[Vision2020] Water?

[Donovan Arnold]

I was unaware that Moscow had water. The last three apartments I have lived 
in didn't have water. Every time I turn on my faucets instead of getting 
water I get this semi-transparent gooey substance that is filled with 
minerals and who knows what else. Oh, I am sure there is water in it. Just 
the percentage of the content being water seems to be at debate.

Fun and wacky experiments with Moscow tap water:

Experiment #1

Take a clean white bowl, fill it with water, then look in the bowl, can you 
see the bottom? It is magic! Sometimes, it is black other times it is just 
really white and unclear, but you can't see the bottom of the bowl!

Experiment #2

First take a dark colored bowl, fill it with Moscow tap water. Place a net 
screen over the top. Then place it in a safe clean spot outside and let the 
tap water dehydrate. Look at the bottom of the bowl. Can you see the bottom 
of the bowl? No you can't! Is is magic? No, it is an unknown white powdery 
element. Just think, every time you drink the water, you are also consuming 
this element.

Experiment #3
Take a clean glass jar and fill it with out what ever comes of your tap. 
Next, seal the jar so it is airtight. Then, place it on your counter top and 
put a towel over the top. After three days lift the towel. LIFE? We don't 
know, but that green stuff sure seems to be moving around on its' own power.

Well, that is all the experiments we have for this issue of "What is in our 
water?".

Remember, the Palouse water is always safe, just as long as you don't let it 
touch your skin.


Donovan J Arnold




>From: "French" <dfrench@moscow.com>
>To: "Lewiston Morning Tribune" <letters@lmtribune.com>,   
><vision2020@moscow.com>
>Subject: [Vision2020] Water
>Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 13:24:28 -0700
>
>To the editor:
>
>Elsa Kirsten Peters' July 17 letter purports to provide "facts, not 
>rhetoric" about our groundwater. Unfortunately, her "facts" are more 
>rhetorical than factual.
>
>Ms. Peters claims that water levels in the upper (Wanapum) aquifer "have 
>done nothing but rise in my lifetime". But a chart in the 2000 Annual 
>Report of the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee (PBAC) shows Wanapum levels 
>between 1976 and 2000 rose twelve years, remained level four years, and 
>declined eight years. Most of the declining years happened after 1990, when 
>Moscow increased pumping from the shallow aquifer because of improved 
>filtration capabilities. Shifting even more pumping back to the Wanapum now 
>would only accelerate those declines.
>
>Ms. Peters also claims that "Most water used in the summer goes to watering 
>golf courses". The "real" fact is that local golf courses consume 
>relatively little deep Grande Ronde water. The UI golf course is watered 
>entirely with effluent from Moscow's wastewater treatment plant. The Elks 
>course draws from the shallow aquifer that Ms. Peters (erroneously) claims 
>isn't dropping at all. Irrigation at the WSU golf course isn't metered, so 
>it can only be estimated. But even if 10% of WSU pumpage goes to the golf 
>course, that would constitute little more than 2% of basinwide pumping from 
>the deep aquifer.
>
>By contrast, data from the city of Pullman show 75-80% of their annual 
>water use is residential, the remainder going to commercial and public 
>uses. If the information were available, Moscow's usage would most likely 
>mirror Pullman's. Ms. Peters' is correct that "Most water used in both 
>Moscow and Pullman during the summer is not consumed by 'new housing 
>developments,'" but residential consumers ARE by far the largest user group 
>in the basin and should be expected to contribute the greatest amount to 
>conservation efforts.
>
>Bill French, Director                                                       
>                                                                            
>  Palouse Water Conservation Network
>
>202 E 7th St, Moscow, ID  83843
>
>883-3937 * prairiedoc@moscow.com
>
>
>
>

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