Senate Bill 555, which requires large urban water utilities to file water loss audits, will go into effect this October. These water loss audits are designed to improve water supply efficiency in the State. Under the law large utilities are defined as urban water utilities treating more than 3,000 acre-feet of water annually or with more than 3,000 connections, which means 410 California utilities are subject to the law.
FSMA Final Rule on Produce Safety: Understanding the Importance of Water Testing Requirements
Happy International Women’s Day!
Today people around the globe are celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievement of women. We at Babcock Labs are proud that our company strives for equal opportunity and gender equity. Women make up more than half of our workforce, including our management team. This is unique for a STEM company and something to be proud of, as women still remain underrepresented in the science and engineering workforce at large in the United States.
A Sinking Feeling: Over-Pumping CA Groundwater
The immense importance of proper groundwater recharge was recently confirmed by NASA, who released data earlier this month showing that parts of California are quite literally sinking due to the over-pumping of groundwater. Among other effects, over-pumping groundwater aquifers can cause the soil to collapse and compact, causing the land to subside and, in the case of California’s San Joaquin Valley, jeopardizing water infrastructure that serves millions of people.
EPA UCMR4 Environmental Laboratory Testing
Babcock Laboratories, Inc. is in the process of becoming fully certified for UCMR4! We have been approved by the U.S. EPA to participate in Proficiency Testing (PT) and currently have PTs in house. After successful participation in the EPA’s PT studies for all UCMR4 methods, Babcock Labs will receive approval upon finalization of the rule.
Rain on the Parade: Drought Endures in Southern California
California’s unexpected winter storms replenished the Sierra snowpack and filled reservoirs, allowing more than 40% of the State to emerge from one of the worst droughts in its recorded history. While this news should be cause for celebration, recent data from the U.S. Drought Monitor rains on the parade. According to federal officials, vast areas of Southern and Central California remain locked in extreme drought conditions.