Monday, March 30, 2009
Can water fountains fight fat?
Here's something to drink to: easy access to water fountains and a nudge from teachers to use them might help kids stay lean. A new study published today in Pediatrics suggests that installing fountains in elementary schools and pushing students to drink more water may reduce their risk of being plump by as much as a third."Drinking fountains won't solve the obesity epidemic, but they could be effective components of the solution," says study co-author Rebecca Muckelbauer, a nutritionist at the Research Institute of Child Nutrition Dortmund in Dortmund, Germany. Muckelbauer and her colleagues studied the water-drinking habits of nearly 3,000 second and third graders attending schools in the neighboring cities of Dortmund and Essen during the 2006-2007 academic year. At the beginning of the school year, the researchers had water fountains installed in 17 of the schools and worked with teachers to implement educational programs to promote water drinking. (In contrast to U.S. schools, few German schools actually have water fountains, according Muckelbauer). The researchers surveyed the children about their drinking habits and measured their heights and weights at the beginning and end of the school year. Over the school year, children in the schools given fountains upped their water consumption from about three to four cups per day, while those in the other schools continued to drink an average of three cups daily. Over the course of the study, the number of overweight children increased from 384 to 385 out of 1,641 (23.4 to 23.5 percent) at the schools with fountains; in contrast, the number of fat kids at the other schools jumped from 339 to 364 out of 1,309 (25.9 percent to 27.8 percent), Muckelbauer says.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
ITS COLD OUTSIDE!!!!
Winter has arrived and it is cold outside, so lets keep it outside , ok.I have a few tips for keeping your pipes from freezing during this type of weather.
During Freezing Weather:
* Keep meter box lids closed
Do not open your meter box, as injuries can result from lids which are not properly secured. Also, cold air can freeze the meter. It you notice a meter box lid which is not properly secured, please call your water company and they will repair it.
* Make sure heat reaches your pipes
If your pipes are enclosed in a cabinet under the bathroom or kitchen sink, leave the doors open so heat can get in.
* Keep a trickle of water running
During periods of low usage and particularly on sub-zero nights, keep a trickle of water running from the faucet highest in the home. This trickle should be a steady stream the size of the lead in a pencil.
If You Have A Frozen Pipe:
* If you do not know the location of the problem, call Your Public Utilities
They will check to see if you have water available at the meter. If the water is frozen at the water meter, they will correct the problem. If not, the problem is in your household plumbing and it is your responsibility to correct it.
* Wait for the pipes to thaw
If you have some running water, the safest and cheapest thing to do is wait for the frozen pipes to thaw.
* Never use an open flame
Never try to thaw a pipe with a flame, because you may start a fire. I great tool for thawing a pipe is to take the lamp shade off a lamp and position the bulb about 1 inches from the frozen area, Bulbs emit a lot of heat and this will thaw the pipe.Never leave this lamp unattended!
* Call a plumberIf all else fails, call a plumber and get professional assistance.
During Freezing Weather:
* Keep meter box lids closed
Do not open your meter box, as injuries can result from lids which are not properly secured. Also, cold air can freeze the meter. It you notice a meter box lid which is not properly secured, please call your water company and they will repair it.
* Make sure heat reaches your pipes
If your pipes are enclosed in a cabinet under the bathroom or kitchen sink, leave the doors open so heat can get in.
* Keep a trickle of water running
During periods of low usage and particularly on sub-zero nights, keep a trickle of water running from the faucet highest in the home. This trickle should be a steady stream the size of the lead in a pencil.
If You Have A Frozen Pipe:
* If you do not know the location of the problem, call Your Public Utilities
They will check to see if you have water available at the meter. If the water is frozen at the water meter, they will correct the problem. If not, the problem is in your household plumbing and it is your responsibility to correct it.
* Wait for the pipes to thaw
If you have some running water, the safest and cheapest thing to do is wait for the frozen pipes to thaw.
* Never use an open flame
Never try to thaw a pipe with a flame, because you may start a fire. I great tool for thawing a pipe is to take the lamp shade off a lamp and position the bulb about 1 inches from the frozen area, Bulbs emit a lot of heat and this will thaw the pipe.Never leave this lamp unattended!
* Call a plumberIf all else fails, call a plumber and get professional assistance.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Islands need more water
Residents urged to conserve water
By Star-Bulletin staff
POSTED: 12:26 p.m. HST, Dec 27, 2008
The Honolulu Board of Water Supply is urging residents to conserve water because the reservoirs are depleted from the power outage.
“They can not refill the reservoirs until they have power back because their pumps are electrically run,” Board of Water Supply officials said in a written statement. “Because HECO is unclear about how long it will take for all of Oahu to be back up, and fully operational, they want to request that Hawaii Kai to Salt Lake, especially in the lower elevations, really conserve their water. Even when power if fully restored the system will not be back to normal and they are estimating that this conservation should last through the weekend.”
Su Shin, spokeswoman for the board, said if residents have no water, they can call 748-5010 and a water wagon will be sent to the area.
The Honolulu Board of Water Supply is urging residents to conserve water because the reservoirs are depleted from the power outage.
“They can not refill the reservoirs until they have power back because their pumps are electrically run,” Board of Water Supply officials said in a written statement. “Because HECO is unclear about how long it will take for all of Oahu to be back up, and fully operational, they want to request that Hawaii Kai to Salt Lake, especially in the lower elevations, really conserve their water. Even when power if fully restored the system will not be back to normal and they are estimating that this conservation should last through the weekend.”
By Star-Bulletin staff
POSTED: 12:26 p.m. HST, Dec 27, 2008
The Honolulu Board of Water Supply is urging residents to conserve water because the reservoirs are depleted from the power outage.
“They can not refill the reservoirs until they have power back because their pumps are electrically run,” Board of Water Supply officials said in a written statement. “Because HECO is unclear about how long it will take for all of Oahu to be back up, and fully operational, they want to request that Hawaii Kai to Salt Lake, especially in the lower elevations, really conserve their water. Even when power if fully restored the system will not be back to normal and they are estimating that this conservation should last through the weekend.”
Su Shin, spokeswoman for the board, said if residents have no water, they can call 748-5010 and a water wagon will be sent to the area.
The Honolulu Board of Water Supply is urging residents to conserve water because the reservoirs are depleted from the power outage.
“They can not refill the reservoirs until they have power back because their pumps are electrically run,” Board of Water Supply officials said in a written statement. “Because HECO is unclear about how long it will take for all of Oahu to be back up, and fully operational, they want to request that Hawaii Kai to Salt Lake, especially in the lower elevations, really conserve their water. Even when power if fully restored the system will not be back to normal and they are estimating that this conservation should last through the weekend.”
Monday, December 15, 2008
Is Hovnanian Builders on the Naughty List for Xmas?
DID HOVNANIAN RUN AWAY FROM WATER PROBLEMS??
The L.A. Times says they did.After only building 35 homes in an estimated 425 home development outside Lancaster, The developer stopped building homes and "beat feet" outa there!!Why would Hovananian run away from a project?
Well it was started without enough water pressure or supply to finish the project, Now home owners are up in arms.How would a developer agree and pursue the job without first testing and re-assuring that water supply was there to meet the demand for the houses? Its beyond me.
Read on,
Upset over water shortages and unfinished development, residents of the community are suing the developer for fraud, negligence and breach of contract.
By Ann M. Simmons December 15, 2008 :
The first sign of trouble came almost immediately after Kurt and Michelle Dahlin moved into Lancaster's new Westview Estates in March 2007.The water slowed to a trickle midway through showering. The toilet tank took two hours to refill.
The family often was forced to bathe at 4 a.m. -- before the neighbors awoke and the water flow became a dribble. Some days, there was no water at all.
Things only got worse as more homeowners moved into the gated community on the outskirts of Lancaster. Complaints to New Jersey-based developer K. Hovnanian Homes, Los Angeles County water officials and Lancaster city representatives were met with excuses and finger-pointing, residents said in interviews.
In September 2007, the developer halted construction after building only 35 of the 425 homes originally planned. Of those, just 23 were sold.A fight immediately ensued over who was to blame for stopping the development.
The families who remain in Westview are angry. Residents said they thought they were buying into a luxury community in a coveted residential enclave. What they got was a suburban ghost town, with vacant homes and windblown tumbleweeds sweeping across empty lots.
"Our position is that these homes should never have been sold," said Jamie Duarte, an attorney representing the Westview homeowners in suing K. Hovnanian Homes for fraud, negligence and breach of contract. The lawsuit alleges the developer knew of the water deficiencies but failed to disclose them.
Read whole story on this link:http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-me-westview15-2008dec15,0,4786612.story
The L.A. Times says they did.After only building 35 homes in an estimated 425 home development outside Lancaster, The developer stopped building homes and "beat feet" outa there!!Why would Hovananian run away from a project?
Well it was started without enough water pressure or supply to finish the project, Now home owners are up in arms.How would a developer agree and pursue the job without first testing and re-assuring that water supply was there to meet the demand for the houses? Its beyond me.
Read on,
Upset over water shortages and unfinished development, residents of the community are suing the developer for fraud, negligence and breach of contract.
By Ann M. Simmons December 15, 2008 :
The first sign of trouble came almost immediately after Kurt and Michelle Dahlin moved into Lancaster's new Westview Estates in March 2007.The water slowed to a trickle midway through showering. The toilet tank took two hours to refill.
The family often was forced to bathe at 4 a.m. -- before the neighbors awoke and the water flow became a dribble. Some days, there was no water at all.
Things only got worse as more homeowners moved into the gated community on the outskirts of Lancaster. Complaints to New Jersey-based developer K. Hovnanian Homes, Los Angeles County water officials and Lancaster city representatives were met with excuses and finger-pointing, residents said in interviews.
In September 2007, the developer halted construction after building only 35 of the 425 homes originally planned. Of those, just 23 were sold.A fight immediately ensued over who was to blame for stopping the development.
The families who remain in Westview are angry. Residents said they thought they were buying into a luxury community in a coveted residential enclave. What they got was a suburban ghost town, with vacant homes and windblown tumbleweeds sweeping across empty lots.
"Our position is that these homes should never have been sold," said Jamie Duarte, an attorney representing the Westview homeowners in suing K. Hovnanian Homes for fraud, negligence and breach of contract. The lawsuit alleges the developer knew of the water deficiencies but failed to disclose them.
Read whole story on this link:http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-me-westview15-2008dec15,0,4786612.story
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Drought parches much of the U.S., may get worse
By John Blake CNN,
The value of water is starting to become apparent in America. Over the past three years a drought has affected large swaths of the country, and conflicts over water usage may become commonplace in the future, climatologists say.
"Our focus is oil, but the critical need for water is going to make water the most significant natural resource that we're going to have to worry about in the future," says Larry Fillmer, executive director of the Natural Resources Management & Development Institute at Auburn University in Alabama.
At least 36 states expect to face water shortages within the next five years, according to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. According to the National Drought Mitigation Center, several regions in particular have been hit hard: the Southeast, Southwest and the West. Texas, Georgia and South Carolina have suffered the worst droughts this year, the agency said.
Yet most people don't need a federal agency to tell them there's a water shortage. Plenty of cities have implemented water bans while state squabbles over water usage are common in some regions. What may surprise people, though, are the causes for the recent drought.
It's not global warming, some climatologists say. The droughts are caused by rapid population growth and unwise agricultural choices.
John R. Christy, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, says the last three years have been drier than usual in many parts of the United States, but overall there's been no shortage of rainfall. He says the U.S. mainland experienced worse droughts in the 12th and 16th centuries.
"The demand for water has gone up," Christy says. "The demand has skyrocketed in places like California and New Mexico because they've tried to grow crops in deserts."
Even drought conditions in the Southeast can't be blamed on a shortage of rainfall, Christy says. The region's water delivery systems can't keep pace with the growth, he says.
The value of water is starting to become apparent in America. Over the past three years a drought has affected large swaths of the country, and conflicts over water usage may become commonplace in the future, climatologists say.
"Our focus is oil, but the critical need for water is going to make water the most significant natural resource that we're going to have to worry about in the future," says Larry Fillmer, executive director of the Natural Resources Management & Development Institute at Auburn University in Alabama.
At least 36 states expect to face water shortages within the next five years, according to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. According to the National Drought Mitigation Center, several regions in particular have been hit hard: the Southeast, Southwest and the West. Texas, Georgia and South Carolina have suffered the worst droughts this year, the agency said.
Yet most people don't need a federal agency to tell them there's a water shortage. Plenty of cities have implemented water bans while state squabbles over water usage are common in some regions. What may surprise people, though, are the causes for the recent drought.
It's not global warming, some climatologists say. The droughts are caused by rapid population growth and unwise agricultural choices.
John R. Christy, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, says the last three years have been drier than usual in many parts of the United States, but overall there's been no shortage of rainfall. He says the U.S. mainland experienced worse droughts in the 12th and 16th centuries.
"The demand for water has gone up," Christy says. "The demand has skyrocketed in places like California and New Mexico because they've tried to grow crops in deserts."
Even drought conditions in the Southeast can't be blamed on a shortage of rainfall, Christy says. The region's water delivery systems can't keep pace with the growth, he says.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
THE RICH KEEP GETTING RICHER!!
NJ AMERICAN WATER GETS WATER RATE INCREASE....
Like they really need it!!
In case you were wondering, the stocks are down 1.6% so far today...
The subsidiary of Voorhees, N.J.-based American Water Works Co. (NYSE:AWK) said average residential customers, who use 7,000 gallons of water a month, will see their monthly bills rise $4.71 to $49.25 from $44.54.
New Jersey American Water also said:
• Customers of what were the Elizabethtown and Mount Holly water systems will see their monthly bills rise $8.37 to $43.92 from $35.55;
• Customers of the former Pennsgrove system will see their monthly bills go up $6.23 to $32.28 from $26.05;
• And customers of the former South Jersey Water Supply Co. will see their monthly bills increase $9.10 to $43.92 from $34.82.
Additionally, New Jersey American Water said the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities granted its request to transition customers in the former Elizabethtown and Mount Holly systems, Harrison, Pennsgrove, Adelphia, Chester Borough and Mount Ephraim from quarterly to monthly billing next year.
New Jersey American Water filed for the rate increase in January. It said the increase reflects the costs of serving its more than 2.5 million people and the investment of more than $325 million to replace and upgrade its infrastructure.American Water is the largest publicly traded owner of water and wastewater systems based in the United States with subsidiaries serving about 15 million people in 32 states and Ontario, Canada.
Like they really need it!!
In case you were wondering, the stocks are down 1.6% so far today...
The subsidiary of Voorhees, N.J.-based American Water Works Co. (NYSE:AWK) said average residential customers, who use 7,000 gallons of water a month, will see their monthly bills rise $4.71 to $49.25 from $44.54.
New Jersey American Water also said:
• Customers of what were the Elizabethtown and Mount Holly water systems will see their monthly bills rise $8.37 to $43.92 from $35.55;
• Customers of the former Pennsgrove system will see their monthly bills go up $6.23 to $32.28 from $26.05;
• And customers of the former South Jersey Water Supply Co. will see their monthly bills increase $9.10 to $43.92 from $34.82.
Additionally, New Jersey American Water said the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities granted its request to transition customers in the former Elizabethtown and Mount Holly systems, Harrison, Pennsgrove, Adelphia, Chester Borough and Mount Ephraim from quarterly to monthly billing next year.
New Jersey American Water filed for the rate increase in January. It said the increase reflects the costs of serving its more than 2.5 million people and the investment of more than $325 million to replace and upgrade its infrastructure.American Water is the largest publicly traded owner of water and wastewater systems based in the United States with subsidiaries serving about 15 million people in 32 states and Ontario, Canada.
Monday, December 8, 2008
WATER IN THE NEWS
Drinking water from the air? Yes that's right!
I new item on the market costs about 1200 bucks and promises to take humid air and turn it into about 13 quarts of fresh drinking water every day.
Kind of like an air conditioner drips the humidity out of the air, this unit will take that water treat it and store it for human consumption... Or at least that's what the company says they will do.
In a new era of drinking water technology these devices will be popping more then ever within the next few years.
I have not tasted any of this water yet, I am curious to see test results from the end product before purchasing a unit.
Remember, air quality differs in the different states we live. So use caution when purchasing a unit where the air quality is poor or unhealthy. Ask manufactures to test a unit at your home before purchasing, and have that water tested by outside firm... not the manufacturer.
See link below.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28003681/
I new item on the market costs about 1200 bucks and promises to take humid air and turn it into about 13 quarts of fresh drinking water every day.
Kind of like an air conditioner drips the humidity out of the air, this unit will take that water treat it and store it for human consumption... Or at least that's what the company says they will do.
In a new era of drinking water technology these devices will be popping more then ever within the next few years.
I have not tasted any of this water yet, I am curious to see test results from the end product before purchasing a unit.
Remember, air quality differs in the different states we live. So use caution when purchasing a unit where the air quality is poor or unhealthy. Ask manufactures to test a unit at your home before purchasing, and have that water tested by outside firm... not the manufacturer.
See link below.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28003681/
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