IRON & MANGANESE IN DRINKING WATER
To better understand the effects of iron and manganese in our drinking water please refer to this Government Report.
NUTRIENT RULE MAKING
NUTRIENTS REGULATION UPDATE JULY 2012
There has been a significant amount of action in regards to the Nutrient Rulemaking issue. A Nutrients Regulation Update is available to access the most current information/updates regarding the Nutrient Rulemaking issue. Despite strong objections raised by Lower Fountain (they submitted a Pre Hearing Statement regarding the Nutrients Regulations 31 and 85) and several wastewater service entities about the need for regulations, the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission adopted final regulations at its June 11, 2012 meeting. The regulations adopted include an amendment to Regulation 31 (adding new Section 31.17 establishing strict “interim values” for nutrients) and a new Regulation 85 (addressing, e.g., numeric limits for nutrients that apply beginning July 1, 2013 and including a monitoring requirement). Please take the time to access all this information and keep informed about this important issue. A letter was sent to Congressman Mike Coffman from the United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 Re: Congressman Coffman’s Letter of Proposal of the adoption of nutrient regulations by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The letter includes answers to Congressmen Coffman’s questions regarding nutrient regulations.
COLORADO WATER QUALITY CONTROL DIVISION (WQCD)
The Colorado Water Quality Control Division (WQCD) is developing state water quality standards for lakes, reservoirs, rivers and streams for total phosphorus and total nitrogen. EPA is strongly pushing all states to adopt soon very stringent numeric nutrient standards. This is despite the States’ difficulties in finding strong scientific basis for setting these standards. While nutrients problems cannot be ignored, state standards should be what are precisely necessary, without wasting local financial or energy resources. The anticipated costs of treatment are in the billions. These costs affect all wastewater dischargers, storm water dischargers, farmers, cattlemen, water diverters and managers. For more information about NUTRIENT RULEMAKING and THE NUTRIENT COALITION please access these links. For more information regarding THE POTENTIAL COST OF NUTRIENTS REGULATION please access this link. Because of the potentially extreme economic consequences the proposed regulation could have on this community the District Board encourages you to take an active interest in supporting reasonable nutrient standards and become better informed on this important issue.
The United State Environmental Protection Agency distributed a memorandum regarding “Working in Partnership with States to Address Phosphorus and Nitrogen Pollution through Use of a Framework for State Nutrient Reductions. This Memorandum was sent to the Regional Administrators, Region 1-10, the State Water Programs Directors, the Great Water Body Programs Directors, the Directors of the Authorized Tribal Water Quality Standard Programs and the Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators. The Memorandum was written by Nancy K. Stone, Acting Assistant Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
A Letter was sent by the Colorado Nutrient Coalition to Mr. Steven Gunderson, Executive Director, of the Water Quality Control Division requesting a Meeting to Discuss Key Colorado Nutrient Coalition Concerns. The Colorado Nutrient Coalition is working diligently on this nutrient issue and is supporting reasonable nutrient standards. Mr. Steven Gunderson replied to Colorado Senator Brandon Shaffer and Speaker of the Colorado House Fran McNulty regarding Passage of House Joint Resolution on Cost-effective Nutrient Regulations (HJR-1025). A Letter was sent by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (Nancy K. Stoner, Acting Assistant Administrator) to Herschel T. Vinyard, Secretary, of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, addressing Florida’s stance on the proposed nutrients standards.
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure had a Hearing on “Running Roughshod Over States and Stakeholders: EPA’s Nutrients Policies”. This Hearing took place on June 24, 2011. H.R. 2018 was submitted “To Amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to preserve the authority of each State to make determinations relating to the State’s water quality standards, and for other purposes”.
On March 12, 2012, there will be a Public Rulemaking Hearing before the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission. The Hearing will take place at the Florence Sabin Conference Room, Department of Public Health and Environment/4300 Cherry Creek Drive South in Denver, Colorado 80246. Public participation is encouraged.