Up to $11,000 @ 1% Toward Your Well!

Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc.’s Loan Fund is now able to provide funding for individual household wells due to funding from USDA-Rural Development. Applications are available on the company website at www.SoutheastRCAP.org. We are dedicated to improving the quality of life for low to moderate income persons rural area in the southeast Region (DE,MD,VA,NC,SC,GA, and FL). Qualification: An eligible individual means an Individual who is a member of a household in which all members have a combined income ( for the most recent 12 month period for which the information is available) that is not more than 100% of the median Non-metropolitan household income for the state or territory in which the individual lives.

In most of our service areas, that means around $61,200 per year!

Other restrictions:

Loan recipient must either own or occupy the home or be occupying the home as the purchaser under a legally enforced land purchase contract which is not under default by the seller or the purchaser. The home must be located in a rural area. The water well system may not be used to substitute water service available from collective water systems. The water well system may not be associated with the construction of a new dwelling. Loan recipient must not be suspended or debarred from participation in Federal programs.

Southeast RCAP, Inc. is a private non-profit company and their Well Loan Program is "an effort to help so many of the people who are without water obtain such a necessity."

Please contact Daniel Lawson at 540.345.1184 ext. 135, or Sharon Thomas, Loan Fund Coordinator, ext. 122 for more information.

Giving Away Our Water

Imagine the civil government issuing you an order to pump water out of your well, on your property, to your neighbors' homes.

Imagine that same government agency telling you that you had no right to the water in that well, and that you needed to find another source of water for your home, and compliance to their orders would be at the point of a gun if you could not "work it out."

What would you do? How would you react?

The State of Georgia, where I reside, is in that very situation, and our leaders are not reacting the way you might in the above "imaginary" example.

Yesterday, the Governor of Georgia, Sonny Purdue, met with the Governors of Florida and Alabama, our State's neighbors in Montgomery, AL to discuss how we might comply.

Please don't get me wrong: I'm not suggesting that we should ignore the needs of Florida and Alabama. Going back to our "imaginary" scenario, and removing the outside influence of the civil government; who among us would be so uncaring as to not give that needy neighbor a gallon or bucket or whatever we could spare? Who would not help their neighbor build their own water system?

Yet meetings like this, under the misplaced thumb of an out-of-control government not only undermine any good and positive relations we might have been able to build with our neighbors, it also puts them in a tough spot: they asked the feds to rule here, so when the feds come after their States' natural resources, they'll have a much harder time saying no.

Unintended Consequences.

Now, this may be a bit of a strong position for your taste, but States' Rights advocate and 2010 Georgia Gubernatorial candidate Ray McBerry's position on water is certainly closer to my sentiments than that of the current administration. Have a listen.

The notion that neither the federal government nor the state own or have rights to natural resources seems primary to our nation's founding.

Maybe we'll get some leadership in Georgia who agrees with that position, for a change.

One in Ten Americans Drink Contaminated Water

According to a New York Times report, 10% of Americans drink water that contains dangerous chemicals or fails to meet a federal health benchmark in other ways. The report found that Charleston, VW, for example, has significant levels of lead, nickel, and other heavy metals, causing- in the worst cases- customers to develop painful rashes and significant loss of tooth enamel. The report also notes wells, both private and public, are often the most dangerous water sources, because they are the least regulated. It should be noted that no distinction was drawn between bored wells, which pull heavily on the water table, and properly constructed drilled wells, which are sealed against surface water. As a water consumer, the bottom line is whether you choose to trust water safety to an outside provider- even the government, or would prefer to take the responsibilty yourself.

A Drought Ends, but the Beat Goes On

The Sound Byte:

Under cloudy skies, governor Sonny Purdue announced yesterday that the wettest spring in 100 years has ended Georgia's drought, and the Georgia EPD watering restrictions in place since May 2008 would be immediately lifted.

The entire state will operate on an odd/ even schedule:

• even- numbered addresses can water freely Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.
• odd- numbered addresses can water freely Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

The Economic Analysis:

As everyone celebrates this announcement, none are celebrating more than our Landscapers: Before 2006, Georgia's Landscape Industry was the 2nd largest industry sector, behind Agriculture. The economic impact to Landscape businesses and to the state cannot be understated, and the relaxed watering rules are welcome news to landscapers and plantspeple alike. But alot of well drillers are nervous. They are under the mistaken assumption that the only reason they were drilling in Atlanta and Buckhead was because of the water restrictions. Many of there opportunists were simply reacting to market demand and never had long term plans for their area, nor looked at any value-added proposition for their services. This news will likely send those companies packing.

Its a tough economy, and eased water restrictions will not bring back the massive losses to individual investors who are looking for a safe place to put what assets they have still available.

If you, dear reader, are in this group- may I suggest putting your money in the ground?

A city of Atlanta resident with 20 zones of irrigation and a pool can recoup their entire investment in a water well in 3 years or less. I know: I have done the math. If one couples that with a driller who is willing to Guarantee water and offer Extended Warranties, the discussion becomes about 33% annual gains with no risk! Bernie Madoff is gone, and I'm not sure even he tried to make such claims!

Whether or not the drought returns; whether or not the EPD gets nervous again and reimposes restrictions: water costs what it costs, and will only get more expensive. As the Georgia Regional Water Councils continue to deliberate their Statewide plan, noone who pays attention is expecting LESS bureaucracy and regulations to come of their efforts.

In the end, well ownership will be shown to be the Wise investment.

Sometime back, we told you about the Georgia Regional Water Councils and the impact they will have on water policy for the entire state of Georgia.

view this map @ http://www.georgiawaterplanning.org/Files_PDF/basin_map.pdf

THEY ARE MEETING, AND THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM US!

Please attend the meeting in your area if it has not already been held. If it has already been held, contact the contact person and ask them to send you information of the past meeting and notices of future meetings. 

The Altamaha Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 5, 2009, Southeastern Technical College – Vidalia Economic Development Center, 100 A Brinson Road, Vidalia, GA 30474 

For additional information about the Altamaha Regional Water Planning Council please contact:
Kevin Farrell, Assistant Branch Chief – EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 404-675-1621, Kevin.Farrell@dnr.state.ga.us

The Coastal Georgia Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 4, 2009, J.F. Gregory Park, Stevens Wetlands Education Center, Cedar Street Richmond Hill, GA 31324 

For additional information about the Coastal Georgia Regional Water Planning Council please contact:
Jeff Larson, Assistant Branch Chief – EPD Watershed Protection Branch , 404-675-1664, Jeff.Larson@dnr.state.ga.us

The Coosa-North Georgia Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 8, 2009, Appalachian Tech , 100 Campus Drive; Jasper, GA 30143 

For additional information about the Coosa-North Georgia Regional Water Planning Council please contact:
Becky Champion, Assistant Branch Chief – EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 706-888-8351, Becky.Champion@dnr.state.ga.us

The Lower Flint-Ochlockonee Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 6, 2009, Mitchell County EMC, 475 Cairo Highway, Camilla, GA 31730

For additional information about the Lower Flint-Ochlockonee Regional Water Planning Council please contact: 
Tim Cash, Assistant Branch Chief - EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 404-675-1766, Tim.Cash@dnr.state.ga.us

The Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 13, 2009, Callaway Gardens – Dogwood Room Mountain Creek Inn, 17800 US Hwy 27, Pine Mountain, GA 31822 

For additional information about the Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water Planning Council please contact: 
Tim Cash, Assistant Branch Chief - EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 404-675-1766, Tim.Cash@dnr.state.ga.us

The Middle Ocmulgee Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 14, 2009, Amerson Water Treatment Plant, 703 Riverbend Road, Macon, GA 31211 

For additional information about the Middle Ocmulgee Regional Water Planning Council please contact: 
Kevin Farrell, Assistant Branch Chief – EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 404-675-1621, Kevin.Farrell@dnr.state.ga.us 

The Savannah-Upper Ogeechee Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 7, 2009, Savannah Rapids Pavilion ,3300 Evans to Locks Road – Martinez, GA 30907 

For additional information about the Savannah-Upper Ogeechee Regional Water Planning Council please contact: 
Jeff Larson, Assistant Branch Chief – EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 404-675-1664, Jeff.Larson@dnr.state.ga.us

The Suwannee-Satilla Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 6, 2009, C. E. Weir Center, 307 Bryan Street East, Douglas, GA 31533 

For additional information about the Suwannee-Satilla Regional Water Planning Council please contact:
Rob McDowell, Assistant Branch Chief – EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 404-675-1650, Rob.McDowell@dnr.state.ga.us

The Upper Flint Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 1, 2009, One Griffin Center, Commissioner’s Meeting Room, 100 South Hill Street Griffin, GA 30223 

For additional information about the Upper Flint Regional Water Planning Council please contact: 
Tim Cash, Assistant Branch Chief - EPD Watershed Protection Branch' 404-675-1766, Tim.Cash@dnr.state.ga.us

The Upper Oconee Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 8, 2009, Rock Eagle 4H Center – Rich Building ,350 Rock Eagle Road, Eatonton, GA 31024 

For additional information about the Upper Oconee Regional Water Planning Council please contact: 
Kevin Farrell, Assistant Branch Chief – EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 404-675-1621, Kevin.Farrell@dnr.state.ga.us

SPIN CYCLE~ sand separators

Part 2 in a series on water filtration

 

Sometimes, wells have a lot of sediment and sand.  This material can really cause problems in a water system, and occasionally, cartridge filters just aren't sufficient to do the job.

In those cases, we will often install a sand separator, like the ones pictured in the photo.  

These filters literally spin the sand out of the water:

First,  unfiltered water is drawn through a side inlet, where it begins spinning down an inner chamber, creating a sort of vortex.  This spinning action causes the sand, which is heavier than water, to separate out of the central column of water.  The clean water is then pulled out of the center of the inner chamber, and sand falls out of the unit.

These filters do not address solutes or chemical contaminants in the water, only particles- and even then, not all of the particles.  Most systems require additional cartridge filters to remove smaller particles from the the client's water before it enters their water system, but these separators are a terrific first-line against particulates.  The thing that makes this filtration method really unique is that there are no moving parts, and nothing to replace-ever; so it could save a client a ton of money in cartridge replacements, not to mention if they have drip irrigation or spray nozzles in their systems.  

Sand Separators may not be the best solution for every case,  but it is truly dizzying just how effectively they can spin a solution for some!

"Reverse Osmosis?" You'll never learn ANYTHING that way!

Part one in a series on water filtration.

As a teenager, I remember laying my head on a stack of books when I should have been studying.

When questioned how that might improve my grades, I said I was learning through osmosis.

All that "studying" did not prepare me to understand how Reverse Osmosis works, though...

In osmosis,  a solvent passes through a membrane to try to achieve an equilibrium on both sides of the membrane.  This happens naturally when a red blood cell is submerged in water.  These contain a high concentration of solutes including salts and protein.  Water molecules pass through the cell membrane from an area of low solute concentration (outside the cell) to one of high solute concentration (inside the cell).  The cell membrane is selectively permeable, so only necessary materials are let into the cell.  

Osmotic pressure is the catalyst, and can be increased on the high-solute side of the membrane to force the equilibrium and stop osmosis. This is, apparently, represented in the following formula:

δPV = -RT ln(1-x₂) (2)

Presumably, if you continued to increase the pressure on that side, you will reverse that process, and that is how Reverse Osmosis works:  It actually pulls the water away from the solutes, through a semipermeable membrane, leaving pure, "distilled" water: H2O.  This is usually the last stage in a 2 or 3 stage filtration system, and because it takes a long time to pull water molecules through the membrane, small storage tanks are usually part of the system.  A typical home system will fit in a kitchen cabinet and provide about 10-15 gallons per day, delivered to a tap by the kitchen sink.   

Now, since it has been stripped of all the salts (electrolytes) and minerals the water has no flavor- and some folks say that "no flavor" tastes an awful lot like plastic.  But, if one is really concerned about the quality of your drinking water and is willing to pay the $250-$700 for the system, plus another $150 or so in yearly filter replacements, it is by far the best way to be assured of the quality of your drinking water.

 

Oscar Win brings Recognition, Water to poor Indian Village

HOLLYWOOD, CA — “Smile Pinki,” the story of an Indian girl born with a cleft lip and winner of the “documentary short” category at the movie industry’s February 22 Academy Awards, has brought recognition to the little girl chronicled in the film as well as to her village of Rampur Dhavaia and its water infrastructure needs, according to a February 23 IANS report on thaindian.com.

The village is located in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, in the Mirzapur district. Jaswant Singh, Mirzapur chief development officer told IANS “As Pinki has given an international recognition to Rampur Dabai village in Mirzapur district, the government has decided to undertake several developmental projects for the welfare of the villagers.”

Projects will be taken on one-at-a-time, and among the first projects to be addressed will be drinking water needs. According to Singh, providing potable drinking water to the over 2,000 villagers is a top priority.

“The village has been grappling with water scarcity for the last several years. But, now we would dig up ponds, install hand pumps and rebore old wells to ensure that  villagers get adequate water,” Singh is quoted as saying.  

Full Article: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/pinkis-oscar-to-bring-drinking-water-power-to-her-village_100158739.html

Groundwater Primer PLUS- potable vs irrigation

There are two fundamental things I encounter as I speak with potential well owners for the first time- a misconception about what we call 'groundwater', and a a misunderstanding on the difference between an 'irrigation' or a potable water well.

I'll attempt to clear the air on these issues here as clearly and simply as possible.

Individual household water wells are the preferred source of safe drinking water for more than 15 million Americans. If you have a properly constructed, drilled well your water comes from deep in the bedrock and is naturally filtered and should be bacteria free.  In the rregions we service (Southern Appalachia/ Georgia Piedmont), groundwater is located in fractures in consolidated rock.  It occurs as water is slowly pulled through bedrock into cracks and crevices in the rock.  It does not deplete the water table, and, except in extremely rare occasions, will not affect even your nearest neighbor’s well.  

This type of system is one of the safest most reliable drinking water sources available.

As the average person in the US uses around 150 gallons per day, and the average household peak demand less than 10 gallons per minute (gpm), almost any hole in the ground will supply enough water to satisfy an individual's potable water needs.

An irrigation well is essentially a commercial well- the demands of an irrigation system are so much greater than regular home use:

Where a potable water system in a typical Atlanta home may have a peak demand of 8 gpm and average 500 gallons per day, that same residence may have an irrigation system which needs 20 or more gallons per minute and over 20,000 gallons in a single event.  It is as if that one well is being asked to supply 20 or 30 homes.

That same ultra-purified water is pulled out of the bedrock in a much higher volume and at a much faster flow rate.  Bigger pumps running on bigger wire, pushing water through bigger pipe, and controlled by extremely complex equipment make this kind of system work. 

The irrigation system is usually already in place when we construct our wells, and the volume and flow rates don't always operate the same as our high-pressure municipal systems.

Sometimes, these systems are required to pump faster than the ground can yield water, and that deficit has to be made up in reserve- either inside the well or in storage tanks.  It can also be made up in time, and the irrigation system has to be staged to allow the well to recharge its self.  However it is done, these systems can easily double or triple the typical residential user's cost.

A water well is an investment in the commodity of the future.   Well owners have their own private water system which they control.  With proper maintenance, these systems should provide a lifetime of safe, reliable access to pure, fresh water.

Where Will You Get Your Water?

Sinkholes like this have become nearly
epidemic all over the US as old pipes
begin to fail.

As a water professional who has lived in the Metro Atlanta, Georgia area all my life, I’ve developed a sort of unique perspective on local happenings. A few years back, following all our Olympic glory and in the middle of a huge developmental boom, we began to see roads collapsing and washing away all over the city- it seemed like a new incident was broadcast every night on the news. Our 80+ year-old infrastructure was in trouble- and there was no money to fix it.
Mayor Shirley Franklin stepped up and took a bold stance- she became modern America’s first “Infrastructure Mayor”, committing to repair and upgrade the City’s infrastructure in her term of office.

Upset Atlantans protest the proposed
closure of West End Station #7.

By in large, the citizens of the Atlanta got behind her- I mean- it sounded like a good idea, right?
Here’s the problem: it is very expensive, it takes a long time, and it's product is not visible.
So- what sounded like a good idea to everyone back then is becoming a hassle as we attempt to navigate our streets and get frustrated with the constant construction traffic. What sounded great before sounds less and less warm and fuzzy with every fire station that faces closure. Infrastructure, and Mayor Franklin, are becoming less and less popular.

As I write this article, the Georgia Legislature begins its 2009 session with a $2.5 Billion deficit, and Atlanta’s could top $80 Million- one of the largest in the nation. With lawmakers calling for a truly balanced budget, will this be the end of Atlanta's commitment to infrastructure?

There is another way- one I recently wrote about:

Rusty supply lines are one of the biggest
threats to US drinking water.

In Detroit, Michigan, their Mayor recently appointed Victor Mercado, a private water industry tycoon, head of the city’s troubled water works. While the system continues to run down, the city has reduced its repair workload, instead focusing its resources on disconnecting delinquent customers. They disconnected over 40,000 customers last year, and had proposed to double that number this year. Now that number will surely adjust upward in light of new economic stresses on Government and citizens.
Potentially, after 2 year’s time, that city will wake up to find nearly 200,000 households without water coupled with little or no positive action toward a rapidly failing infrastructure.
Running the system down, starving it of capital: these are the kinds of measures we usually see in the corporate world before a “hostile takeover”.
Once a system is too far gone, the citizens will accept any alternative, and government will be happy to get the “hot potato” out of their hands at any cost.

Like roads and bridges, water infrastructure is one of the basic services we believe should be available and provided by government. Without water, a city cannot flourish. Without water, people cannot live. Without government protecting and providing citizens access to this basic need, these Profiteers can and will sell their commodity to the highest bidder, and many hundreds of thousands- even millions- may find their interest taking a back seat to industry, by far the largest and most lucrative consumer of water in the world.

If you think this is not possible- take a look at what the World Bank is already doing in third-world nations all over the globe. Water is now treated as a global commodity, and multinational corporations are buying up the rights to that water as quickly as they can. Water which had, for centuries, completely provided for entire self-sustaining communities is suddenly becoming a luxury which poor families simply cannot afford.

Our American lifestyles are highly dependant on access to a lot of water. But on a level of necessity I see very few issues that could be more important than where our water will come from in the future. If we don’t know the answer to this question, we should begin to understand what is happening to infrastructure around us, and begin looking at all options to protect our own access. We should contact our legislators and let them know that we do not want any infrastructure to be privatized. We should ask them to commit to protect the rights of private citizens to collect water off their own property- including by wells and rain cisterns. We should let them know that we expect them to favor individuals’ access to water over corporate agendas. Water is fundamental to life. Are we really willing to give that up?

Betting Against the House: Las Vegas and Lake Mead

LAS VEGAS is in a very similar drought to the Atlanta crisis of Summer 2007— The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) has said that if drought conditions continue, the city of Las Vegas could be out of water, according to a February 11 lasvegasnow.com news report .

Pat Mulroy, the head of the SNWA, told Nevada lawmakers on Wednesday that extended drought conditions could potentially impact the water authority’s ability to use its current two intakes on Lake Mead- the huge reservoir behind the Hoover Dam in the Colorado River that supplies Las Vegas and other metropolitan areas such as Phoenix and Los Angeles.

Scientists agree that the supply is dwindling, but there has not yet been a consensus as to when the supply will run dry: Mulroy told lawmakers, “If the drought continues another two years, we lose our second intake. At this point, Southern Nevada loses 90 percent of its water supply.”

An SNWA spokesman later sent a correction to what Mulroy told lawmakers, saying it will take six years, rather than two years, for the continued drought to render the second intake useless.

This should once again remind those who have been paying attention to the Atlanta crisis of the inconsistent statements from all the experts regarding Lanier's status. At one point, it was said that Lanier had less than 90 day's supply, but that report was quickly withdrawn.

Low water levels at Hoover Dam in 2006

Be it 2 years or 6, Nevada needs to take a hard look at its water use plan and decide, like Georgia, to be proactive.
Our own Regional Water Commissions, though potentially wrought with problems all their own, is at least charged with developing a Comprehensive Water Plan for our state.

According to a recent USA Today Article, There is a 50% chance Lake Mead will run dry by 2021 and a 10% chance it will run out of usable water by 2014, if the drought deepens and water use climbs, researchers said.

The SNWA has begun a $1 billion project to build a third intake that extends deeper into the lake. According to Mulroy, the financial situation surrounding this project “couldn’t be more precarious.” as infrastructure funding is dropping off-
Water conservation efforts, as well as the home foreclosure crisis, have slashed the amount paid by water customers, and sales of public land for capital projects also have all but ended. In addition, sales tax revenues have dropped.
SNWA's entire coffers will be required just to complete the current third intake project, Mulroy said.
Where will that leave the rest of Vegas's infrastructure? And what would happen if further projected revenues are not realized?

Georgia Regional Water Planning Council Appointments

In August of last year, a call went out to all water professionals re: The Georgia Regional Water Planning Councils.  It read something like this: 

If your business involves WATER or WASTEWATER in any way, you must be involved in the Regional Water Planning Councils which will be appointed by the Governor, Lt. Governor and Speaker of the House.   These Councils will determine all rules and regulations for water and wastewater for the future.   Don’t be bashful about completing this form and nominating yourself.  YOU are one of the most knowledgeable people on this subject and the councils need YOUR input.   Believe me, government officials and all the environmental groups WILL be well represented on these councils.  Professionals in the industry MUST also be represented and this is YOU!  If industry is not represented, we could be regulated out of business!

...sorta ominous sounding, huh?  

I, for one, jumped on it- I certainly don't want to be regulated out of business!  I submitted my nomination and waited.  And waited.  As it turned out, my region- representing the Greater Metro ATL, was already seated, and had been working toward rules and guidelines which would facilitate this greater, more inclusive group.

So, now, 6-months into the 3-year study, 10 councils of 30 members each have finally been announced.  

Here are the ex-officios for each of the respective councils:

Altamaha Rep. Greg Morriss Sen. Tommie Williams

Coastal Georgia Rep. Cecily Hill Sen. Eric Johnson

Coosa- N. Georgia Rep. Katy Dempsey Sen. Chip Pearson

Lower Flint - Ochlockonee Rep. Gerald Greene Sen. John Bulloch

Middle Chattahoochee Rep. Bob Hanner Sen. Bill Heath

Middle Ocmulgee Rep. David Knight Sen. Ross Tolleson

Savannah - Upper Ogeechee Rep. Tom McCall Sen. Ralph Hudgens

Suwannee - Satilla Rep. Jay Shaw Sen. Greg Goggins

Upper Flint Rep. Lynmore James Sen. George Hooks

Upper Oconee Rep. Terry England Sen. Bill Cowsert

If any of these individuals represent you, please contact them and let them know that you expect them to rule on the side of private property and individual citizen's rights over corporate interests, especially as it regards to well ownership and rain water harvesting.

A Rift Afar- an Ocean is Formed

Africa is being torn apart. Yes, by wars and famine and disease, true. But also by an amazing geological event:

By every indication, an ocean is forming in one of the hottest, driest places on the earth- the Afar depression, in Northwestern Ethiopia.
This region is often referred to as the "cradle of life" where, according to the research of theLeaky family, some of the earliest humans may have first appeared. But today it looks nothing like eden:
No rain falls for much of the year, and daytime temperatures approach 120 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. The earth's crust in this region is less than 1/2 the thickness of its surrounding areas. Parts of the depression are over 1000 feet below sea level, and an ugly war between Ethiopia and neighboring Eritera make this region of earthquakes, volcanoes, and vast hydrothermal fields further inhospitable.

As these surface activities escalate, the depression, which lies at the north end of the East African Rift continues to sink as its crust wears thinner and thinner. Geologists confirm the East African Rift has opened up 28' during a recent earthquake. According to NASA, the actual profile of the East Africa Rift valley is a nearly exact match to the profile of the central axis of mid-ocean ridges. We are literally witnesses to the formation of an ocean.

The Afar Depression, seen from space

A land mass larger than, but similar to Madagascar will be separated from Africa proper, and begin to move away from the larger continent- sliced off as if Saudi Arabia were a huge cleaver.
This formation will be complete when saltwater from the red sea, which has flooded Afar's lowlands at least 3 times, sweeps in to finally fill the massive gash.
Here's a FABULOUS Scientific American slideshow of the diversity of this region:http://www.sciam.com/slideshow.cfm?id=birth-of-an-ocean&thumbs=horizontal&photo_id=441388D1-D9FC-FF51-7C5F73F

Correction!

It was brought to this writer's attention that he had confused 2 pieces of legislation in a previous posting.  I am happy to report the correction, as I endeavor to keep these postings above reproach.

I am also pleased to make this correction because it once again highlights 2 very important issues:

Mountain Top Removal (MTR) coal mining, and a direct assault on our Private Property rights.

HR 2169, the Clean Water Protection Act, was introduced to stop "valleyfill" of mining waste.  Good bill.

HR 2421, the Clean Water Restoration Act, redefines "waters of the United States" and could result in the loss of all private property rights, as well as personage.  Bad bill.

Please forgive any confusion my confusion may have caused!

of International Intrigue, Chlorine, and Tap Water

In January 2005, Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko, the informal leader of the Ukranian Opposition Coalition, became the third and current President of the Ukraine, after a revote, recount, and a runoff election against the state- sponsored opposition candidate.
Not exactly what one would call a clean victory, but given the story of intrigue that ran through this campaign, is one that certainly should have been expected.

In fact, during the campaign in 2004, Yushchenko became violently ill and was rushed to the hospital where he was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, accompanied by interstitial edematous changes, due to a serious viral infection and chemical substances that are not normally found in food products. Yushchenko claimed such poisoning to be the work of government agents. After the illness, his face became heavily disfigured: grossly jaundiced, bloated, and pockmarked.

A British toxologist declared the changes in Yushchenko's face were due to chloracne, which can be the result of dioxin poisoning. Later, a Dutch toxicologist found levels of dioxin in Yushchenko's blood that were 6,000 times above normal and also stated his changes in appearance to be the result of chloracne.

Yuschenko, before and after dioxin poisoning

So, what is dioxin? It is the name given to an entire group of poisons mainly derived from and related to Chlorine, which is universally used to chemically disinfect water. Chlorine kills germs, bacteria and other living organisms, and is contained in every ounce of water that comes out of municipal water treatment plants.
Now, the levels of chlorine in municipal water are nothing compared to the immediate danger of deadly bacteria in untreated water, and chlorine is certainly the least expensive and surest method of protecting consumers against such dangers; and by its self, the amount of chlorine in tap water has been shown to be of a safe level for exposure. But coupled with all the other environmental exposures to dioxins, and the fact that these chemicals bioaccumulate in our bodies, prudence would suggest that we limit every exposure that we can control.
These compounds readily pass through the cell wall and attach to the fatty acids of the cell, disrupting the life sustaining functions. It should be noted that the EPA sets the recommended exposure level to these compounds at zero.

It has been estimated that the "shower steam" in your bathroom can contain up to 100 times the amount of chlorine than the water, because chlorine evaporates out of water at a relatively low temperature. If you bathe or shower in unfiltered tap water you are inhaling and absorbing an unsafe amount of chlorine into your body. This single daily exposure accounts for almost half of the average person’s dioxin intake.

If you are running for president in a former soviet bloc nation, you should be sure- get your water from a well. Repeated exposures to these chemicals will not help you build up an immunity, but rather, lay the foundation for your opposition’s plot to remove you as a threat.
If you are just a “regular” citizen simply concerned about your health, you may want to heed that same advice. After all, you may never be the specific target of a murderous plot, but; in light of the EPA's recommendations, you certainly can not be too careful!

Annual Well Inspections

Imagine if the only service you ever had done to your car was to have an emissions inspection. No oil change, no tune up, nothing. Many folks send in a water sample from their tap to a Government agency to be tested for impurities. This is certainly better than nothing, but there are more parts to a well than just the water, and they need maintenance and inspection too!

Well ownership can give homeowners access to the highest quality drinking water available, but also comes with the responsibility of keeping the water well in good working order. A properly constructed and maintained household-supply well will provide you with many years of quality service. The National Ground Water Association recommends routine annual maintenance checks to ensure the proper operation of the well and prolong its years of service, as well as monitor the water quality.

Look at this helpful link to learn more about having your well inspected.

Why wait for an out-of-water service call? Winter is a great time to have your well inspected! You are reading this note so it's fresh on your mind. It's a new year. Your drilling contractor may not have a huge backlog of jobs right now, so they'll be thankful for the work. Most importantly, you'll be able to rest assured that, when the summer comes and things do pick up- your well will have been shown to be ready!

MTR and Water Legislation

There are likely few-to-no truly honest folks who can look at the impact of Mountain Top Removal (MTR) and not be upset.  Called "strip mining on steroids", MTR has destroyed over 2,500 peaks in southern Appalachia to generate less than 5% of the country's energy needs.  Besides destroying mountain vistas and leaving undesirable and unusable land in its wake, it has left over 1,200 miles of head water streams buried under toxic rubble.

A 2002 Army Corps of Engineers rule allows waste generated by this practice to be classified as "fill", even though it has been found to contain extremely high levels of arsenic and mercury.  

Environmental activists and conservationists, finding the fighting in court, and at the local and state levels difficult,  have turned their attention to a piece of Federal Legislation. Rather than specifically addressing the issue, these groups have gotten behind broader legislation in the Clean Water Protection Act- HR 2169, formerly HB 2421. see correction  

As much as I can sympathize and stand with those who would see MTR stopped,  I cannot get behind this dangerous piece of legislation.

It is the opinion of several property rights advocacy groups that this act, if ratified, will centralize control of every drop of water and every piece of land in the United States.  It does this by reclassifying all water in and on US Soil as "navigable", thereby giving it the same federal protection that is afforded shipping lanes.  That water would then be FEDERAL PROPERTY.

Sure, it would stop the wanton destruction of mountain streams, but would also facilitate the biggest land grab in history!  Well owners would find their water metered, and even municipal water customers could face rations.see correction  

Sure, Mountain Top Removal is really bad and should be stopped.  But we should always be sure that before we call for "somebody" to do "something", we understand the full implications of our cries. 

Click here to learn more about HR2421 and what you can do to stop it.

Our Human Experience- as seen thru Water

It is generally accepted that our attitude affects our experience of our surroundings- a "Positive Mental Attitude" is said to be foundational to success.

It is one thing to chock it up to "rose colored glasses", but can it be shown that our attitude actually changes the very structure of the world around us?

Masaru Emoto, a Japanese researcher, has recently published a book which set out to prove just that, and to do it using the very foundation of life on this planet: water.

Since water is essential for the survival for all known forms of life, it might be expected that it could, through Mr. Emoto's methods of study, give us some clues even to the very nature of our existence.

Here's how it started:

Mr Emoto took water samples from around the world, froze them and studied their crystals under a microscope. Water from clean

lakes and streams was shown to have complex and often near- symmetrical crystalline formations, like lovely perfect snowflakes. Water from polluted sources, on the other hand, presented broken and malformed crystals. His control- distilled water- had an almost perfectly round crystal.

He then allowed his ice to thaw, and exposed the polluted samples to prayers or music.

After that exposure, he then refroze his samples. He found dramatically different crystalline formations: the "polluted" samples now had crystal structures similar to the "clean" ones.

That got him thinking: what if he took his distilled water (that near-round, untainted- but unaffected water) and exposed it to different positive or negative input. The results were similar to the first experiment:

When that distilled water was exposed to positive input- like the word "Love" printed and taped to the jar, beautiful crystals formed.

When it was exposed to negative input- like the word "Hate", again, printed and taped to the jar, the crystals were malformed.

Further studies found that the "positive" water hydrates better, allowing this water to be more readily absorbed into living cells.

Some readers of Mr Emoto's findings have really been taking off with this information-

They are taping positive words to their tap water containers before using that water on cut flowers, then studying the effects of this water on the flowers by gauging how long they stay fresh. Practitioners are claiming huge success, although there has been no published study in this area.

All this research does present some really interesting questions, though- not only about what we put in our body, but what we put into our environment as well.

Think before you speak. Think before you drink.

Prescription Drugs in Drinking Water?

Americans are living longer and longer. It's all about advancement in medical research, and most of that advancement has to do with pharmaceuticals. We are a pill-popping Nation, and a new study by the Associated Press highlights our drug use is a most unusual way:
They have found a vast array of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones — in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans.

It's not that they tested some water supplies and didn't find pharmaceuticals, the study group found these drugs in EVERY test they conducted!

Here are some of the key test results obtained by the AP:

Image courtesy of  Danilo Rizzuti /

FreeDigitalPhotos.net

* Officials in Philadelphia said testing there discovered 56 pharmaceuticals or byproducts in treated drinking water, including medicines for pain, infection, high cholesterol, asthma, epilepsy, mental illness and heart problems. Sixty-three pharmaceuticals or byproducts were found in the city’s watersheds.
* Anti-epileptic and anti-anxiety medications were detected in a portion of the treated drinking water for 18.5 million people in Southern California.
* Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey analyzed a Passaic Valley Water Commission drinking water treatment plant, which serves 850,000 people in Northern New Jersey, and found a metabolized angina medicine and the mood-stabilizing carbamazepine in drinking water.
* A sex hormone was detected in San Francisco’s drinking water.
* The drinking water for Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas tested positive for six pharmaceuticals.
* Three medications, including an antibiotic, were found in drinking water supplied to Tucson, Ariz.

How could this happen? Its simple:

People take these drugs. They pass through their bodies and are flushed back into the system.
By law, our water treatment plants test and treat bacteria and metals- add chlorine and fluoride, but the federal government doesn’t require any testing and hasn’t set safety limits for drugs in water, and, therefore requires no testing or treatment for these contaminants.

And while researchers do not yet understand the exact risks from decades of persistent exposure to random combinations of low levels of pharmaceuticals, recent studies — which have gone virtually unnoticed by the general public — have found alarming effects on human cells and wildlife.

“We recognize it is a growing concern and we’re taking it very seriously,” said Benjamin H. Grumbles, assistant administrator for water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

So maybe it's not just the hormones in the chickens we eat. Maybe its not only the antibiotics in the beef we eat. Maybe its not the chemical levels in our fruits and vegetables-
Maybe its our water!

Maybe we should think before we drink.