watermatters

January 2011

• BC Water Up For Auction?

  Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

  The year 2011 promises heartening initiatives that support the environment and our collective well-being. Simultaneously, startling exposures of the exploitive use of power and the suppressive use of force by high-ranking government and corporate decision-makers are increasingly frequent.

  Water is a central theme in many of these developments. A recent report indicates that by 2030, 42% of all fresh water on this planet is predicted to be required by just four countries – China, India, Brazil and South Africa. What about the rest of the world?

  Acute water shortages in North America

  Regional water shortages in North America will become acute with the continued growth of urban centres, overtaxed aquifers, drought conditions, shrinking glaciers and over-allocated rivers. Another recent article listing the 10 largest U.S. cities most likely to face water shortage in the near future provides some sobering facts about how close some cities have already come to being unable to supply their citizens with water.

  BC’s water resources – ours no longer?

  The waterways of British Columbia are our pride and joy. They have also made our province abundantly self-sufficient in energy as well as water. The production of inexpensive energy from our enviable water resources has been an invaluable public asset, annually contributing vast sums of money into BC’s public coffers.

  However, British Columbia’s resources are now a pawn in high-handed manoeuvres by powerful, vested interests.  Our public corporation, BC Hydro, is being disabled.

  Why? So that control of our beloved resources can be transferred from the public domaine for the benefit of all to private control by a few.

  How? By misinformation that we are not contesting- ridiculous mistruths that BC does not have enough energy to meet our needs. Our own water-related resources are being sold across the border and we will have to buy back that hydro power at a premium! The hikes in your hydro bill are just the beginning of ongoing increases that are slated.

  Manipulation and exploitation of the public domaine can only continue if we remain ignorant and submissive. Eventually the cost to our quality of life will become so unbearable we will be stirred to action. Better to respond sooner than later. Follow the links to learn more:

  www.greenenergybc.ca/calvert.html
  www.mckinsey.com/clientservice/water/charting_our_water_future.aspx
  www.thecanadian.org/k2/item/418-hydro-rates-mad-as-hell
  

  Posted in The Future of Water

• Chromium-6 in Metro Vancouver’s Drinking Water?

  Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

  Hexavalent chromium has been in the news lately in North America. Also referred to as chromium-6, this cancer-causing chemical was made famous in Julia Robert’s  movie, Erin Brockovich.

  A report recently released by the Environmental Working Group has drawn attention to alarmingly high levels of this metal in the drinking water of more than 31 U.S. cities.

  Chromium is a naturally occurring metal. However, hexavalent chromium is a sub-species that comes from industries like steel manufacturing, electroplating factories, leather tanneries and textile dying facilities. Chlorine can transform benign trivalent chromium into the toxic hexavalent form.

  Fortunately for those of us who live in Metro Vancouver, our tap water is not exposed to this chemical contaminant because protected mountain reservoirs, untainted by human activity, supply our water from virgin rain and snowmelt.

  However, some bottled waters may contain hexavalent chromium. Best to take control of your own water quality – filter your own!

  Posted in Vancouver Water, Water and Health

• Metro Vancouver Adjusts Your Tap Water pH

  Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

  Over the past year (2010), we have observed a distinct increase in tap water pH here at watermatters’ store* and in the surrounding Vancouver area. Once typically acidic, Metro Vancouver’s water is being adjusted up into the alkaline range

  Metro Vancouver’s source water, which originates from enviably pristine mountain reservoirs, is naturally low in mineral content, characteristically ‘soft’ and consequently acidic.

  Acidic water (below pH 7) is corrosive. It causes pipes to leak and simultaneously leaches heavy metals from pipes and plumbing fixtures into tap water. Consequently, Metro Vancouver is introducing sodium carbonate (soda ash) into our tap water to make it more alkaline.

  The pH scale ranges from 0 through 14.
  pH 7 is neutral.
  Below pH 7 is increasingly acid.
  Above pH 7 is increasingly alkaline.

  The current target is to adjust our tap water pH levels up to pH 7 – 7.5. Ultimately, Metro Vancouver Water District intends to raise the pH of our water to pH 8 or higher once the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Project is complete (2013?).

  Metro Vancouver’s water is supplied from 3 mountain reservoirs – Capilano, Seymour and Coquitlam.

  Average pH in 2009:
  Capilano     6.7
  Seymour    6.8
  Coquitlam  6.9

  Average pH in 2010:
  Capilano     6.5**
  Seymour    7.2
  Coquitlam  7.3

  *Observed increase from approximately pH 6.5 to pH 7.2
  **Capliano is currently (winter 2010/2011) out of service due to excessive turbidity. Water is being supplied by one or both of the other reservoirs until Capilano is back in service.

  Posted in News & Initiatives, Vancouver Water

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