Lead in Drinking Water?

Title of Article: Lead in DRinking Water
Author: United States Environmental Protection Agency
Date Last Updated: October 4, 2011
Link to the Article: http://water.epa.gov/drink/info/lead/index.cfm
Link to Picture:http://www.freshwatersystems.com/s-289-lead-in-water.aspx





Lead is a substance that is commonly used in household plumbing and water service lines. Lead is barely ever found in source water, but it does enter tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials. All homes are at risk of having lead in their water, but houses that were built before 1986 are the houses that are most likely to have lead pipes. The new houses are also at risk of having lead in their pipes. Even though these new houses are said to have "lead-free" plumbing, they still can have up to eight percent of lead in their plumbing. The most common way that lead is exposed to our drinking water is by the brass or chrome-plated brass faucets that allow an abundant amount of lead into the water. The problem with having lead in our water is that lead can cause many health effects. The health effects for babies and children that drink above the action level of lead are having delays in their mental and physical development. The effects for adults that drink above the action level of lead are having an increse in blood pressure. Adults that drink the water for many years can accumulate kidney problems.

I do not have a strong opinion on this topic. Since that there is only up to 8 percent of lead in house pipes, it should not be a big concern for people. If the percentage of lead in house pipes increases rapidly, then we should have a concern. I have been drinking my tap water for 14 years and I have never experienced life threatening effects. Also, my house is a newer house, therefore the percentage of lead in my tap water is lower than the percentage of tap water in a house that was built before 1986.

Questions:

1. Do you think the percentage of lead in the pipes will increase over the years to come?


2. Are you concerned if the pipes in your house contain lead?


3. Do you think there is anything we can do to limit the amount of lead in our tap water?

By: TAYLOR SOLTYS

Clean Water At a High Price!!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-schwab/air-and-water-a-right-or_b_264733.html

The pictue on the right shows an African Child trying to get drinking water.

I found out in this article that there are some water companies in small, developing countries like Bolivia, Honduras, and Nicaragua that are charging high sums of money for clean drinking water. Drinking water can be hard to get in these countries, but at least it was free. Now, these companies are making it even harder for people without a lot of money to get drinking water.

I am shocked that companies would do this to such poor countries. They ar taking advantage of countries that already need more water, and are making it harder to get. These companies say that they are trying to help these countries. But it is obvious that it is just for a big profit.

1. Do you think it is right for these companies to charge for clean water?? why??

2.What would you do to prevent these companies from charging such high fees?

3.Why do you think these companies are doing what they are doing??

By: Jordan Murray :D

P.S. The picture wont post so the URL is http://www.gracededieu.org/water.html

Groundwater!

The image to the right shows the results of aquifer depletion in India. The loss of groundwater is threatening their agriculture.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21128314.700-groundwater-greed-driving-sea-level-rises.html

The sea level is slowly rising. The melting of glaciers and other ice caps are increasing the level of the ocean. It is virtually impossible to notice, but the pumping of water from underground aquifers to the surface is also contributing to this problem. Few scientists believe in groundwater affecting the level of the ocean, but Leonard Konikow of the United States Geological Survey has evidence to prove it. Konikow measured how much water had ended up in the oceans by studying aquifers, and he estimated that about 4500 cubic kilometres of water was originally groundwater from the years 1900 and 2008. That means it only contributed about 1.26 centimeters to the overall rise in sea level. Nobody is sure what the future holds when it comes to groundwater, but some countries are cutting back on aquifer use.

I don't believe it is necessary to cut back on aquifer use. The amount of groundwater that contributes to rising of the sea level is little enough that if we use the groundwater carefully, and it doesn't end up in oceans, we can decline the rapidly increasing water level. We don't need to go to extreme measures such as using your own rain collecting source... Simple things like taking shorter showers and not leaving the sink running can help. We don't need to work harder, we need to work smarter!

Do you think the water level will increase or decrease in the next 5 years?
What can you and your family do to conserve groundwater?
What would happen if our groundwater comes near depletion in the future?
-John

THE AMAZON IS BEING DESTORYED!?!?!?!?

Bolivia has recently decided to build a 185 mile long highway through the Amazon rainforest. Thousands of protestors have been marching, trying to stop this awful idea from occuring. It will destory biodiversity and destroy so many animals' habitat. Brazil has made a $332 million loan to bolivia so they can create this highway that goes to their capital. Luckily enough, the Bolivian president decided to obey the will of his peopl and cancel the project. It would have greatly hurt the Amazon as a whole.
I am very happy that this project was canceled. It would have greatly hurt the rainforest and all of it's animals. It is very inspiring that the people of Bolivia took a stand and defended the rainforest. Most people would just let it happen without a second thought, but they stood up for what is right. The Earth is in no shape to have one of its most diverse places be fragmented so.

1. How do you feel about the idea of a high way going through the Amazon?
2. If you were a Bolivian, would you stand up against your government?
3. How do you think it would affect the animals?