Should Asheville Continue Flouridation of Drinking Water?

The debate over the pro's & con's of flouridating drinking water is about to get some new life. The Environmental Protection Agency in cooperation with the US Department of Health and Human Services have announced a re-assessment of policy on this highly controversial subject.The agency's will recommend a new standard for recommended levels that will, in most cases be lower than the national average. The recommendation will be for a maximum level of 0.7 milligrams per liter vs the current acceptable "range" standard of 0.7-1.2 milligram.

Asheville's 2009 Water Quality Report shows fluoride levels of between 0.7 & 1.0 ppm depending on the source; I.E. Mills River Station or the North Fork station.It also indicates an acceptable level of as much as 4ppm which is well above levels that will cause negative health effects. Flourosis is known to occur at levels of 1.0 or greater.

One thing is certain, the announcement will be fuel for both side of the health risks vs health benefits debate. Proponents will surely argue this as evidence for fluoridation while opponents will surely see it as an action taken to lower potential of known risks and thereby lend justification to there point of view.

Which side of the fence are you on?

AP

www.AskAquaPro.com
AquaPro@AskaquaPro.com 
www.AquaEnvi.org 
www.AshevilleGreenPlumbing.com
AskAsheville - Asheville Twitter - Asheville Blog - Asheville Videos - Asheville Social Media

Asheville has great water; but will this always be the case!

41 country's abstain from safe water

The United States abstains from declaring safe water and sanitation as a basic human right under UN resolution. To much to loose?

Asheville has has some of the healthiest fresh water reservoirs in the country and we take for granted that this will always be the case. Don't be so certain! 

Today is a day worth noting in human history. A non-binding UN resolution was passed today that proclaims safe water and sanitation as basic human rights. I have long been an advocate for declaring safe water as a basic human right; along with the other two necessities for sustaining life- safe food & safe air. It’s the trinity of survival; Air, Water, Food; everything else is non-essential. I believe that this trinity of survival should be an inalienable right for all human beings; regardless of cost or degree of challenge. 

41 county’s including the United States chose to abstain. I am eager to hear the reasoning behind the decisions. I would venture to make an educated guess and preempt the coming disclosures as being politically motivated on behalf of the citizens. They will proclaim inadequacies and lack of clearly defined rolls and responsibilities governments. The reasons will be relative to potential liabilities, costs and burdens. What you won’t hear is how they don’t want to loose their rights to sell water or relinquish control of it for profit and power. UN record of vote Introducing a draft resolution on the human right to water and sanitation (document A/64/L.63/Rev.1), the representative of Bolivia said that human right had not been fully recognized: read more

AP

www.AskAquaPro.com   
www.AquaEnvi.org 
www.AshevilleGreenPlumbing.com
AquaPro@AskaquaPro.com

AERC of Asheville; Creating Champions of Conservation

There is a new breed of soldier taking the frontlines in the battle to protect our natural resources. These well trained, highly skilled soldiers are armed with the latest technological advancements. They demonstrate an unyielding commitment to their cause and a lifelong dedication to protect the communities they serve. They seek no personal glorification for their actions and take great pride in their place within our society. These foot soldiers are not strangers to hard work. They have chosen a path of little glory and are often under-appreciated until called upon in times of urgent need. They are our neighbors and our friends. They are men and women of all colors, creeds, religions and nationalities; off all ages and from all walks of life. They are here to serve and protect. They are the new frontlines of consumer environmental education. There is a name for these braves Champions of Conservation; they are called "GreenPlumbers".

We are approaching a new horizon for an industry that generally gets little attention and has received little recognition for its contributions to success and advancement of our nation. Indeed a new age is dawning and with it the rise of a new breed of environmental champion, a new hope for the preservation of precious resources;
The GreenPlumber

The AERC of Asheville is a certified regional training facility for GreenPlumbers USA; an internationally recognized accreditation and licensing non-profit organization.
The AERC has partnered with GreenPlumbers USA and will offer core curriculum accreditation courses at their facility in West Asheville beginning in July 2010. The core curriculum training includes advanced technical training in 5 categories of environmental stewardship.

- Caring For Our Water
- Climate Care
- Solar Thermal Technology
- Water Efficient Technology
- Inspection Report Services

The course has been added to the fall AB Tech colander as part of the Community Colleges Technical & Industrial Advancement Curriculum.

For additional information on summer 2010 enrollment opportunities contact:
Aqua Environmental Resource Center

Phone: 828-236-5980
Email: info@aquaenvi.org
Website: www.AquaEnvi.org

AP

www.AskAquaPro.com AquaPro@AskaquaPro.com  www.AquaProSolutions.com,  www.AshevilleGreenPlumbing.com,






AskAsheville - Asheville Twitter - Asheville Blog - Asheville Videos - Asheville Social Media

Asheville Water could make common skin problems worse

If you have Eczema you need to get the chlorine out of your water!Chlorine is a toxic chemical with know health effects. It is also the preferred method for controlling bacteria and other potentially dangerous pathogens in Asheville water supply.

Our skin is our body’s number one defense against germs. The largest organ of the human body, it is a protective layer that keeps us healthy and protects our internal organs. There are so many factors that affect the health and condition of our skin. Eczema can make this even challenging because the moisture that we need isn’t produced as it should be.

There are a lot of external factors that affect an eczema flare up such as weather, lotions, makeup, soap, and laundry detergent. One factor that you may not realize that is so harmful to your skin condition is Chlorinated water. Most, if not all, municipally supplied water is treated with chlorine. Chlorine however is hurting us and not helping our water.

Here are some of the effects of chlorine on our skin and eczema.

First and foremost, chlorine dries out your skin. This is especially bad for people who have eczema because their skin already is dry and has hard time maintaining natural moisture. It can also dry out your hair as well. Swimming pools have a lot of chlorine in them to ward off bacteria If you’ve and spent much time in a pool or hot tub you know that dried out itchy feeling that is so common afterward.

There isn’t as much concentrated chlorine in your bathing water, however over time the chlorine’s effects take does damage to your skin because the levels of chlorine are still pretty high. After showering you can feel itchy, dry, and notice a rash. This is an uncomfortable feeling to have every day.

Showering is even more harmful than swimming in a chlorine treated pool. The hot water from your shower opens your pores, to cleanse, but the toxic gases caused from the steam and heat is easily absorbed by your skin; and even worse still you breathe it in, which is a direct transfer to your bloodstream. In addition to drying you out, you can prematurely develop wrinkles. To ease the itching feeling after your shower, you can use lotions or eczema oil to alleviate the irritation and bring some moisture back. There is also an option to install chlorine free shower-heads. Chlorine free water is the best defense against atopic dermatitis and wrinkles.

There are other harmful effects of chlorine in the water you bathe in and the water you drink. Chlorine is used to fight off bacteria in our water, yet it causes so many other detrimental health problems. In addition to causing atopic dermatitis or making it worse, it has also been known to cause cancer. If you drink tap water that has been treated with chlorine you run the risk of hurting your bladder, stomach, and breasts. It can also really flare up asthma attacks which are commonly associated with eczema. Chlorine, over time, will damage cell tissues.

Get the Chlorine out of your water an you will see improvement in the health of your skin, hair and overall wellness. You will be glad you did.
AP

www.AskAquaPro.com


AquaPro@AskaquaPro.com 


H2oEasy.com  AquaProSolutions.com  AquaEnvi.org  AshevilleGreenPlumbing.com,


AskAsheville - Asheville Twitter - Asheville Blog -
Asheville Videos - Asheville Social Media

Aqua Environmental Resource Center launches EPA Fix Leak Week event

In case you haven't heard, the AERC of Asheville has begun a scheduled week long community awareness campaign.
Fix a Leak Week is an annual EPA program that focuses on helping homeowners understand the importance of monitoring for & repairing leaks in their home.

The average home in the US wastes more than 10,000 gallons of water a year due to minor leaks. Dripping faucets, leaky garden hoses, water heater relief valves are all commonly overlooked sources of unnecessary water loss. Probably the biggest culprit in any home is the toilet. A toilet can leak as much as
7000 gallons in a month without you even knowing it. These silent leaks go on for months until you receive an unexpected increase in your water bill; and the water department won't help. If the leak is inside the home, where it could have been detected, they won't adjust the bill. If your toilet has an audible leak you could be loosing 25,000 gallons a month or more.

One of these leak sources is occurring, right now in 1 out of every 10 homes in the US.
There are many ways to improve water efficiency in your home. First we need to start with the obvious things, then we can move to more exotic and creative ways of conservation. 

The AERC will offer some simple hands on minor home repair training classes during Fix a Leak Week. Be sure to stop by the center or contact us for details.


There are a lot of fun and exciting things happening at the AERC this week so stayed tuned for more updates.

office 828-236-5980
http://www.AquaEnvi.org
AquaPro@AquaEnvi.org

AP

www.AskAquaPro.com
AquaPro@AskaquaPro.com 

www.AquaProSolutions.com, www.AshevilleGreenPlumbing.com,

Infrastructure Repair; A Great Way to Spend Stimulas Funding and Create Jobs In Asheville

I was approached by a colleague this past Friday afternoon. He had been on a hike a few days prior in the area of Swannanoa where the chronic leak I have reported on is located. He informed me of his discovery of an additional and much larger leak just a short distance further through the woods. I went to this location and indeed he had found a leak of much greater concern; or so it appears. I have contacted Asheville Water Maintenance and informed them of the discovery. They were going to investigate today and do a follow up thereafter to keep me posted on the matter.

Typically in a situation of this nature I would do some simple testing of the water to verify whether or not it is municipal water or a fresh water spring. It would not be unusual for a spring to have found it's way along the underside e of a pipe this size. The previous several years of drought conditions and recent influx of water from the heavy snows we have experienced this winter could have contributed to this scenario. I did not test the water for chlorine (the tell tale signature chemical in our city water supply) and instead contacted the maintenance department to investigate. I expect to hear from them within a day and we will know their findings.

Regardless of what they report, when we know leaks of this nature are very common on infrastructure as old as the systems in these mountains and many others places across the country; why don't we see extensive infrastructure repair with stimulus funds? We certainly hear this idea expressed in the media. It has been a topic in President Obama's public position. What is being done with all this money? There are lots of local folks in need of  work, and this kind spending would create jobs in many areas of the market. Manufacturing, distribution, transportation, sales, management, food, labor and more would all benefit from the spending of money on infrastructure repair and upgrading. This would be good for the country, good for the people and makes complete sense for supporting a growing population.

What I know is that we lose much more water from leaking infrastructure than we do from inefficient everyday use, so if we're going to preach water conservation we need to look at the big stuff along with the little stuff; otherwise we're never going to get it right.

What do you think?

AP

www.AskAquaPro.com
AquaPro@AskaquaPro.com 

AskAsheville - Asheville Twitter - Asheville Blog -
Asheville Videos - Asheville Social Media

Asheville Water Experts - AquaPro Solutions

Hello, I am Chris Hanson; Founder of AquaPro Solutions LLC, Founder H2O Easy Water Quality Products, Volunteer Dir of Education @ AERC.


AquaPro Solutions LLC (APS); Parent company of H2O Easy water Quality Products, Aqua Environmental resource Center (AERC), and Asheville Green Plumbing (AGP) on 46 New Leicester Hwy, Asheville, NC.

The key people involved in this business are:
Kelly Hanson, CEO AquaPro Solutions LLC, Jason Rector, Dir of Sales AquaPro Solutions, Davie Robinson Dir of Operations AquaPro & General Manager Asheville Green Plumbing, Peter Bartolomeo Service Manager Asheville Green Plumbing

-AquaPro Solutions LLC and current division therein are the culmination of 18 years of plumbing and water quality service to the Asheville community. We started business in the WNC area in 1991. My favorite things about Asheville and WNC are cultural diversity, beauty and sanctity of these ancient mountains. Asheville and WNC is home for my family; and I think it always will be. AquaPro’s primary goal is to provide for and help improve our community

Businesses in Asheville or WNC that you regularly network with and why:
1. G Social Media for building business relationships.
2. Asheville Chamber of Commerce for building community relationships.

Twenty years ago a local business man that had been in business in Weaverville for 25 years took a chance on my intensions, sold me his business; That was the launching point for what we are today.

The top 3 products we offer and/or sell at our business are:
-Water conservation & efficiency products & services,
- Water filtration & conditioning products
- Environmentally conscious plumbing services

We also provide Community education and awareness services.

AquaPro Solutions LLC
Divisions of: Aqua Environmental Resource Center
H2O Easy Water Quality Products
Asheville Green Plumbing
APS- Water Conservation, Purification & Management Products & Solutions
AGP- Plumbing Today For A Better Tomorrow
AERC- Preservation Through Education
H2O Easy- You Know The Waters Clean
AskAquaPro blog- Because Water Matters

46 New Leicester Hwy, Asheville, NC 28806

Website: http://www.aquaprosolutions.com/
Website: http://www.ashevillegreenplumbing.com/
Website: http://www.h2oeasy.com/
Website: http://www.aquaenvi.org/
Blog- http://www.askaquapro.com/

Email: info@aquaprosolutions.com
Email: AquaPro@AquaEnvi.org
Email: AquaPro@AskAquaPro.com
Email: info@AshevilleGreenPlumbing.com
Phone #: 828-255-0772


AskAsheville - Asheville Twitter - Asheville Blog -
Asheville Videos - Asheville Social Media