, and our heroic firefighters, but what is less obvious is the danger they pose to our water quality.

Regulatory Update: New Guidelines for PFOA & PFOS

The State Water Resources Control Board has established new drinking water guidelines for local water agencies in regard to two Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) substances: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).

The Future Landscape of Science: 2018 Environmental Measurement Symposium

Next month representatives from Babcock Laboratories will head to NOLA to attend the annual NEMC/TNI Environmental Measurement Symposium.

The weeklong conference will include 180 oral and poster presentations in 27 technical sessions, five keynote speakers, a technology showcase, and a plenary session on the conference’s theme, “The Future Landscape for Science.”

June Bloom: Harmful Algal Blooms on the Rise

Diamond Valley Lake in Riverside County is one of the most recent victims of harmful algal blooms, demonstrating that current conditions are ideal for rapid cyanobacterial growth.

PFAS Report Released: New CDC Data Intensifies Drinking Water Concerns

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released an 852-page review of the health risks of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The study suggests that current health advisories for PFAS, established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), may not be strict enough to address serious public health risks.