Amid rampant growth, D.C. region and other metropolitan areas face 'freshwater salinization syndrome' that may become irreversible, researchers say.
nearly 4,000 years ago."It affects our food, our drinking water, our air, even.”
So far, that level has not been exceeded in any of the region’s drinking water sources, though area streams and rivers often show amounts that are far higher when road salt is used during the winter, researchers say. For the most part, efforts to raise public awareness have focused on reducing the amount of salt-based de-icers used on roads during cold weather, a step already taken by public works departments responsible for road upkeep.Area officials are also urging neighborhood associations and businesses — who are wary about being sued if someone slips on ice on their property — to use salt judiciously.
They and environmental groups have seized on the argument that new data centers — and roads and parking lots — would have devastating impacts to the watershed by adding urban runoff to the slice of protected agricultural land known as the “Rural Crescent.”Many data centers also use water to keep their machines cool, producing sodium-enriched wastewater that flows into sewers, though the industry has been shifting toward more eco-friendly cooling systems.
Micron, which uses sodium while washing its chips, discharges 2.3 million gallons of wastewater per day, accounting for 14 percent of the sodium in the treated water entering the reservoir. As part of the expansion, Micron plans to increase that amount by 70 percent. After some back and forth — including a complicated proposal to allow Micron to continue at the higher levels during rainier weather — the company agreed to return to 100 milligrams per liter. That took effect in October, a Micron spokeswoman said.Though resolved, the episode illustrates the various economic pressures now placed on drinking water sources in the region, said Phil Allin, chair of Fairfax Water’s board.But the demand for more development is pressing.
“On the other hand, I have folks who deserve a slice of their paradise, their own home, in these locations," he said."And we’re going to do that. It’s a tough decision.” “It’s a wicked problem, man, because you’ve got all these different factors coming into play,” said Grant, whose lab is embarking on federally funded research that, in part, will look at how much sodium in drinking water people can live with — data that will inform discussions on ways to change consumer behaviors with respect to salt.
With the Accotink, Virginia’s DEQ decided to create a “total maximum daily load”, or TMDL, limit for chloride after a federal judgeFairfax County and the Virginia Department of Transportation — who bothover the issue — argued it would be unreasonably expensive and impractical to try to control the flow of storm water.
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