California water agencies face increasing pressure to promote and implement sustainable water conservation practices. But as the old saying goes, “old habits die hard.” So what motivates people to use less water?
Groundwater Exchange: New Website Provides SGMA Resources
California water agencies and communities have a new resource for groundwater management information and tools.
Groundwater Exchange, a website located at www.groundwaterexchange.org, describes itself as “a free, collaborative online resource for connecting water managers, water users, and community members to support the design and implementation of effective Groundwater Sustainability Plans under California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).”
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.”