The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that publication of seven new studies on microbial pathogen occurrence since the agency proposed their Groundwater Rule six years ago has opened the opportunity for consideration of additional data before the final rule is enacted. The new research further delineates pathogen and fecal indicator occurrence in groundwater, and may be used to perform economic analysis for the final rule.EPA is seeking public comments on the new studies, and on whether EPA should consider any additional ground water microbial occurrence data not initially mentioned in the proposed rule.

The regulatory measure will require water systems using groundwater to monitor for contaminants such as viruses and bacteria to take corrective action, including disinfection treatment processes.

When EPA proposed the Groundwater Rule in May 2000, it presented 16 occurrence studies as the basis for the guidelines. Among the new studies are the following:

• Pathogen occurrence in Pennsylvania non-community wells, primarily aquifers
• Assessment of viral and microbial indicators of fecal contamination in small wells in southeast Michigan
• Testing of two public water supply production wells in the Missoula, Montana aquifer for the presence of enteroviruses and coliphage
• Sampling of 26 public water supply wells in New Jersey for a variety of fecal indicator organisms

EPA is targeting August of this year for finalization of the Groundwater Rule. When enacted, the rule will apply to the operations of approximately 157,000 U.S. drinking water utilities that use groundwater. Comments on the new data are due by April 26.

To read more from the EPA on the proposed Groundwater Rule, please go to:
http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/lps21800/www.epa.gov/safewater/gwr.html

Water policies are failing to deliver adequate access to clean drinking water to millions of people around the world, according to the latest edition of the UN World Water Development Report (WWDR2), Water - A Shared Responsibility. A joint undertaking of 24 UN agencies comprising UN-Water in partnership with governments and other stakeholders, the report was released on World Water Day at the beginning of the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico City, Mexico.

The WWDR2 offers that in the absence of marked improvement in existing water policies, the Millennium Development Goal of halving the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water between 1990 and 2015 will not be met. Based on 16 case studies, the report outlines a set of conclusions and recommendations to guide future action, encouraging sustainable use, productivity and management of increasingly scarce freshwater resources as top priorities.

The WWDR2 builds on the conclusions of the 1st United Nations World Water Development Report, Water for People, Water for Life, published in 2003.

Aimed at a wide audience, including policymakers, researchers, teachers and their students, the WWDR2 presents a comprehensive picture of freshwater resources in all regions and most countries of the world as it tracks progress towards the water-related targets of the UN Millennium Development Goals.

To read the complete report, please go to:
http://www.unesco.org/water/wwap/wwdr2/

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) in coordination with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will host a meeting April 19 in Washington, DC to solicit strategic input addressing water and sanitation issues in developing countries. The "Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act 2005 Town Hall" will focus on overcoming current roadblocks to accomplishing priority public health and disease eradication goals. It will also highlight ways in which the U.S. government can provide better support to affected nations, improving the environment for upgrades in aid programs.

The Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 amended the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, authorizing the President to furnish assistance for programs in developing countries. The Water for the Poor Act also provides for the ability to develop affordable and equitable access to safe water and sanitation by the following methods:

• Expand affordable and equitable access to safe water and sanitation for underserved populations
• Support the design, construction, and operation of water delivery and sanitation systems
• Improve the safety and reliability of water supplies, including environmental management
• Improve the capacity of recipient governments and local communities.

Parties interested in contributing their recommendations to the April 19 meeting are invited to submit written comments to Ms. Aneri Patel, U.S. Department of State, OES/PCI Room 7821, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20520 or by e-mail at WPAct2005@state.gov no later than April 30, 2006. Written comments should be limited to 1500 words.

To download a PDF-formatted version of the Act, please go to:
http://www.govtrack.us/data/us/bills.text/109/h1973.pdf

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a focus on the accomplishments of the organization and the American water community at-large. The mark the occasion, AWWA has published a special collector's edition of their association's monthly publication, Journal, highlighting work in the international water community, including a feature article on the history and impact of water disinfection in the U.S.

"Eight Revolutions on the History of US Drinking Water Disinfection" by Michael McGuire is a wide-ranging discussion of the technological progress that yielded vastly improved public health standards and the eradication of many waterborne diseases in the early 20th century. Highlighted is the tremendous impact of chlorination, starting with the implementation of liquid chlorine for water disinfection first applied on a large-scale in Niagara Falls, NY in 1912. Within a decade, chlorine was deemed "the most widely used disinfectant", ushering an age of rapidly declining infection rates of such waterborne diseases as typhoid fever, tuberculosis and life-threatening diarrheal disease. Included in the McGuire article is a graphic detailing the rapid descent of U.S. death rates for typhoid fever between 1900 and 1928 - a drop from 35 to 5 deaths per 100,000 in less than a 30 year period.

The article also highlights issues involving coliforms, water pipeline disinfection and the disinfection byproducts regulatory process that have characterized discussions on water disinfection over the ensuing years.

AWWA is the largest nonprofit scientific and educational organization, currently supported by a membership of more than 57,000 members. In addition, the group has 4,700 utility members who serve 80 percent of the U.S. population.

To read more about the AWWA 125th anniversary, please go to: AWWA Journal - March 2006

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