Think we’re kidding? Just ask everyone living south of the Mason-Dixon line that has had to put up with a lot more days of below freezing temperatures than they have seen in many years. Then for a more personal look at the damage done by all the cold weather, go and ask the residents of Jackson, Mississippi what the cold weather has done to their town’s water system.

Unusually cold temperatures caused more than 70 city water mains to break over the past week in Jackson, Miss., prompting Gov. Haley Barbour to declare a state of emergency and close state offices on Monday.

Residents of Jackson, the state capital, endured trickling faucets and, in some cases, no running water. Construction crews disrupted traffic to make emergency repairs.

Public schools and many businesses closed after their toilets and sinks stopped working. Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. urged residents to conserve and boil water, but he could not say when the pipes would be fixed.

“We’ve had 70-plus hours of below-freezing temperatures,” said Chris Mims, a spokesman for the city. “That hasn’t happened in almost 30 years.” ( source )

Residents all over the Southeatern United States had endured temperatures far colder than usual for this time of year and as a result, many people have woken up to busted water lines in their homes. Many dwellings lack the proper amount of insulation required to keep their water pipes from freezing and bursting.

While people cannot do anything about the cold weather, they can do something to try and minimize the damage a broken water line can cause by installing a flood alarm neaar the location where water lines enter their homes. Hearing the alarm go off will give people a chance to keep an already bad situation from getting much, much worse.

Yes, water damage will occur in a situation like this and nothing will stop that from happening. How MUCH damage occurs will depend entirely on how quickly someone shuts off the water coming into the building.

Prevent costly water damage by installing a wireless flood alarm system sensor anywhere water might collect as a result of a mechanical failure such as a washing machine overflowing, accidental flooding caused by pipes freezing and bursting, or a natural disaster such as heavy rains causing the water table to rise and begin seeping into your basement.

A simple and relatively inexpensive investment in a wireless flood alarm system can save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

Note: The base unit of the alarm shown also has the ability to work with other types of sensors designed to detect motion and/or the opening of a window, door, or garage door.

After the Pipes Get Fixed…

Although every situation will vary, pretty much every busted pipes situation will require a purging of water lines in the dwelling after the pipes get fixed and yes, we suggest tesating the water after the purging for things like bacteria, metals, and chlorine levels (if on city water).

Tragedy struck in a senior citizens’ community in Ulster County, New York this week when two residents of the Golden Hill Helath Care Center fell ill as a result of unexplained exposure to Legionnaires’ Disease, a condition caused by a bacteria which spreads freely in water vapor.

Officials have not, yet, figured out how the patients became infected or where the bacteria came from.

KINGSTON — Health officials on Thursday tested the water and the residents at the Golden Hill Health Care Center in trying to determine how two residents of the nursing home, including one who died, contracted Legionnaires’ disease, according to Ulster County’s public health director.

Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck said the source of the bacteria had not been determined as of Thursday evening,

The two residents, women ages 88 and 91, were hospitalized with pneumonia recently and later were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, a water-borne respiratory condition that usually is contracted by inhaling a mist or vapor contaminated with the Legionella bacteria.

The 91-year-old, who had underlying chronic medical conditions, died on Tuesday. The 88-year-old was treated successfully and was “doing well” on Thursday, Hasbrouck said. Neither woman has been identified.

Hasbrouck said the two cases at Golden Hill — which is owned an operated by the county — are “not an outbreak per se,” and he stressed that health officials have not determined if the two women even were infected at the nursing home. No other residents of Golden Hill have contracted Legionnaires’ disease, according to county officials.

Hasbrouck said the two affected women lived on different floors of the Golden Hill building and used different showers, which, he said, could lead one to hypothesize they were “two sporadic infections.”

The Legionella bacteria can be found in shower vapors or in air conditioning units, though Golden Hill does not have the kind of air conditioning that emits vapors, county officials have said.

Legionnaires’ disease — which gets its name from a 1976 outbreak at an American Legion convention in a Philadelphia hotel that killed 34 people — cannot be transmitted from person to person.

Hasbrouck said that, for the time being, Golden Hill residents are taking precautions against contracting Legionnaires’ disease, including bathing instead of showering. They also are not drinking the building’s water, he said, even though the disease cannot be contracted that way.

No residents are being moved out of the nursing home, and visitors still are allowed.

Golden Hill gets its water from the city of Kingston, but it passes through a pumping station on the Golden Hill property before entering the building. Hasbrouck said health officials have confined the testing to the nursing home’s water system and are not recommending city residents take any special precautions with their water.

Kingston Water Superintendent Judith Hansen said her department is in compliance with all local, state and federal water standards and that parts of the city’s water system are tested daily. She said Golden Hill’s water system — which the city operates for the county — is tested weekly.

Hansen said the Kingston Water Department is required to test the city’s water 27 times per month for coliform bacteria — which acts as a “surrogate” for other types of bacteria, and its presence is used as an indicator of contamination — but usually conducts such tests 10 times as often.

Hansen said she has seen “no indication of any bacterial compromise” of either the city’s or Golden Hill’s water supply but that she will defer to the testing being conducted by state health officials. She said the state Health Department had asked her to provide water samples from the past year for Golden Hill’s system but not the city’s.

Hansen also said Golden Hill’s water supply is disinfected more aggressively than the city’s because it sits in the nursing home’s tank longer than Kingston’s water normally is dormant.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 8,000 and 18,000 Americans are hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease each year, and the condition can be fatal percent in 5 to 30 percent of patients.

Symptoms usually surface two to 14 days after exposure to the bacteria, the CDC says, and most cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics.( source )

Now that we’ve scared the pants off of some people, which always happens when some folks read a story about the unexplained appearance of a mysterious ailment, we will leave you with some facts about Legionnaires’ Disease from Health.HowStuffWorks.Com which some of you may find interesting:

• The Legionella pneumophila bacterium causes Legionnaires’ disease, an “atypical,” but serious, form of pneumonia.
• People who are most susceptible are the elderly and those who smoke, have lung disease, or have impaired immune systems.
• Taking steps to kill the bacteria before it has a chance to contaminate the water is essential. L. pneumophila thrives and grows in stagnant water.
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends twice-yearly cleanings of large (heating/cooling) systems.
• Smokers are more likely to get lung infections such as Legionnaires’ disease.

So how does all this relate to water testing? Simple: Legionella pneumophila bacterium cannot live in propery disinfected water. Therefore regularly scheduled water testing can work very well as a way of keeping Legionella pneumophila bacterium from making their home in your building’s water system.

Other Postings Mentioning Legionnaires’ Disease:

• Legionnaires’ Disease Can Spread Through the Air
• Bacteria and Microorganisms in Water
• Sources of Bacteria and Microorganisms in Drinking Water

LaShonda from Mississippi asked…

Recently our community had some problems with several water mains and we lost water for a while. The water came back on but we have not heard from the health dept that we can use the water without boiling it first, etc. Should we wait for the health department to tell things are OK or can we use the water now since the pressure is back up?

Thnk you.

You have asked a very good question, LaShonda.

While the fact that your water pressure has come back up does mean that your local water company has made progress in repairing the water mains, it does NOT guarantee that you can safely drink the water coming out of your faucet.

Whenever a water main breaks, develops a leak, or requires some form of maintenance that could allow the introduction of outside elements (air, dirt, sand, environmental water, etc.) into the water line, the line must undergo a period of purging before health officials will consider the water safe for consumption.

During that period of water line flushing the water department monitors the quality of the water with rigorous testing. The water MUST pass all testing before the water department will announce to the media outlets (newspaper, television, radio, etc.) that people can resume normal usage of the water safely.

If you have any questions about the safety of your water after learning of a ‘boil water order’ or warning not to use your tap water until further notice, WAIT FOR THE NOTICE.

Do not assume that the return of water pressure to your faucet means you have safe water. In the event you have any questions or doubts, pick up the phone and call your local water department for the latest update on your particular water quality situation.

Emergency Water Filtration and/or Purification:

Over the past few years we have published a number of articles on the topic of arsenic in drinking water, well water, groundwater, etc. Today we learned that a site dedicated to various arsenic test kits from the Arsenic Quick™ brand has gone ‘live’. You can view it here at www.ArsenicQuick.com.

Below you will find links locations on www.ArsenicQuick.com which contain information about and links to Arsenic Quick™ test kits offered by (3) three different
online merchants: Filters Fast, Filter Water and Test Products.

• Arsenic Quick™ at FilterWater.Com
• Arsenic Quick™ at FiltersFast.Com
• Arsenic Quick™ at TestProducts.Com

   Arsenic Quick™ at FilterWater.Com

Arsenic Quick™ Test Kit 100 Tests

Arsenic Quick™ Test Mini-Kit 2 Tests

   Arsenic Quick™ at FiltersFast.Com

   Arsenic Quick™ at TestProducts.Com

Part Number: 481297-2 Arsenic Quick — 2 Tests	Part Number: 481298 Arsenic Quick — 300 Tests	Part Number: 481300 Arsenic Quick — 5 Tests
Part Number: 481396-2 Arsenic Quick — 2 Tests	Part Number: 481396-5 Arsenic Quick — 5 Tests	Part Number: 481301-5 Arsenic Quick — 5 Tests
Part Number: 481303 Arsenic Quick — 50 Tests	Part Number: 481303-5 Arsenic Quick — 5 Tests	Part Number: 481297-I Arsenic Quick — 50 Tests

Many of the emails we receive ask questions about topics involving testing for metals in drinking water and/or ways to effectively remove metals from drinking water.

Whether listed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a serious health concern or just a general nuisance, most people care about only one thing: Testing for metals in drinking water and removing them ASAP!

Commonly asked about metals include…

Questions about other metals such as manganese, copper, chromium and, of course, our dear friend arsenic, also make their way into emails sent through our Contact Us page.

Why the Concern Over Metals in Water?

Health officials unanimously agree that excessive exposure to dissolved metals in water can in many cases lead to serious side effects such as cancer, organ damage, impairment of the nervous system, the development of a life-threatening condition where the immune system attacks its own cells, a reduction in the growth and development of cells, joint problems/diseases, circulatory system problems, and last, but definitely not least… death.

Younger people stand to suffer the effects of exposure to metals more than adults do to their small body masses. In other words, an 8 oz glass of water containing X ppm (parts per million) of heavy metals will result in a much higher dose in a child than it will in an adult who drinks the same glass of water.

Some health officials theorize that very young children and unborn babies whose bodies develop at a rapid pace absorb the metals readily into their systems. Exposure of this nature often results in learning difficulties, damaged nervous systems, memory deficiencies, and even behavioral problems such as hyperactivity and aggressiveness.

More Information on Metals in Water:

• Lead Testing in Humans… Without Needles
• Study Links Manganese Exposure to Cancer
• Chromium in Drinking Water
• Mercury Found in Fish From All 291 US Streams & Rivers Tested
• Filters for Mercury in Drinking Water
• Copper in Drinking Water
• Information About Mercury
• Visual Test Kit for Lead in Paint
• Rust Color in Drinking Water

We have not done this in a while, but below you will find the most recent specially priced sale items offered by National Safety Products, an online distributor of products used around the World. You can find water testing kits, water testing meters, fire/smoke safety equipment, light meters, flood/water alarms, heat index monitors, electrical testers, combustion analyzers and a whole host of other very useful tools for inspecting the safety, integrity and quality of many different things on their site: TestProducts.Com.

Water Works pH, Total Alkalinity, Total Hardness, Iron & Nitrate/Nitrite Nitrogen (IT-481302) Contains 2 Each, Result in 45 Seconds $12.99 $7.99	Infrared and Probe Combination Thermometer 2.5:1, -67° to 626°F (IRT303) WATERPROOF with 4.5″ SS Probe, HACCP Food Safe $139.95 $99.00	Inova T3 Tactical Flashlight (NV-T3WB) Black, White Led $74.95 $62.95
Light Meter: Digital 20 to 200,000 LUX (DLM203DL) with RS-232 PC Interface, Cable, Software & Data-Logger $319.79 $169.00	1490 18″ Extension Adapter Kit (1490+25s) with 25s Smoke Detector Test Aerosol $43.95 $24.75	Combustion Analyzer: Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide & Carbon Monoxide (C125KIT) with Infrared Printer, Stainless Steel Flue Probe, 9′ Hose & Case $1,297.95 $1,165.00
Digital Moisture Meter: 0-100% (MS-7003) with LED Bar Graph and LCD Display $199.95 $159.00	Fiber Optic Borescope 36″ x 0.4″ & 0.28″ diameter 2 in 1 REFURBISHED (PV2636-21R) with Case $379.00 $245.00	Wireless Weather Station (WS-2315) ALUMINUM, Wind Speed/Chill, Air Pressure, Rain Fall, Time, Temperature & Humidity w/Cable & Software $259.95 $149.00
Binoculars: Nikon Action 7×35 V2 Ultra Wide View (NIK-7215) with Strap & Case $79.95 $67.75	Hydrogen Sulfide in Water Test Strips 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80 ppm (IT-481197-1) 50 Test Strips, Result in 31 Seconds $13.95 $12.75	Moisture Meter: 6-44% (MM100) with Bar Graph & Dual Mode LCD $99.95 $69.55
Infrared Digital Non-Contact Thermometer, 11:1, -76° to 932° F (IRT408) w/K Port to 1999° F, Gun Style $159.95 $119.55	Manometer: Digital ± 20″ h2o, Single Input (EM151) with Ruggedized Housing, Integral Magnet & Large LCD display $99.95 $89.77	COMPLETE Water Bacteria, Nitrate, Nitrite, Hydrogen Sulfide, Sulfate, Iron, Hardness, Chlorine, Chloride, Copper, Alkalinity+pH (481199) Test Kit $24.95 $19.99

Some people believe they have to sacrifice creature comforts such as a ‘cool’ showerhead that gives the sensation of standing in the rain if they want to install a shower filter that will reduce chlorine taste, chlorine odor and water harness. Those people clearly have not done their research!

After only a short web search we located a rain simulating showerhead manufactured by Paragon Water that has a built-in (replaceable) filter good for 10,000 gallons of shower water.

The filter uses a mixture of KDF and proprietary media to filter out impurities in the water. KDF stands for ‘Kinetic Degradation Fluxion’ and contains a high-purity copper-zinc formulation which uses a chemical process known as redox (oxidation/reduction) to reduce chlorine, lead, mercury, iron, and hydrogen sulfide levels in water.

For folks who may have other water quality issues, health officials and water professionals suggest using KDF shower or other point-of-use KDF filters in conjunction with other water purification methods since KDF filters alone will not remove potentially harmful contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, fluoride, and nitrates.

We recently learned that Filter Water, an online distributor of drinking water quality improvement and water testing products, has expanded the number of SenSafe Test Kits to include Ida’s Iron, a dual range test strip that can detect ferrous iron levels as low as 0.005 ppm and as high as 50 ppm in under a minute.

Ida’s Iron specifically reacts with (ferrous) dissolved iron (in the +2 state) without interference from other heavy metals such as copper, silver, mercury, lead or chromium.

For applications where fast, accurate field testing for low levels of Fe+2 matters, Ida’s Iron provides a solid solution and allows you to say, “goodbye” to time-consuming wet-chemical kits that may require specialized training or equipment.

Features of Ida’s Iron include low detection range, easy testing procedures, test times under one minute, no need for glassware, and low test reagent concentrations.

Below you will see a sample of the Ida’s Iron color chart and label:

Label & Color Chart for Ida’s Iron

Ida’s Iron Check Water Test Specifications:

• Sensitivity: 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.03, 0.06, 0.1, 0.3, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, 10, 20, 50 ppm (mg/L)
• Test time: 45 seconds
• 25 test strips in a package

Note: To test for total iron, you will want to use a test kit such as the Visual Iron Test Kit which detects both ferrous iron and ferric iron.

No one likes to hear the words ‘cancer’ or ‘tumor’… especially when discussing the health of children. Unfortunately for the residents of a Florida community, those words and children have gone together way too often.

Health officials now suspect that elevated levels of radon in the area’s drinking water may have played a part in causing at least a dozen cases of brain cancer or brain tumors and have started testing water from area wells, interviewing residents, and conducting in-depth environmental testing.

THE ACREAGE — Health officials will roll out more environmental tests to determine whether a common factor — radon — could be the cause of a suspected cancer cluster in The Acreage.

The Palm Beach County Health Department plans to screen for the radioactive gas in the homes of a dozen families whose children were diagnosed with brain tumors or brain cancer in recent years.

…

Investigators would complete the radon tests within the next few weeks, after health officials wrap up a month of exhaustive interviews with families of the dozen Acreage children who were diagnosed with brain tumors or brain cancer from 1993 to 2008.

Radium produces radon — a radioactive gas, known to cause lung cancer — when it decays in rocks, soil and water. If elevated levels of radon are found in a home, that could indicate that sources of excessive radiation exist.

Based on samples they took randomly from 50 Acreage homes last year, state environmental officials concluded that some homes in The Acreage have wells with elevated levels of radium and other radioactive substances, which could be from natural causes. ( source )

Below you will find links to other articles on the topic of radon in the air, radon in the water, ways to test for radon and ways to get rid of radon:

• Radon Gas Can Kill Whole Families… Slowly
• Test Kits for Radon in Water and Radon in Air
• Radon Test Kits (for New Jersey)
• Radon Removal Systems

Every once in a while we get a request for information related to testing pond water and aquarium water. Today we bring news of a product, AquariaTest™ Ammonia, that makes testing the ammonia levels in pond and aquarium water very easy.

Ammonia Aquarium and Pond test strips provide a water quality testing alternative to older testing methods which required the use of chemicals in liquid, powder, and/or tablet form. Ammonia AquariaTest™ also shortens testing times and makes it easy for anyone, novice or expert, to test the ammonia levels in their water.

As an added feature, the AquariaTest™ Ammonia will also work in salt (or brackish) water^*.

How to test for ammonia in fresh water:

• Using supplied pipette, fill one of the supplied vials half full (3 ml) with water.
• Cap vial and shake for 30 seconds
• Remove cap and dip one test strip for 30 seconds with back and forth motion
• Remove the strip and match to the closest color on a chart

AquariaTest™ Ammonia Test Specifics:

• Ammonia Detection Range: 0, 0.2, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0
• Test Time: 1 minute
• Tests per Kit: 25 test strips

^* — Instructions for testing ammonia levels in brackish and salt water included in the test kit.