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Should
the Mohave Water Agency water be treated before it enters the Ames
Basin acquifers?
The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated the final Ground
Water Rule (GWR) in October 2006 to reduce the risk of exposure to
fecal contamination that may be present in public water systems that
use ground water sources. EPA proposed the GWR on May 10, 2000 (65
Federal Register 30194). The rule establishes a risk-targeted strategy
to identify ground water systems that are at high risk for fecal
contamination. The GWR also specifies when corrective action (which
may include disinfection) is required to protect consumers who receive
water from ground water systems from bacteria and viruses.
Bighorn wants to import water from the Mohave Water Agency, dump it
directly in a replenishing pond, and recharge the Ames Basin.
Bighorn then wants to pump water to Yucca Valley's Warren Basin and
blend the contaminated water with the Ames Basin acquifers.
Several
problems may arise. First, if the Mohave Water Agency's water is
indeed contaminated as the E.S. Babcock water analysis indicates,
Bighorn will be dumping contaminated water into the Mesa's clean
water, thereby contaminating the Ames Basin.
EPA documentations can be found
HERE.
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