2008 Woodie Awards
Langston residents cautioned about contaminated water
By Leethaniel Brumfield, III
Issue date: 10/1/08 Section: News
Langston Public Works Authority (PWA) notified Langston residents through a notice placed in post office boxes at the beginning of September 2008 that levels of pollutants and disinfection byproducts in drinking water are well above standards.
According to the notice, Langston PWA felt that it was necessary to notify residents of the presence of drinking water contaminants when Langston's water system recently violated drinking water standards, and it wanted to inform residents what they should do, as well as what the city of Langston is doing to correct the problem. However, the letter did not explain what was being done to improve water conditions.
Langston University does not get its water supply from the same source as the city of Langston. However, the residents of the Langston Commons do receive their water from Langston PWA, as do the rest of Langston citizens.
The notification confirms that Langston PWA's water system exceeded the standard or maximum contaminant level (MCL) for total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA5) for testing results received from the second quarter of 2007 through the first quarter of 2008.
TTHMs are water pollutants that form when chlorine or bromine (halogens) are used to disinfect water for drinking-commonly known as disinfectant by-products. TTHMs are also environmental pollutants, and many are considered carcinogenic (cancer causing). The THMs produced may have adverse health effects at high concentrations, and many governments set limits on the amount permissible in drinking water.
HAA5 are a group of acids (chemicals) that form along with other disinfection byproducts when chlorine or other disinfectants used to control microbial contaminants in drinking water react with naturally occurring organic and inorganic matter in water. The five acids of HAA5 are monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid, and dibromoacetic acid. Like TTHMs, HAA5 acids are carcinogenic.
According to the notice, Langston PWA felt that it was necessary to notify residents of the presence of drinking water contaminants when Langston's water system recently violated drinking water standards, and it wanted to inform residents what they should do, as well as what the city of Langston is doing to correct the problem. However, the letter did not explain what was being done to improve water conditions.
Langston University does not get its water supply from the same source as the city of Langston. However, the residents of the Langston Commons do receive their water from Langston PWA, as do the rest of Langston citizens.
The notification confirms that Langston PWA's water system exceeded the standard or maximum contaminant level (MCL) for total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA5) for testing results received from the second quarter of 2007 through the first quarter of 2008.
TTHMs are water pollutants that form when chlorine or bromine (halogens) are used to disinfect water for drinking-commonly known as disinfectant by-products. TTHMs are also environmental pollutants, and many are considered carcinogenic (cancer causing). The THMs produced may have adverse health effects at high concentrations, and many governments set limits on the amount permissible in drinking water.
HAA5 are a group of acids (chemicals) that form along with other disinfection byproducts when chlorine or other disinfectants used to control microbial contaminants in drinking water react with naturally occurring organic and inorganic matter in water. The five acids of HAA5 are monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid, and dibromoacetic acid. Like TTHMs, HAA5 acids are carcinogenic.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Hamilton
posted 10/01/08 @ 11:30 AM CST
Most U.S. cities chlorinate their drinking water which kills all of the bacteria and have been doing so for about 100 years. Maybe Langston needs to develop a better chlorination program?
udrankwhat
posted 10/01/08 @ 11:28 PM CST
Chlorine does not kill "all of the bacteria". It suppresses well; but, slime molds continue to be a problem within large piped systems, and Legionella continues to reinfest Hospital systems following rigorous clean-up/burn-out regimens. (Continued…)
Snopes
posted 10/24/08 @ 4:02 PM CST
I would say that chlorine does, for the most part, kill most the bacteria and any other water-born illnesses. It's one of the few systems in place that actually protects the water even as it travels over long distances, so even if there are problems within the large piped systems, chlorine provides the greatest chances for the water not to be negatively affected on its journey. (Continued…)
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