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Mythology
Author(s) -
Hoffbuhr Jack W.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8833.2002.tb10236.x
Subject(s) - safer , liability , business , water supply , safe drinking water act , legislation , environmental planning , computer security , finance , political science , engineering , law , environmental science , water quality , environmental engineering , computer science , ecology , biology
In his column, AWWA Executive Director Jack Hoffbuhr disagrees with the conclusions of two reports, “Road Map for National Security ‐ Imperative for Change” and “What's on Tap? Grading Drinking Water in U.S. Cities.” The first report concludes that the US drinking water supply is still “vulnerable to mass disruption” for two reasons ‐ publicly owned and operated water utilities are “slow to adopt new technologies and protocols,” and “legal liability issues have made the routine monitoring of public water supplies for dangerous contaminants the exception rather than the rule.” Hoffbuhr disagrees with these statements and argues that utility personnel are doing what they have always done, making effective use of the technology they have to provide an indication of possible system contamination. The second report found that, even with regulation compliance, the water in four California cities was found to have “significant public health risks” because of a lack of source protection, infrastructure deterioration, and the use of outdated technology. Hoffbuhr also disagrees with this and states that drinking water is safer and more secure than it has ever been.