Two water management districts have begun working together on how to deal with declining groundwater levels in North Florida.

read more:  http://www.gainesville.com/article/20090627/ARTICLES/906271013/1105/NEWS?Title=As-water-levels-fall-districts-join-forces

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The summer edition of the Wader is hot off the virtual presses and is about monitoring our local water resources. The Wader is a quarterly electronic newsletter distributed by the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department.

Inside this edition....

• Pollution sources to our creeks- discovered and eliminated
• Get to know the UF Clean Water Campaign
• View a  Suwannee River Water Management District map of low groundwater levels

Click HERE to view a PDF of the 7th issue of The Wader

Thanks for reading and please pass this along to any others that may be interested.

Stacie Greco
Alachua County Environmental Protection Department

WWW.AlachuaCountyWater.org

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Published 7/1/2009 in Florida Trend

natural resources Ethanol Production May Consume Too Much Water A new UF study raises concerns about ethanol's water demand in Florida. Four crops under consideration are very thirsty. by Cynthia Barnett   UF post-doctoral researcher Jason Evans (left) and professor Matthew Cohen say ramping up crop production for ethanol “would have significant impacts on both land use and water resources.” [Photo: Ray Carson] From agricultural and energy company boardrooms to university laboratories, excitement is building over the potential for large-scale biofuel production in Florida. But a new study by forestry researchers at the University of Florida raises an important question: Does the state have enough water to supply thirsty energy crops? ››Read report here Matthew Cohen, a professor in UF’s School of Forest Resources and Conservation, and post-doctoral researcher Jason Evans in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation analyzed energy and water impacts for four ethanol crops — corn, sugarcane, sweet sorghum and pine — in Florida and Georgia. Their study, published in Global Change Biology, found that all four yielded net energy; meaning they are viable for replacing fossil fuels. But it also concluded that ramping up production enough to meet U.S. Energy Independence and Security Act mandates for renewable fuels by 2022 “would have significant impacts on both land use and water resources.” Estimated water requirements for sweet sorghum, the most water-efficient crop in the study, “would increase by almost 25% total freshwater withdrawals for all human uses reported in Florida and Georgia for 2000,” Cohen and Evans write. “Corn and sugarcane would require well over twice this water volume.” While pine is not irrigated, the study says large-scale pine biofuel production could have a critical impact on regional water supplies available for humans and nature because of accelerated evaporation. Cohen says the message for Florida policy-makers is that “any debate about biofuels should be explicitly coupled with strategies for water and energy conservation.” Other new reports on water and biofuels The Journal of Environmental Science & Technology recently took a national look at the water demand of biofuels. Check out “The Water Footprint of Biofuels: A Drink or Drive Issue?” Renewable Energy World magazine recently wrote about southern states’ resistance to federal energy plans.

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Camp Lejeune...cancer from contaminated water on base.  spread the news....

read more:  http://www.tampabay.com/news/military/veterans/article1015699.ece

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Canada

Dear InsidetheBottle.org subscriber,

On June 18^th it was announced that Aquablue Spring Water International Inc. is planning to set-up a new bottled water plant in Smiths Falls, Ontario.  Aquablue is planning to take 340 million litres of water a year out of the Smiths Falls municipal tap, package it in harmful plastic bottles, and export Canada’s water to Dubai, Qatar, India and China.

Over the last few weeks the InsidetheBottle.org team has been working hard to expose the dangers of this new venture:

·        Read our report, Smiths Falls: Local Concerns and Outstanding Questions, available at: http://www.insidethebottle.org/smiths-falls-bottled-water

·        Read our Op-Ed on the subject (see below)

Take Action Now:

·        Call-out to Smiths Falls residents.  If you are interested in learning more and taking action contact the Insidethebottle.org team – www.insidethebottle.org.

Joe, Richard, Elly, Becca, Zoe and Tony

The www.insidethebottle.org team

Smiths Falls – Exporting Canada’s Water and Plastic Waste

By: Joe Cressy

June 26, 2009

On June 18^th it was announced that Aquablue Spring Water International Inc. had agreed to purchase the former Smiths Falls, Ontario Hershey facility, turn it into a bottled water plant, and export Canada’s water and plastic garbage overseas.  Despite the early excitement about new jobs, this plan has risks for the Town of Smiths Falls that deserve serious consideration.

Like many communities across Canada, Smith Falls needs sustainable and well paying permanent jobs. On the heels of the recent job losses in the region, the announcement of a new bottled water plant on the surface may come as a welcome relief.  However, the future prospects and serious environmental impacts of the bottled water industry should raise alarm bells.  Furthermore, the negative impacts on the local community as a result of the massive water takings required for bottled water production from the local municipal water system, which is derived from the Rideau River, cannot be taken lightly.

In rising numbers, Canadians are turning away from bottled water and going back to the tap.  Across the country municipalities, school boards, universities, faith-based organizations, restaurants and private enterprises have decided to stand up for Canada’s public water services by phasing out the provision and sale of bottled water.  The trend is particularly strong at the municipal level where thus far 58 municipalities from 8 provinces and 1 territory have implemented restrictions on bottled water sales in public places.

In fact, in 2008 the four largest bottled water manufacturers (Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, Nestle Waters, and Group Danone) experienced decreases in sales throughout North America and per capita consumption of bottled water decreased for the first time in over a decade.

In many cases individuals are turning away from bottled water because it is such an environmentally harmful product. Every single plastic bottle has to be manufactured using a combination of crude oil and toxic chemicals, transported to its retail location, and finally disposed of (either through recycling, or worse off, in a landfill). 

According to a recent journal article by the Pacific Institute, 96 – 162 million barrels of oil is consumed annually to produce, transport and dispose of bottled water. For the point of comparison, the entire country of Portugal consumes 112 million barrels of oil annually.

Already in Canada more than 1 billion bottles of water are consumed each year, with hundreds of millions of those ending up in the landfill each year. These bottles are not only made up of oil, but they also contain toxic chemicals and combined they have an enormous environmental impact.

The environmental concerns surrounding bottled water are not just related to the plastic bottle, but also the impact of bottling plants on the surrounding communities.  Bottled water plants require access to large amounts of water for production. According to Aquablue, the company will be taking 340.5 million liters of water a year (that is almost 1 million litres a day!) out of the local municipal drinking water system.  In other words, Aquablue will be taking Smiths Falls tap water and selling it back to residents at outrageously high prices.   

What is particularly concerning is that Aquablue has yet to explain how much they will be paying for the 340 million litres of water they will be taking straight out of the tap. 

The impacts of mass water extraction can be very harmful for local communities. Already a quarter of Canadian municipalities have faced water shortages in recent years and there are numerous examples from across North America where during times of water shortages, priority was given to local bottled water plants over the average resident.

Since the announcement of the new plant, Aquablue spokespeople have been rigorously promoting the new bottling plant as an environmental leader.  Let’s be very clear, there is no environmental solution to bottled water.  The solution is the tap.

However, for the purposes of setting the record straight, let’s examine some of the arguments we’ve heard so far:

Statement: The Aquablue plant will have a recycling facility to reduce its carbon footprint.

Reality: This is purely a public relations exercise.  The reality is that Aquablue will be exporting bottled water to countries like Qatar, Dubai, China and India.  Unless Aquablue is planning to create recycling facilities in those countries, the truth is that they will not only be exporting Smiths Falls water, but also plastic waste. 

Statement: The Aquablue plant will manufacture vending machines for schools that will dispense water into mugs and reusable bottles to reduce the carbon footprint.

Reality: Ontario schools already have water dispensers, they are called water fountains.  Aquablue’s so-called vending machines with dispensers are simply an attempt to circumvent Ontario school board policies to restrict bottled water. 

As the Town of Smiths Falls prepares for the arrival of Aquablue and the jobs that may come with it, it is worth considering the many flaws of this bottled venture.  The jobs are not secure, the product is not environmentally friendly, and the impact on the local watershed could be severe.

Perhaps most importantly, it is worth asking the question whether Aquablue should even be allowed to export Canadian water for profit.  Surely Canada’s water, a public good, should be treated with a little more care than Aquablue has demonstrated thus far.

Joe Cressy is the Campaigns Coordinator of the Polaris Institute, organizers of the InsidetheBottle.org campaign. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Friday, July 3, 2009 Hello, Australian water expert Dr. Jim Gill will be the keynote speaker Oct. 8 during the WaterSmart 09 Innovations Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas. Discounted registration for this three-day event, sponsored by the Southern Nevada Water Authority, is available now through July 9. In this week's news, Gov. Charlie Crist signed a contentious bill that moves permitting power over communities’ water use into the hands of executive directors at the state’s five water management districts. Bulldozers and front-end loaders pushed and moved dirt and rocks in northeast Ocala, digging out what will soon be a new retention pond that will ultimately stop pollutants from flowing into the Silver River. And the rockets' red glare on the Fourth of July can fill onlookers with patriotism and awe. Unfortunately, it can also fill them with particulates and strontium, unleasing a shower of toxins into the soil and water. Scientists are only beginning to figure out what that means for human health. Here are a few of the other stories making news across the state: Possible cancer cluster gets national attention Infrastructure upgrades ongoing in Pasco migrant community Breast cancer survivor tries to link illness to bad water Trial date set for Tallevast water contamination case Indian River Lagoon will get $6.7 million in federal stimulus money To see the latest Florida Water News, click the icon at the top of the page or point your browser at: http://www.bcwaternews.com/floridawaternews/fwn-703.html Plenty of news from around the world, too, updated twice daily. Welcome to our newest readers: Ted Long, chief plant operator, City of Lake Wales Shelly Storves, student, Norwich University Carrie McChesney, program director, GreenPlumbers, Sacramento, Calif. If you miss an issue of Florida Water News, please let us know. Don't forget to check out BCWaterJobs.com, the industry's No. 1 site for water and wastewater job opportunities across the United States and Canada. BC Water Jobs is a service of Florida Water News and helps us bring this publication to you every week, free of charge. Have a great Fourth! Ron Ash Editor, Florida Water News Brown and Caldwell Help spread the word about Florida Water News — tell a friend or colleague about us, or send along your favorite water-related photos or news tips.

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Dear Merrillee , Time is ticking. Our friend Terry Swier and her neighbors have until Monday to secure needed funds to continue challenging Nestlé's reckless bottling practices in rural Michigan. Can you make an emergency donation to help Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation (MCWC) raise the $10,000 they need to counter Nestlé's financial might in court? As the world's largest food and beverage corporation, Nestlé has poured millions into court battles to protect its profits and run Terry's group dry. For years, MCWC has valiantly managed to stay afloat on a shoestring budget by running bake sales, garage sales and grassroots fundraising campaigns to pay down their mounting legal fees…and protect community water rights for the long haul. But MCWC may be forced to drop its case if the group can't bring in the funds it needs to appear at a court hearing this next Monday, July 6. If just 200 people give $50, we can make sure all their hard work hasn't been in vain. In 2003, a judge ordered a halt to Nestlé's extraction of 400 gallons per minute from a rural Michigan wildlife preserve, agreeing with community members that Nestlé's pumping had a negative impact on several local streams and ponds. But the pumping never stopped. On appeal, Nestlé challenged the community's standing to bring a lawsuit in the first place…and has tied MCWC concerns up in court ever since.   Next Monday's hearing in could be the turning point, determining once and for all that Nestlé's bottling is unsustainable…but only if Terry and her neighbors can afford to stay in the room. Click here to bring the people of Michigan into the courtroom to defend their water. Everything you contribute will go directly to MCWC, and we'll keep you posted on the hearing as it unfolds. Thank you for your support at this urgent time. Together we can make sure our courts put human need over corporate greed. Onward, Leslie Samuelrich Deputy Director   Can't click on any of the links above? Simply paste the following web address into your browser: https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2215/t/9035/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=5048

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Dear Merrillee , The Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation (MCWC) has been battling corporate giant Nestlé for nine long years, but the group is running out of money and time. Can you make an urgently needed donation to help the MCWC raise the $10,000 necessary to counter Nestlé's deep pockets? Nestlé, which is the world's largest food and beverage corporation, has spent a fortune in legal battles over the years so that it can continue to pump water from Michigan streams and keep profiting at the expense of the environment. This fight isn't just about Michigan- Nestlé's approach there is indicative of its attidude about control of water resources, and a loss in Michigan will surely encourage it to continue its practices elsewhere.  Six years ago, a judge ordered Nestlé to stop its extraction of 400 gallons per minute from a Michigan wildlife preserve because the pumping had a negative impact on local streams and ponds.  Rather than cease the pumping, Nestlé appealed the decision, and has kept the MCWC tied up ever since. Now the MCWC has only a few days to secure the money needed to appear at a court hearing this Monday, July 6th.  If the group can't make the hearing, it may have to drop the case. MCWC and its 2000 members have funded this lengthy fight by having bake sales, raffles, and garage sales.  But now they face defeat, simply because Nestlé has been able to outspend them. Click here to make sure the MCWC's hard work hasn't been in vain. Your entire contribution will go to the MCWC, and Food & Water Watch will update you on the outcome of this extremely important matter. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, Wenonah Hauter Executive Director Food & Water Watch Food & Water Watch, a nonprofit consumer organization based in Washington, D.C., works to ensure clean water and safe food in the United States and around the world.  We challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink.  For more information, visit www.foodandwaterwatch.org. Talk to Us | Support Us | Subscribe

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