News Release from EPA - WaterSense

EPA Encourages Americans to Save Water During Fix a Leak Week/ WaterSense Partner of the Year Delta Faucet Company Fixes Leaks at 2 Marietta, Ga., Shelters

Contact Information: Davina Marraccini, (404) 562-8293, marraccini.davina@epa.gov

(Atlanta, Ga. – Mar. 13, 2012) – American households waste more than 1 trillion gallons of water each year due to leaky pipes, toilets, showerheads and other fixtures, but fixing leaks can be easy and inexpensive. During the 4th annual Fix a Leak Week, March 12-18, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program is educating Americans about the importance of fixing leaks around the home, which can save water and nearly 10 percent on utility bills.

This week in Marietta, Ga., WaterSense’s 2011 Manufacturer Partner of the Year Delta Faucet Company and Marine Plumbing Company are fixing leaks at The Extension and Elizabeth Inn, part of Must Ministries, and celebrating Fix a Leak Week in partnership EPA Region 4, Cobb County Water System, Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority and waterSmart (an Atlanta-based water conservation education program). Volunteers are installing more than 100 water efficient showerheads, faucet aerators and toilet flappers, which are anticipated to save more than 560,000 gallons of water per year.

In addition to the two Marietta shelters, Delta and its partners are fixing leaks in more than 1,000 community facilities and low-income households across the country in Boston, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, San Francisco and Seattle. At each location, volunteers are fixing leaky toilets and faucets, and installing WaterSense-labeled showerheads, estimated to save millions of gallons of water this year alone.

“Across the country, household leaks add up to more than 1 trillion gallons of water annually. The amount we’re losing could supply Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami for a full year,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “We’re not just losing water, we’re also losing the money our communities put into keeping our water clean and healthy. That’s why Fix a Leak Week is so important, and why we encourage everyone to take a few simple steps that can add up to have a significant positive impact.”

The average American home leaks more than 10,000 gallons of water per year, which is equivalent to the water needed to wash 280 loads of laundry, take more than 600 showers or meet the average family’s water needs for a month.

Finding and fixing leaks around the home is as easy as check, twist and replace:

Check for leaks. Toilet leaks can be found by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank and seeing if color appears in the bowl before you flush. Don’t forget to also check irrigation systems and spigots.

Twist and tighten pipe connections. To save even more water without a noticeable difference in flow, twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator or showerhead.

Replace the fixture if necessary. Look for the WaterSense label when replacing plumbing fixtures, which are independently certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models.

WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes, and services. Since the program's inception in 2006, WaterSense has helped consumers save 125 billion gallons of water and more than $2 billion in water and energy bills. Consumers can find WaterSense-labeled products at thousands of retail locations across the country.

News Release from EPA - Fix a Leak Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 8, 2012

EPA Encourages Americans to Save Water During Fix a Leak Week

WaterSense Partner of the Year Delta Faucet Company to fix leaks at homes and community facilities across the country

WASHINGTON – American households waste more than 1 trillion gallons of water each year due to leaky pipes, toilets, showerheads and other fixtures, but fixing leaks can be easy and inexpensive. During the 4th annual Fix a Leak Week, March 12-18, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program is educating Americans about the importance of fixing leaks around the home, which will save water and nearly 10 percent on utility bills.

WaterSense’s 2011 Manufacturer Partner of the Year Delta Faucet Company, in partnership with EPA, GreenPlumbers USA, United Way, Ronald McDonald House, and various local water utilities and governments, will fix leaks in more than 1,000 low-income households and community facilities in Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, San Francisco and Seattle. Delta will fix leaky toilets and faucets, and install WaterSense-labeled showerheads in each location, and estimates that these actions will save millions of gallons of water this year alone.
“Across the country, household leaks add up to more than 1 trillion gallons of water annually. The amount we’re losing could supply Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami for a full year,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “We’re not just losing water, we’re also losing the money our communities put into keeping our water clean and healthy. That’s why Fix a Leak Week is so important, and why we encourage everyone to take a few simple steps that can add up to have a significant positive impact.”

The average American home leaks more than 10,000 gallons of water per year, which is equivalent to the water needed to wash 280 loads of laundry, take more than 600 showers or meet the average family’s water needs for a month.

Finding and fixing leaks around the home is as easy as check, twist and replace:

• Check for leaks. Toilet leaks can be found by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank and seeing if color appears in the bowl before you flush. Don’t forget to also check irrigation systems and spigots.
• Twist and tighten pipe connections. To save even more water without a noticeable difference in flow, twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator or showerhead.
• Replace the fixture if necessary. Look for the WaterSense label when replacing plumbing fixtures, which are independently certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models.

WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes, and services. Since the program's inception in 2006, WaterSense has helped consumers save 125 billion gallons of water and more than $2 billion in water and energy bills. Consumers can find WaterSense-labeled products at thousands of retail locations across the country.

More information about finding and fixing leaks: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak

More information on WaterSense or to find a retailer in your area that carries WaterSense-labeled products: http://www.epa.gov/watersense

IBM Analytics Help Sonoma County, CA Conserve Water

IBM Analytics Help Sonoma County, California Conserve Water

Automatic Leak Detection, Pressure Management Aims to Reduce Water Loss

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Sonoma County, CA, USA - 07 Mar 2012: IBM (NYSE: IBM) Research scientists and the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA), which supplies water to more than 600,000 people in the heart of Northern California’s wine country, have once again teamed up to address the pressing problem of water conservation. 

The new program, which builds on an existing IBM-SCWA water management collaboration, uses analytics technology to helpValley of the Moon Water District (VOMWD), a purchaser of wholesale water from SCWA, to reduce water loss. This is done by optimizing the setting of the pressure reducing valves at the entrance to their distribution network based on data from existing sensors as well as from SCADA, billing, pressure gauges, and flow loggers throughout the water system.          

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, much of the 880,000 miles of water pipes in the United States has been in service for decades – some for over 100 years – and can be a significant source of water loss. The World Bank estimates that worldwide costs from leaks total $14 billion annually.  

“We’re helping SCWA and Valley of the Moon to more efficiently analyze data, anticipate problems and manage resources,” said IBM Smarter Water Program Director Michael Sullivan.  “The ability to track water at such a granular level helps SCWA and Valley of the Moon make informed decisions about how to manage – and conserve – water along its entire lifecycle.” 

Developed by scientists at IBM Research – Haifa in Israel, the pressure management solution provides recommendations for water pressure adjustments based on usage, weather, and environmental conditions. The benefits of improved pressure management include reduced water loss, energy savings, and reduced wear on the infrastructure---alongside an improvement in the quality and turnover of stored water. 

 “We are proud to partner with IBM and SCWA on this First of a Kind Program to field test a non-invasive analytical tool to better manage water pressure and potentially locate leaks, said Krishna Kumar, General Manager, Valley of the Moon Water  District.  “I'm glad to see IBM taking the lead and employing its vast institutional strengths to forge unique public private partnerships to solve some of the pressing challenges faced by the water utilities all over the world.” 

Managing the pressure of a water system – comprised of pipes, valves, pumps, tanks and other equipment – is rife with complexity.  If a well stops working, some water tanks will not be filled. If pressure is increased to fill those tanks, other tanks may not be emptying as often as they should to maintain a proper exchange of water and maintain required water quality. Or, if there is a leak, reducing the pressure to one pipe will reduce the amount of water lost through the pipe, but it also means that some consumers may not have enough pressure in their taps at home. 

Prior to working with IBM, Valley of the Moon operations staff had to continuously – and manually –adjust the pressure of each valve to maintain optimal pressure across the system – a time consuming and inefficient process.  Now, IBM analytics provides the engineers with detailed information for recommendations of optimal settings for each valve based on what’s happening across the entire system so that valves can be quickly and easily adjusted as necessary. 

In addition to the pressure management work, IBM and SCWA are extending the new technology to also enable leak detection by comparing real-time information about the water system with expected and historical values. 

For more information about IBM Smarter Water, visit www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/water

For more information about IBM Research, visit www.ibm.com/research

For more information about SCWA, visit www.scwa.ca.gov

For more information on VOMWD, visit www.vomwd.com

News Release from EPA - Kansas Refinery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2012
Kansas Refinery to Pay Nearly $1 Million Penalty for Environmental Violations Related to Air Emissions

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing (CRRM) has agreed to pay a civil penalty of more than $970,000 and invest more than $4.25 million on new pollution controls and $6.5 million in operating costs to resolve alleged violations of air, superfund and community right-to-know laws at its Coffeyville, Kan. refinery. The settlement will benefit the environment and human health by requiring new and upgraded pollution controls, more stringent emission limits, and more aggressive leak-detection and repair practices to reduce emissions from refinery equipment and process units. Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxide (NO_x), two pollutants emitted from refineries, can cause respiratory problems like asthma and are significant contributors to acid rain, smog and haze.
“The Clean Air Act is designed to protect people’s health from emissions of harmful pollutants,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s settlement will protect residents living near the facility and ensure that the necessary pollution controls are installed to protect the residents of southeastern Kansas in the future.”
“This settlement puts CRRM on a level playing field with the more than 100 petroleum refineries that have agreed to implement aggressive pollution control measures, thereby reducing the threats posed by harmful emissions to area residents,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, assistant attorney general for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice. “The agreement reaffirms our commitment to ensure that the petroleum refining industry complies with the nation’s Clean Air Act.”

The settlement resolves alleged violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), and Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). Coffeyville allegedly made modifications to its refinery that increased emissions without first obtaining pre-construction permits and installing required pollution control equipment. The CAA requires major sources of air pollution to obtain such permits before making changes that would result in a significant emissions increase of any pollutant. The settlement also resolves violations in which CRRM failed to timely notify state and local emergency responders of releases of hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide from the refinery, as required by the CERCLA and EPCRA.

Once fully implemented, the pollution controls required by the settlement will annually reduce an estimated 200 tons of NOx emissions and more than 110 tons of SO₂ emissions. The settlement will also reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, carbon monoxide and other pollutants that affect air quality. CRRM has also agreed to perform a voluntary environmental project at the refinery valued at more than $1.2 million. The project will benefit the environment and surrounding communities by reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide, reducing the frequency of future acid gas flaring incidents, and conserve 15 million gallons of water each year that would previously have come from the Verdigris River.
The settlement with CRRM is the 30th under an EPA initiative to improve compliance among petroleum refiners and to reduce significant amounts of air pollution from refineries nationwide through comprehensive, company-wide settlements. The first of EPA’s settlements was reached in 2000, and with today’s settlement, 107 refineries operating in 32 states and territories – more than 90 percent of the total refining capacity in the United States – are under judicially enforceable agreements to significantly reduce emissions of pollutants. As a result of the settlement agreements, refiners have agreed to invest more than $6 billion in new pollution controls designed to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and other pollutants by more than 360,000 tons per year. 
CRRM’s refinery has the capacity to refine more than 115,000 barrels of crude oil per day, producing gasoline, diesel fuels, and propane. 
The State of Kansas has joined in the settlement and will receive a portion of the civil penalty.

The consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and court approval.
More information on the CRRM settlement:
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/civil/caa/coffeyville.html
More information on other petroleum refinery settlements:
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/civil/caa/oil/index.html

News Release from EPA - Fremont Facility

For Immediate Release: February 28, 2012

Contact: Margot Perez-Sullivan, perezsullivan.margot@epa.gov

U.S. EPA Fines Fremont facility $62,500 for Hazardous Waste Violations

SAN FRANCISCO—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fined Western Digital Corporation, a wafer fabrication facility that generates large quantities of hazardous wastes including solvents, acids and sulfates, $62,500 for the improper management of hazardous waste at its Fremont facility.

A 2010 inspection at Western Digital Corporation uncovered violations of federal standards governing the handling and storage of hazardous waste. In this case, the facility manufactures    components used to make hard drives, using a variety of hazardous materials.  Among the  violations were failure to properly label and seal containers, failure to control tank emissions, failure to adequately train personnel, failure to monitor equipment, failure to provide an adequate contingency plan, and failure to provide a leak detection system,

Under the EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act program, hazardous substances must be stored, handled and disposed of using measures that safeguard public health and the environment.

For more information on the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, please visit the EPA’s web site at:  http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/rcra/index.html

Oregon Potato Company Pays EPA Penalty for Failing to Report

News release from EPA:

Oregon Potato Company pays EPA penalty for failing to report ammonia release

Wally Moon, EPA Preparedness and Prevention Unit Manager, 206-553-6323, moon.wally@epa.gov
Tony Brown, EPA Public Affairs, 206-553-1203, brown.anthony@epa.gov

(Seattle—Jan. 26, 2012) Oregon Potato Company failed to report an anhydrous ammonia release at their facility in Warden, Washington and will pay the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a $66,235 penalty.

On July 2, 2009, the facility released approximately 300 pounds of anhydrous ammonia into the environment, according to the EPA settlement. The facility, located at 1900 First Avenue West in Warden, Washington, produces dried and dehydrated frozen potato products.


According to Wally Moon, EPA Preparedness and Prevention Unit Manager in Seattle, these cases are about protecting workers, emergency responders and the community.


“When unintended chemical releases occur, every minute counts if it is an emergency,” said EPA’s Moon. “Emergency responders need to be notified promptly to react effectively.”


The leak occurred when a circuit breaker failed, causing a pressure relief valve to open releasing the anhydrous ammonia. EPA alleges that Oregon Potato failed to immediately notify local and state agencies about the release. While no injuries were reported at the time of the incident, ammonia is a pungent, toxic gas that attacks skin, eyes, throat, and lungs and can cause serious injury or death.


The ammonia release and the failure to notify appropriate agencies are violations of the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA).


For information on EPA's Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, visithttp://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/epcra/epcraenfstatreq.html


For more about toxic effects of Anhydrous Ammonia (NIOSH GUIDE): http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0028.html

Naval Base Kitsap Fails to Properly Monitor Fuel Tanks

EPA News Release:


Naval Base Kitsap fails to properly monitor fuel tanks near Puget Sound for leaks

Contact Information: Hanady Kader, EPA Public Affairs, (206) 553-0454, kader.hanady@epa.gov
Anne Christopher, EPA Ground Water Unit, (206) 553-8293, christopher.anne@epa.gov

Navy correct violations and settles with EPA for nearly $161,000.

(Seattle—Jan. 17, 2012) Naval Base Kitsap Bangor failed to properly monitor pipes and underground fuel storage tanks for leaks on its property in Silverdale, Washington in violation of federal laws that protect groundwater, according to a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Navy will pay nearly $161,000 in fines.

“EPA is working hard to restore Puget Sound and fuel leaks near the shoreline could seriously set us back,” said Peter Contreras, Manager of the Ground Water Unit in EPA’s Seattle office. “Nearby communities also rely on groundwater for drinking water, so preventing releases protects both Puget Sound and public health.”

The violations occurred between 2006 and 2010. The holding capacity of the inspected tanks ranges between 170 gallons and 45,000 gallons.

The Navy has 53 underground storage tanks on the base it uses for storing diesel, used oil and gasoline. EPA inspectors identified 37 violations including failure to properly monitor the tanks and pipes for leaks; failure to have the proper leak detection equipment installed for the pipes; and failure to provide an adequate alarm system to prevent delivery drivers from overfilling the tanks.

Leaks from underground storage tanks allow toxic fumes and vapors to escape and collect in areas such as parking garages or basements where they can cause explosion or respiratory illness. Toxic contaminants can also leak into groundwater sources that people depend on for drinking water. Regularly monitoring tanks and pipes minimizes contamination risks.

To detect leaks quickly, underground storage tanks must be monitored monthly and the pipes must be equipped with a leak detector and tested annually or monitored monthly.  The Navy had the appropriate monitoring equipment in place at most of the sites, but failed to check the monitors on a monthly basis and document that the tanks and pipes were not leaking.

Since the 2010 EPA inspection of the base, the Navy has corrected the violations. The Navy has agreed to provide EPA with documentation showing it is in compliance with proper monitoring.

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and requires owners of underground storage tanks to regularly monitor their tank systems for leaks.

For more information on underground storage tanks, visit http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/WATER.NSF/UST/UST+LUST+home