ERMUSR MISC LETTER 12-09-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Promoting Education with Teachers CCR Compliance Is 100 Percent Community water systems in Minnesota achieved 100 percent compliance for submissions of 2007 Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR). "This is impressive," said Kathy Russell, who handles the CCR submissions for the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). "Because Minne- sotasystems submit these reports on time, MDH has achieved some of the best CCR compliance rates in the nation." Red Flag Rule Related to Identity Theft Delayed to May 2009 As part of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003, the "Red Flag Rule" to address discrepancies and spot identity-theft red flags has been delayed until May 1, 2009. Although the rule principally applies to banks, large credit institutions, and high-volume transaction entities, the definitions in the rule for "creditor" and "covered account" appear to apply to drinking-water utilities for customer data protection and fraud prevention, according to the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA). Because many utilities are part of a larger municipal entity, these "red flag" provisions should/would be handled through the local government rather than separately or individually by the water system. Those systems that are not part of a municipal structure would also have responsibility to protect their customers but are less likely to use electronic means to accept payments. For most water utilities, Red Flag Program enforcement would depend primarily on customer complaints to the Federal Trade Commission. "Protecting water utility customer information against iden- tity theft is both a good business practice and an enhance- ment to a water system's security efforts. Cybersecurity protections are often overlooked," according to ASDWA. The complete rule in the Federal Register is available at http: //w ww. occ.treas. gov/fr/fedregister/72fr63718.pdf. Ground Water Rule Assessment Monitoring Assessment Source Water Monitoring will be one of three primary Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Ground Water Rule procedures with the other being Triggered Source Water Monitoring and sanitary survey significant deficiency identification. This rule provision focuses on new or existing ground water sources that may be susceptible to fecal contamination. MDH will require a small number of ground water systems to conduct monthly monitoring for potential fecal indicators during a 12-month period. Local pathogen sources, well availability, geologic sensitivity, disinfection status, and past water quality analyses will be used to select candidates. Systems will benefit through early identification of any potential fecal contamination as part of Ground Water Rule activities. Bottled Water News Study Finds Contaminants in "Pure" Bottled Water Bottler Sues Utility for `Attack" on Its Product The Environmental Working Group of Washington, D. C., found a variety of contaminants-including coliform bacteria, caffeine, acetaminophen, fertilizer, solvents, plastic-making chemicals, and the radioactive element strontium-in 10 brands of bottled water it purchased in California, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. Although the brands met federal health standards for drinking water, the tests indicated that bottled water is no purer than tap water. Jane Houlihan, one of the study's co-authors, said, "In some cases, it appears bottled water is no less polluted than tap water and, at 1,900 times the cost, consumers should expect better." Meanwhile, Nestle Waters North America, makers of Zephyrhills bottled water, is threatening to sue a Florida water utility for a series of radio ads in which tap water was characterized as cheaper, purer, and safer than bottled water. The ads featured a talking water faucet saying, "You think bottled water is purer and safer? You think it's better? Well, you're wrong. It's just the opposite. Bottled water is not regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Tap water is. That's why you always can be sure Miami-Dade tap water is superior. Stop wasting your money!" According to John Renfrow of the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, the ads were aimed at a large immigrant population, particularly those from areas that don't have a reliable and safe supply of water. A Nestle spokesman called the ads "an attack on the product we produce." However, environmental groups characterized the threatened lawsuit "as a warning shot from an industry worried about slow sales after years of gushing growth." Articles on these stories are available on-line at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27185076 and http:// www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/723788.htm1. Minnesota American Water Works Association had a booth at the Education Minnesota Conference to promote its educational materials to teachers from around the state.