It’s detectable in nearly all drinking water in the United States, can wreak havoc on hormones in lab animals, and is one of the most popular ingredients in weed-killers. Today we’re taking a closer look at the chemical Atrazine.

Atrazine has a more that 50 year history of approved use in the United States. In that time, it become one of the most popular herbicides for protection of corn, sugar cane, and other crops. Central reasons for it’s popularity include its low price tag and its broad-spectrum effectiveness as a weed killer.

With the rise of the environmental movement in the wake of Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring, truly dangerous pesticides like DDT were removed from the farmer’s arsenal. Atrazine was essentially the substitute for the now-banned DDT. It seemed the problem was solved, but in the late 80s, researchers brought attention on the dangers of Atrazine. Results of its effects on laboratory rats caused it to be classified as a Class C potential human carcinogen.

The stigma of cancer hasn’t slowed the use of atrazine in the USA; it is still among the most popular herbicides used today. The majority of it is used in the Midwest for protecting crop yields, but that relative localization hasn’t kept organizations like the USDA from finding it in detectable levels in nearly 95% of the nation’s drinking water.

Levels of maximum exposure are set at the federal level by the EPA and are in the process of being reexamined, but the fact is that any amounts below what the government says is safe are able to pass through and reach your family. One of the most effective and affordable methods of reduction of atrazine is the use of a Granulated Activated Carbon filter.

Rayne Water Systems is proud to be the premier water treatment solution in Southern California. Over 50 years of experience have shown that Rayne Water Systems are the experts when it comes to diagnosing and fixing your water quality problems. Call Rayne today at (800)594-3300 or visit our website at www.raynedrops.com to set an appointment with one of our water treatment specialists.

A worker assembles parts at an aerospace plant in Burbank, CA during World War II

Area residents have said that the substance has been floating around in their groundwater for years, and medical professionals have voiced concern; the EPA insists that there is no danger to the local population, but they remain focused on determining the origin of the chromium-6 contamination.

It’s believed that the main contamination is localized near section of Interstate 5 that runs nearby the two communities, an area that once hosted a significant amount of manufacturing concerns; and in a Glendale City Council assembly last week, the EPA revealed that they will be undertaking groundwater testing in the area, tapping dozens of new “monitoring wells” to locate any contamination plumes.

Meanwhile, those in the know continue to assure residents that they are not in any immediate danger.

The blanket federal limit for chromium in drinking water is 100 parts per billion, but pregnant women—whose fetuses can suffer from tragic birth defects if chromium levels are not regulated—should refrain from ingesting any amount of chromium.

Chromium-6 was a mainstay of the aerospace industry titans that occupied much of the region in the 40s and 50s, and four of those companies, including Lockheed Martin and Goodrich, have agreed to put in their share of a $3 million effort for both drilling and removal of any chromium found.

The actual removal of chromium is not scheduled to begin until 2015. Although municipal tap water is currently said to be safe, due to the standards that they’re required to meet, there are still chemicals—not just chromium, but others—present in levels that give residents pause. The best and most affordable way to ensure the drinking water in your home is safe to drink would be to install a reverse osmosis water purification system. Reverse Osmosis is a scientifically proven method of water filtration by mechanical means, namely the filtration of water by pushing it through a membrane with microscopic holes that allow molecules of water—but not contaminants—to make it to your drinking glass. Rayne Water Systems provides solid solutions to anyone, including homeowners, who wish to improve the quality of their drinking water. For more information on what Rayne can do for you and your drinking water, feel free to visit their website, or call them today at (800) 594-3300.

However, we can’t help but think that NSF is missing the point when it comes to guidelines for water bottle filters. It’s good in general to be thinking of how to set firm standards for water, so that customers can have something familiar to reassure them of quality product, but plastic water bottles are a nagging source of plastic pollution in the USA, as well as other countries. Discouraging the use of plastic water bottles of all types–and the waste associated with them–in favor of Point of Use filter units, which use less plastic in the long run.

Rayne Water Systems carries a wide array of drinking water solutions for all budgets and configurations, and our mission for over 50 years has been to make top quality water available to as many people as possible. If you’d like information on selecting the right Rayne Water Systems solution for you, call us at (800)594-3300 or visit www.raynedrops.com for more information.

The plan with EGS (as the process is called) is for the water, in the form of steam, to shoot back up to the ground with enough speed and pressure to generate clean electricity without disturbing the geology of the area and earning the ire of nearby residents.

Renewable sources of energy have been throttled by the abundance of affordable natural gas, lower market energy demands, and lower concern by politicians about global warming. geothermal energy harvesting efforts have also been thwarted by concerns about the process’ impact on the area surrounding potential injection points, with residents fearing that disturbing area geology could come back and bite municipalities in the event of an earthquake or volcanic eruption.

Nevertheless, Google has joined with other investors to lay nearly $50 million on the line. Seattle-based AltaRock Energy, Inc. and Davenport Newberry Holdings LLC of Stamford, CT, are trying to see if Oregon’s Newberry Volcano, outside of the town of Bend, will prove that the idea is viable.

Humans have taken advantages of the deep, intense, sustained heat that the earth releases for thousands of years. AltaRock’s method of energy extraction, called hydroshearing, is a departure, however, from traditional methods. It involves drilling into hot, dry rock and inject water at points along the way, shocking the rock and creating fissures (the company claims it’s only amplifying existing cracks).

Should the EGS process become more financially viable (it is difficult to create a commercially viable plant), there will still be the matter of convincing localities that their process won’t put communities at greater risk of earthquakes. There are currently EGS installations in geothermal fields in California, Nevada, and Idaho. With $21.5 million in Department of Energy funds spent on the project, the hope is that the results will be a viable way to ease our dependence on foreign energy.

Eight people came down with symptoms consistent with the disease, with several of the victims having medical conditions that raised the risk of infection. Although everyone eventually recovered, some required extensive hospitalization.

The incident marks the second recorded epidemic in a medical-related facility that was relayed to its victims via a water wall sculpture.

The features in and of themselves don’t pose a threat, and have become popular in the industry due to the beneficial effect the aesthetic of moving water has on patients’ emotions.

The real danger comes from the ability of the water to be a vector for disease. With Legionella, the infectious agent responsible for the disease, water vapor–the type that might be generated with splashing water, proves effective in transmitting the illness.

Once the hospital discovered that the water wall was causing the illness, it was immediately switched off. However, they could use it again, but only if they took adequate precaution in the future.

Some actions might include installing a UV disinfectant light, or an ozone generator, both of which are effective at destroying water-borne microbes and organisms without significant processing of water; in both types of disinfection, the active agent overwhelms the organism–by light, as in the UV unit, or through oxidation. Both are scientifically proven, effective, and require minimal investment.

The Legionnaires’ case in Wisconsin represent only a miniscule fraction of the nearly 3,000 people who are diagnosed with the disease in the USA, and those are only the cases that are confirmed. The fatality rate hangs at around 10%.

The report’s conclusion comes at a crucial time for California, which has often led the way when it comes to using recycled wastewater to replenish exhausted groundwater supplies, but has also met with resistance from residents who are wary of the concept, most likely due to misconceptions about the processes involved.

The 300-plus page report moved back from a drastic conclusion on recycled water the council made over a decade ago, when it said that recycled water put towards drinking water should be used only as “an option of last resort.”

The report remarked that many supposedly traditional drinking water sources already contain some levels of treated wastewater. Las Vegas, for example, sends its treated sewage to Lake Mead, which is a water source for surrounding regions, including Southern California and the Southwest.

In making its report, the Council looked at levels of dozens of contaminants found in water, including infectious agents, and pharmaceuticals, and determined that the water from recycled sources was no more dangerous than conventional water sources.

Recycled water, after years of public aversion, is finding a new audience in the midst of population growth balanced towards drier corners of the nation, as well as the discussion on climate change.

Los Angeles itself is still actively pursuing the idea of recycled water; it is pushing the use of wastewater generated at the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in the San Fernando Valley to resupply local aquifers. The DWP released a statement in the wake of the report, calling its conclusions encouraging.

The old rumor that you can get high smoking them turned out to be a myth, but scientists are now studying banana peels more closely after they found that finely chopped banana peels worked better than several traditional materials at removing heavy metals from wastewater.

American Chemistry Society (ACS) researchers determined that a filtration device, designed to use banana peels as its primary filter medium, could be used 11 times without diminished filtration results. This is significant because, compared to other materials, banana peels would be lower in cost since they don’t have to be manufactured, and they don’t require any chemical preparation to be effective.

Among the metals researchers have found the banana peels can remove include lead and copper, which can find their way into water via mining activity, agricultural runoff, and industrial waste.

Anything that can improve current wastewater heavy metals removal would be welcomed, especially since even in current heavy metal removal, some of the substances used in the removal are toxic in themselves.

And we thought that banana peels were only good for Buster Keaton gags.

The WaterCop enables users to avoid the property damage that inevitably occurs due to aging or faulty plumbing. One of the most common insurance claims, each year around two and a half million homeowners are affected by plumbing issues and the amount of preventable losses reaches into the billions of dollars. And the types of valuables that end up damaged–photographs, works of art, priceless antiques and heirlooms, computers, and other electronics–are unfortunately nearly impossible to replace.

Although insurance has been the usual remedy, it will not prevent the loss of any irreplaceable valuables, should the plumbing become a sudden emergency. Insurance may provide money, but it cannot prevent the heartbreak and anguish involved with a devastating flood loss.

A WaterCop unit is simply installed on the main water line that enters the property, near the existing manual shut-off valve; then flood sensors are placed near appliances that use water or in rooms where running water is present. When water comes in contact with the sensors, they immediately and wirelessly notify the main WaterCop unit, which cuts off the flow of water, preventing excessive flooding.

The WaterCop is an ideal flood protection option for single or multi-family residences, as well as vacation homes, rental units, offices, or any other site where flood protection makes sense.

For more information on how the WaterCop can protect your home from water damage, feel free to call Rayne Water Systems at (800) 594-3300 and ask to speak to a Water Specialist today.

As of this month, Metropolitan Water District measurements show that it currently has the largest supply of water reserves in the its eight-decade history. The agency placed into reserve approximately one gallon of water for evert three it provided to the 26 member agencies in the southern california counties it services, more than enough to keep a city like Los Angeles hydrated (based on average usage levels) for more than a year.

MWD’s largest water reservoir, Diamond Valley Lake in Riverside County, is usually a fairly accurate gauge of current reserve water levels. A boat ramp which, during the worst of the last few years’ water issues, wasn’t long enough to be able to reach the significantly diminished waterline, now angles gracefully down through the surface of the newly replenished reservoir.

According to expert predictions, the water that’s currently available will be more than enough for the coming year, regardless of the lackluster winter precipitation the region has received. Hopefully, experts’ encouraging early predictions about the soundness of Southern California’s water supply will turn into a reasonably on-time reality

With a 50-year history and a combined customer base of more than 6,000 accounts, Rayne Water Systems, along with Rayne of the Valley, form the backbone of the RWS family of companies owned by John Brooks and John Foley. “Rayne Corporation has been very gracious (or patient) with us, and they’ve accepted that two rehabilitated Culligan men could also help them
in certain areas,” Foley said. “We work well with the corporate team at Rayne, who are open to sharing ideas and exchanging best practices to help improve the organization as a whole. For example, our Puroserve whole-house RO system is now available through most Rayne dealers. At the same time, we have put our muscle behind Rayne’s revolutionary new EDI drinking water product, the LINX Evolution system.”

After Brooks and Foley acquired the Santa Monica Rayne franchise in 2004, it earned a reputation for being exceptionally well run by a fantastic staff. The existing customer base included some of the wealthiest people in the world, not to mention many entertainment industry notables. The service area also included some of the priciest real estate in the nation, including Beverly Hills and Bel Air, among other high-end enclaves. Business began to grow immediately and the staff at Santa Monica rallied behind their new owners. Brooks’ and Foley’s reputation as Culligan men was well known among the Santa Monica staff. Although there was some apprehension because of it, within a few weeks the employees realized that the new owners were committed to excellence, that they expected the same from their staff, and that they needed to buckle their seat belts, because the new owners liked to go fast.

“Office Manager Dora Rojas and Service Professional Erik Cedeño are owed a great deal of credit for the long days and nights they put in,” said Foley. “They are two of the best people who could ever have your back when the chips are all in. Both are excellent individuals and fantastic employees who do not shy away from a challenge. They are blue chippers all the way.”
At the same time, Brooks and Foley had been working on the Puroserve Project (an alternative softener for brine-restricted areas) to treat the water in their own homes in Santa Clarita.

It began as a side project, but when the results they got back were very encouraging, they decided to continue tinkering with it. Long-time friend and water treatment brother Bill Carter—God’s gift to gifted plumbers— stepped in and worked out the Puroserve’s more difficult bugs, building the first functional prototype, on his kitchen table. Carter’s prototype Puroserve unit, installed in Foley’s garage in 2005, is still running strong after six years.

Brandon Egeskov, hired in 2008, was previously Brooks’ service manager at Culligan Las Vegas, and has a gifted technical mind. He was able to take Carter’s working prototype, improve further on it, and then standardize the design for the production model (he has since configured two additional models). This required designing a new rack, developing a controller and standardizing sub-assemblies that include custom parts that they make in-house. Working together, Egeskov and Carter have continued to improve upon the early design. What has emerged is a bulletproof, turnkey whole-house RO system that they are very proud of. Puroserve was incorporated in October 2009 and RWS has since produced over 150 units, many of them installed in multi-million dollar homes and busy restaurant applications, and the results continue to impress.

Dealers must adapt!
“The entire water quality industry must be more responsible, particularly dealers who market to residential customers,” Foley said. “The days of hard-selling
an over-priced system and a bad financing plan, and then slapping on an inefficient ion exchange softener are over. Increasing population and decreasing water supplies are causing serious concerns about salinity concentration in soil and groundwater. This is not going to go away. Today, brine restrictions are out west in California, but it is coming to your town, too. Dealers need to be more responsible, more creative and more sensitive to their markets. Their life actually depends on it. The western half of the country suffers from enormous water supply issues that will only be overcome by responsible, creative solutions.

“The exciting part about the retooling that the industry needs is that it is also the right thing to do. In fact, we have a responsibility to do it. Thankfully, there are technologies available to us that were not available in the past that will allow us to do it. All we have to do is learn how it works and be responsible with its use. Salt-free and low-salt systems that actually soften water are available to allow us to solve these problems, instead of contributing to them as we’ve done for the last 60-plus years.

“The upside is that because of that additional expertise that will be needed in the future, the landscape that will emerge is going to be a better,
more respectable water treatment industry. The riffraff will no longer be able to give the rest of us a shady reputation. We should embrace change and view it as a reduction in the incompetent competition in the marketplace now, which is a big positive as far as we are concerned.”