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Tuesday, September 16, 2008
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Science Blog: "Nanotechnology could be the answer to ensuring a safe supply of drinking water for regions of the world stricken by periodic drought or where water contamination is rife. Writing in the International Journal of Nuclear Desalination, researchers in India explain how carbon nanotubes could replace conventional materials in water-purification systems.
"S. Kar, R.C. Bindal, S. Prabhakar, P.K. Tewari, K. Dasgupta, and D. Sathiyamoorthy of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai, India, explain how new water purification technologies are constantly being investigated but to be viable in the developing world these have to be relatively simple and inexpensive to install, operate, and maintain.
"They have turned to nanostructured, the carbon nanotubes, hollow carbon fibers less than a billionth the thickness of a human hair. The unique chemical properties of carbon nanotubes mean that only very small molecules, such as water molecules can pass along their interiors, whereas viruses, bacteria, toxic metal ions, and large noxious organic molecules cannot.
"The team points out that the smooth and water repellant interior of carbon nanotubes means that a filter based on this technology would be very efficient, allowing a high flow rate of water through the filter without fouling. Importantly, the power needed to drive water through such a system will be low compared to conventional membrane technology."
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
Category: Colorado Water
6:52:38 AM 
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From The Montrose Daily Press on Barack Obama's visit to Colorado yesterday: "Beyond the energy issue, Obama talked about his understanding of the importance of Western water, issues important to rural America and recent news of the nation's economy. Obama voted in favor of the Farm Bill, while Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain voted against every bill in the last 15 years, Ritter said...Obama's support of farming, and the intertwined issue of water, is something [Jayne Bilberry, Montrose County Democratic Party chairwoman] said would appeal to Western Slope voters. 'Water is important to us,' she said. 'Maybe some people think water is not a significiant issue in this campaign, but it is to the people who need it for their farms and to continue their rural livelihood.'"
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
Category: Colorado Water
6:44:49 AM
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The Save the Poudre Coalition is saying that the poll [pdf] over building the Northern Integrated Supply Project and Glade Reservoir was a push poll and therefore the results are in question, according to The Fort Collins Coloradoan. The results were release last week. From the article:
The survey, which was financed by the 15 regional municipalities and water districts that would build NISP through the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, was "a biased push poll" intended to manipulate respondents, said Gary Wockner, spokesman for the Save the Poudre Coalition. Wockner said the poll is "filled with false and grossly misleading information" and fails to mention environmental and economic problems that could be brought on by the project, which would draw water from the Poudre River and store it in Glade Reservoir north of Ted's Place. "It's like telling people about the benefits of nuclear power but not telling them uranium causes cancer," he said. "The push poll is a complete sham."
[Floyd] Ciruli said Monday he followed standard methodologies and techniques in crafting the survey's questions and in interviewing respondents. The survey showed 52 percent of respondents from Larimer County were aware of NISP, he said. A key survey question on NISP was preceded by background information gleaned from media reports on the project and the draft Environmental Impact Statement on NISP, he said. The information was intended to be as neutral as possible. Responses to follow-up statements, to which respondents could agree or disagree, showed strong support for increased water storage and keeping water available for agriculture, he said. The answers were consistent, Ciruli said. "I think if you look at the data, you'll find the people of Weld and Larimer counties are exceptionally well informed on water issues," he said...
Wockner dismissed the results as skewed because of the questions and how they were presented. The random survey of 500 registered voters in Larimer County and 300 in Weld County was conducted in early August. The Larimer County results have a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points, while the margin of error for the smaller Weld County sample is 5.7 percentage points.
We couldn't find the Save the Poudre analysis on their website. Here's an example from Wockner's email sent yesterday:
As just one of dozens of examples of deceit and manipulation in the push poll, the poll's description of NISP/Glade to callers (question 18) - on which all of the push poll's purported results rest - says that NISP/Glade will "store excess water." "It's outrageous to say there's 'excess water in the Poudre," said Wockner. "The Poudre is already severely depleted and sometimes dry from the mouth of the canyon all the way through Fort Collins and out to Greeley. Sixty percent of its water is already drained out. The State of Colorado is considering putting the river on its official 303d list of [OE]impaired waters.'"
For a copy of Gary Wockner's email send email to coyotegulch [AT] mac [DOT com. More Coyote Gulch coverage here, here and here.
Category: Colorado Water
6:31:11 AM
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© Copyright
2008
John Orr.
Last update:
10/1/08; 6:40:23 AM.
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