GOOD MONEY: MARKET CRISIS? 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD DO NOW!
Printer-friendly versionGOOD MONEY: Your guide to profitable and socially responsible investing By Judith L. Seid, CFP ® October 1, 2008 (La Mesa) — The crisis on Wall Street caused by the bursting of the real-estate bubble has now lasted 13 months and has caused far more damage than analysts initially forecast. Three of the five biggest American investment banks have failed or been bought since March, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the giant mortgage companies, were effectively nationalized earlier this month. Plunging housing prices have also crimped consumer spending and slowed the overall economy, which has lost 700,000 jobs this year. Even so, investors have generally seemed hopeful that the economy would avoid a full-scale recession. Now that confidence may be fading. Monday September 15th markets opened with the news of Lehman Brothers’ filing for bankruptcy and Merrill Lynch selling to Bank of America, creating a swift sell-off in the market as fears that the crisis in the financial industry could stun the broader economy. Investors drove stocks down almost 5 percent sending the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index to their lowest levels in two years, the biggest one-day point drop since the terrorist attacks in 2001. The panic caused by the major moves in the financial sector led the prices of Treasury bills and notes to soar as investors sought safe places to park their capital. Oil prices dropped sharply on Monday, on concerns that demand for energy would shrink as economies slowed down. Not only do economists and strategists agree that the market volatility is likely to continue for some time, in addition, since this is an election year, markets are likely to remain unpredictable until after the election is decided. This isn’t a fun period for most investors and we suggest you follow these suggestions: Here are “Ten Things You should Do During a Market Crisis:” Stay Calm – Be careful not to make rash decisions due to overwhelming fear or anxiety. If changes are necessary, make them based on a diligent and rational foundation. Check on your insured deposits, like CDs – Have no more than $100k per institution, as this is all that FDIC insurance will protect. Review your overall portfolio allocation – Do you have adequate diversification and an appropriate investment mix for your stage of life and your needs for portfolio income? Take advantage of this opportunity to do tax loss selling – Consult with your trusted financial advisor to see if this is appropriate in your situation. Take advantage of this opportunity to reposition investments – A good time to review and possibly reposition you portfolio is when prices have dropped as your capital gains may be less and capital gains tax rates are still at historic lows. Continue to save and invest – Do not let short term market conditions stop you from putting aside money in your savings and investment plans. Always remember to “pay yourself first” by putting away a minimum of 10% of your income into your 401k’s, Roth-IRA’s, 403b’s, Simple-IRA’s, etc. Do long range financial planning – Make sure you know where you stand and that you have planned for how you will reach your long term financial and lifestyle goals. Evaluate your risk management – Are you adequately insured in the event of an unlikely illness or death? Do you have long term care insurance, adequate life insurance, estate planning documents in place, etc. Have an insurance and estate planning review. Analyze your portfolio to make sure your investments are aligned with your values – You know what your values are…do you know what you own in your portfolio? Be thankful for all the things in your life that are good – Focus on your strong and supportive friend & family relationships because these are more important than money. Judith L. Seid, President and founder of Blue Summit Financial Group, Inc, is a certified financial planner who has actively used Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) for her clients since 1992. She firmly believes that “We can influence corporations to change their policies by avoiding investments in irresponsible companies and by seeking investments in companies with positive practices and products.” Socially responsible investing (SRI) exists for investors looking to use the power of financial investment to create sustainable social change. For more information on Sustainable Investing, contact Judith at Blue Summit Financial Group in La Mesa, (619) 698-4330; www.BLUESUMMITINVEST.com Securities through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. (CIR) a Broker/Dealer – Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisor Representative, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Blue Summit Financial Group, Inc. is not a subsidiary or affiliate of CIR. Printer-friendly version
HEROES HELPING HEROES
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery What can be more heartwarming than a tale of heroes banding together to help victims of two devastating tragedies—East County wildfires and the 9/11 terrorist attacks? On September 11th, the City of La Mesa held a memorial service honoring rescue workers and victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks. The event, held at the City’s 9/11 memorial at a fire station on Dallas St., had special significance for some La Mesa firefighters and others in our community. In a show of thanks to La Mesa emergency personnel who helped in recovery efforts at the World Trade Center, New York City Firefighters came to East County to help local wildfire victims clean up and rebuild – including a La Mesa firefighter who lost his home in the Harris fire. “We had two people from our fire department who were part of California Task Force 8, the urban search and rescue forces,” La Mesa Fire Chief Dave Burke told East County Magazine. La Mesa fire captains Scott Springett and Jeff Beeler (now retired) “worked the pile at the World Trade Center aiding in body recoveries alongside their brothers and sisters from around the country,” he recalled. The heroes of 9/11 not only risked their lives to help in rescue and recovery efforts, but have suffered health problems including respiratory illnesses as a result, he added. Moved by help provided by emergency personnel from around the nation, New York City firefighters formed a nonprofit organization called New York Says Thank You. “They wanted to be able to give back for all the care and support that they received,” Chief Burke said. “So after the [2003]Cedar Fire, they came out on their own time to help people here rebuild.” Then the 2007 Harris fire struck, destroying or damaging thousands more homes in our region. “Dan Lachenbruch, one of our men, lost his home in Rancho Bernardo while he was out fighting the Harris Fire,” Burke recalled. So the New York firefighters journeyed cross country again to help Lachenbruch and other wildfire victims. “They cleared his slab of debris and we had a big barbecue,” Burke said. “He was very touched, and they wanted to give back.” Speakers at this year’s “La Mesa Remembers” service included former Congressman Wadi Deddeh and La Mesa Councilman David Allan, a firefighting professional who proposed the City’s 9-11 monument, which was paid for with private donations. The ceremony also included a non-denominational prayer led by a local pastor and a pair of bagpipers who performed “Amazing Grace” to close the service. Miriam Raftery, editor of East County Magazine, is a 25-year journalist who has won national and local awards for her investigative reporting and community journalism. If you are indicated in syndicating or reprinting this column, please contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org. Printer-friendly version
THE GREENING OF LA MESA – MAYOR ART MADRID SHARES HIS VISION
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery Mayor Madrid (R) with Shane Shaw of E-Village Beneath solar panel display at “Sustain La Mesa” festival Crowds flocked to view cooking demonstrations on solar ovens, visit with solar energy experts, get tips on water-saving landscaping and more at Sustain La Mesa, the City’s first annual Environmental Awareness Festival on September 13th in Harry Griffith Park. “It took me almost a year to get this event,” Mayor Art Madrid told East County Magazine, then shared his vision for a greener La Mesa in the future. La Mesa’s Council voted 3-2 to create the festival. Councilmembers David Allan and Mark Arapostathos voted in favor, Ruth Stirling and Ernie Ewin voted against. “We have a good cross section of people here.” Displays by 21 vendors included private companies selling everything from earthworms to solar panels, environmental organizations such as Sierra Club, agencies such as Helix Water District and even Sempra Energy (parent company of SDG&E) – all touting energy sustainability. The festival’s initial aim was to show the public how much can be accomplished to reduce energy consumption and decrease global warming through simple measures such as changing to low-energy light bulbs and planting trees. A maverick who parts company from the Republican Party platform on key environmental issues, Madrid became the first East County mayor to sign the U.S. Mayors Climate Change agreement and led efforts to create an eleven member Environmental/Sustainable Committee in June 2007. Comprised of six residents and five members from the private and public sectors, the committee’s mission is to advise La Mesa’s City Council and residents on effective means to reduce or eliminate causes that contribute to climate change and reduce their impacts on the environment. Madrid pointed to a cluster of solar panels displayed at the festival. He hopes to persuade E-Village or another solar vendor to donate panels for permanent public demonstration in the park. “If these were in your yard, you could have your meter go backwards,” the Mayor says. “We want to teach people that this is something that could Solar oven happen.” The panels on display can generate 165 watts each. An average house would need about 12 panels to generate 3,500 watts, Shane Shaw of E-Village said. La Mesa’s soon-to-open new police station will be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, the Mayor disclosed. The green building rating, created by the U.S. Green Building Council to certify structures that meet energy efficiency criteria, has now been awarded to more than 14,000 building projects in 50 states and 30 countries. A new La Mesa City Hall, still several years away from construction and completion, will go even further. “It will be totally sustainable,” said Madrid, who aims to have the new civic building powered by solar energy. “California’s Attorney General (Jerry Brown) is on full court press to get all the cities to have general plans that embrace environmental issues,” said Madrid, noting that Brown has sued the City of San Bernadino for failing to meet state-mandated sustainability goals. Madrid, who supports Brown’s efforts, said La Mesa will be revamping its general plan and updating the City’s permitting process to encourage new developments and remodeling projects to be environmentally sustainable. Madrid would also like to see the City create a community garden, similar to what some communities in the South Bay and North County have already done. But La Mesa is fully built out and unlike more rural communities, lacks public land that is both available and not contaminated with hazardous substances from prior usages. But if a private property owner would allow the City to use private land for creation of a public garden for residents to grow fruits and vegetables, Madrid concluded, “We would embrace it.” Miriam Raftery, editor of East County Magazine, is a 25-year journalist who has won national and local awards for her investigative reporting and community journalism. If you are indicated in syndicating or reprinting this column, please contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org. Printer-friendly version
CANDIDATE FORUMS & BALLOT INITIATIVE PRESENTATIONS
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THE CITY OF LA MESA’S FIRST ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS FESTIVAL
Printer-friendly versionTHE CITY OF LA MESA’S FIRST ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS FESTIVAL La Mesa will conduct its First Annual Environmental Awareness “Sustain La Mesa” Festival on: Saturday, September 13, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m. at Harry Griffen Park, 9550 Milden St. A total of 21 booths including education displays, light bulb exchange, recycling of non-hazardous materials, free shopping bags (subject to availability), tree planting workshop, etc., are scheduled. There will also be activities and games for all ages including information and resources on water conservation, energy efficiency, composing, solar cooking, master gardeners and more. On June 12, 2007, the La Mesa City Council created an eleven member Environmental/Sustainable Committee, comprised of six residents and five members from the private and public sectors. Their mission is to advise the Council and residents on the implementation of effective and positive changes in the reduction or elimination of causes that contribute to climate change. The committee has held monthly meetings and devoted a majority of their time to planning the festival and developing tools to help residents, students and the business community become more aware of opportunities to reduce their environmental impact. For more information, visit www.cityoflamesa.com and click on the Environmental Awareness Festival. Printer-friendly version
FUN-FILLED FESTIVALS: SEPT. 12-30th
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery Fall is in the air – the perfect time for an end-of-summer celebration or a visit to East County’s back country towns in the early days of autumn. Find details on these at many other events at our calendar, which covers all communities east of I-15. Julian Apple Days are here! Time to head up to the historic gold rush town for some apple-picking, pie-tasting, and old-fashioned fun, from now through November 1st. There’s a pie-judging contest September 13th and many more activities planned. Take friends and family apple-picking; check out local orchards (some require reservations or have minimum group sizes) at www.julianca.com/orchards/index.htm. Yeehaw! The Golden State Rodeo in Lakeside will be held on September 12-13. The Poway Community Parade and Festival Escondido take place September 13th. You can also enjoy three days of outdoor music by more than 30 bands plus DJs, food, wine-tasting and camping at Ranchita Rocks Concerts, a three-day backcountry event September 12-14 to benefit Defeat Sunrise PowerLink. La Mesa hosts it’s first Environmental Awareness Festival on the 13th. On September 14th, check out the Carmel Mountain Ranch Fall Festival, or enjoy the Celtic Spring Band at the Escondido Performing Arts Center. The Lemon Grove Jazz, Wine and Art event on September 15th costs $35 in advance or $45 at the door. The YMCA in La Mesa hosts a Meet the Pharmacist and Senior Fair on September 18th. On the same date, Escondido hosts the Rods & Woodies Classic Car Show. Watch historical reenactments by costumed participants at Living History Week on Mt. Laguna September 20-21, part of the U.S. Forest Service Centennial Celebration. While in the mountains, savor some toe-tapping music at the Julian Bluegrass Festival September 20-21. Try your luck at the Poway BBQ Casino Night September 10th or saddle up for the Rodeo Trail Ride in Poway on September 11th. The Poway Rodeo September 27-28 includes a Dance on Friday, September 26th. Or take a historic Twilight Train Trip to Tecate, Mexico from the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum in Campo. Farm Education Day and Opening Day of the Pumpkin Patch at Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center on September 27th includes a straw maze, tractor hayride, and farm zoo plus 4H instruction in raising livestock, wool spinning, bee keeping, and organic farming. Other events on the 27th include Wild West BonitaFest and Reader’s Theater in Borrego. If you have an event you wish to have listed, please e-mail details to calendar@eastcountymagazine.org. Printer-friendly version
Register to Vote!
Printer-friendly versionVoter registration drives are being held at several East County locations listed below. You must be registered by October 20th to vote in the November 4th presidential election. Registering in person means you don’t have to worry about forms getting lost in the mail or arriving too late. If you’re not yet registered, you can sign up at any of these upcoming events: Thursday, Sept. 11: Santee Trolley Square, Santee, 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13: Grossmont Center, La Mesa, 12-6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18; Santee Trolley Square, 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20: Grossmont Center, La Mesa, 12-6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25: Santee Trolley Square, 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27: Grossmont Center, La Mesa, 12-6 p.m. October 3-5: Oktoberfest, La Mesa – all day and evening October 17-21: Parkway Plaza, El Cajon, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. weekdays; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday Every Tuesday until Oct. 21: Grossmont College, El Cajon, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Every Tuesday until Oct. 21: Cuyamaca College, El Cajon, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Or go the Registrar of Voters, which will be open until midnight on October 20. (see contact info at the bottom of this article.) You can also register by mail, but allow plenty of time. You fill out a postcard (available at your Post Office, library, Department of Motor Vehicles or Registrar of Voters), mail it in, then wait to receive a form you must sign and return – all before the October 20th deadline. You can also order an online voter registration form (must be mailed back to you for signature). Check to see if you’re registered to vote: www2.sdcounty.ca.gov/rov/Eng/Evoter_query.asp Even if you’ve registered before, the Registrar of Voters cleans its list and regularly drops off people who have moved or not voted recently. Even people who haven’t moved and voted are occasionally dropped in error, so it’s best to check this site and make sure your registration is current—and reregister if you’ve been dropped: You can register to vote in California, if you are: •A U.S. Citizen •A California Resident •At least 18 years of age on or before the next election •Not in prison or on parole for a felony conviction •Not declared mentally incompetent by court action For more information, visit the San Diego County Registrar of Voters website. Address and phone numbers for the Registrar’s office are below: Mailing Address Registrar of Voters P.O. Box 85656 San Diego, CA. 92186-5656 Street Location Registrar of Voters 5201 Ruffin Road, Suite I San Diego, CA. 92123 San Diego County Registrar Voter registration and general information: (858) 565-5800 Printer-friendly version
WATER SHORTAGE REVIVES RECYCLED WATER PROPOSALS
Printer-friendly versionBy E.A. Barrera Photos by Daisy Sharrock October 1, 2008 (SAN DIEGO) – Water is the single biggest issue facing the future of San Diego County. Even the process for updating San Diego County’s land use general plan – the so-called General Plan 2020 process – depends on the availability and amount of water the area will sustain. "Water is everything – it is the lifeblood of this county," said Supervisor Dianne Jacob. "You can’t build without water. The groundwater issue could supercede all other aspects of the GP-2020 process." Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed a statewide drought in June, following two straight years of below-average rainfall, low snowfall runoff and the largest court-ordered water transfer restrictions in state history. "For the areas in Northern California that supply most of our water, this March, April and May have been the driest ever in our recorded history," the Governor said in June. "As a result, some local governments are rationing water, developments can’t proceed and agricultural fields are sitting idle. We must recognize the severity of the crisis we face, so I am signing an Executive Order proclaiming a statewide drought and directing my Department of Water Resources and other entities to take immediate action to address the situation." The Executive Order directs local communities to implement water conservation or potentially, rationing. In the last decade, as Southern California has gone through both periods of drought and abundance of rain, the region has also been rocked by potential changes in the delivery of water. In San Diego County, water is delivered and collected through three primary sources: The Sacramento/San Joaquin River, the Colorado River, and the many reservoirs built within the region. But this is not an equal triad. More than 80 percent of the county’s water currently comes from the Colorado River, with less than 15 percent collected from local sources. "About 65 percent of all the precipitation in California soaks into the ground, evaporates or nurtures trees and plants. The rest is surface runoff that flows into rivers, streams and lakes, according to the Southern California Metropolitan Water District (MWD). Most water supplies in Southern California begin as snowmelt or rainfall that flows into rivers. However, most of that precipitation—75 percent—occurs in the north, while the majority of people live in the south. To alleviate this imbalance, water is imported from one end of the state to the other through aqueducts that are several hundred miles long. The MWD notes both federal and state rules protect the drinking water along its journey. "Several agencies keep an eye on water, even before it reaches a treatment plant. These include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the State Water Resources Control Board, the California Department of Health Services, and of course, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California," states the MWD. California stands to lose 1.2 million acre-feet of water from the Colorado River over the next decade, under the multi-state Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA) governing future water rights from the Colorado River, An acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, or the amount of water needed to cover one acre with water one foot deep. According to the MWD, the average family of four uses about 163,000 gallons of water (about 2,608,000 glassfuls) per year. The recycling treatment of water involves a multi-phase filtration of water, which has nine steps. Both A 1993 study in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and a 1998 pamphlet distributed by the California Water Authority (CWA), describe the process. During the first two steps, the water passes through various screens and sedimentation, including beds of anthracite coal, which removes most suspended solids from the water. According to the CWA, the water at this point is safe for irrigation and other non-drinking uses. However, if the need ever arose to use such water for drinking purposes (such as a sustained drought; a natural disaster; or an unnatural disaster, such as an act of terrorism), additional steps would be taken. After the initial filtration process for agricultural uses had occurred, if the need arose to use such water for human consumption, then the water would be sent through a treatment called "micro filtration." This process further filters out any remaining solids. At that point, water is then run through a procedure called "reverse osmosis," which pumps the water through special membranes whose pours are so tiny, only water molecules or something smaller would be able to pass through. The 1993 NEJM study described the differences in size between water molecules and other molecules by claiming that if a water molecule were the size of a tennis ball, a virus would be the size of a semi-truck, a bacteria the size of a pyramid, and a protozoa the size of a volcano. The NEJM study went on to state that even the molecules of microscopic metals and other inorganic compounds, as well as organic compounds, would be too large to pass through the reverse osmosis membrane. After the reverse osmosis procedure, the water would be further cleaned by introducing "ion exchange," which reduces nitrate concentrations to negligible levels, much as a water softener works. Then the disinfectant "Ozone" would be released into the water for further cleansing. Once this was done, the recycled water would be blended into the surface water reservoirs, where it would be mixed with the raw water supply. From the reservoir, the water would once again be run through the normal filtration process before being distributed to the general public. To drink or not to drink? According to Mike Espiritu, the former Water Quality Superintendent with the Helix Water District, after so much filtration, the recycled water would go into the reservoirs cleaner than the water already there. "There is a public perception problem – the ‘yuk’ factor – that needs to be overcome. This is a very feasible and safe procedure," said Espiritu in 1998, when the CWA was attempting to introduce the possibility of using recycled water as a regular part of
Editor’s Message
Printer-friendly versionDear Readers, Back in the Dark Ages before Internet and cell phones, chatting over the back fence with neighbors was the cool way to get news Think of this site as your virtual back fence: a place to share your views with neighbors all over East County! We started this publication to fill a news void, give voice to people whose voices aren’t being heard in existing media–and show all those beach dwellers and downtown denizens that there actually is life east of I-15. Okay, so we don’t have beaches. Or sand fleas. But we do have beautiful lakes, mountains, and deserts. No coastal fog here — just plenty of sunshine and solar panels sprouting up faster than wildflowers after a spring rain. We don’t have over-the-line tournaments or sandcastle building contests. But we’ve got grape stomps, jazz and bluegrass festivals, rodeos, parades, free concerts, movies in the park, and Indian pow-wows — just a few of this month’s festivals! (See our calendar for more events). Bonus point: No weekend beach traffic jams East of I-15. You can still find vestiges of the Old West in East County, with rural towns proudly celebrating their heritage. San Diego’s eastern region is also home to all 19 Native American tribal reservations in San Diego County. Where else can you find cowboy and Indian museums – as well as tribal-owned resorts, spas, golf courses, casinos, shopping malls and theaters with celebrity entertainers? We’re eager to connect our readers by building a virtual community. Concerned about wildfires, healthcare, land use projects, border issues or other community topics? Have a hot tip on a story we should cover? Let us know. Post your views here. Found a great back roads bistro we should review? Please share! Irked at public officials’ stances or votes? Sound off. (If you don’t know how they voted, or want to contact your elected representatives, check our Citizens Action Center.) Our mission is to build better communities. We’ll profile people making a positive difference, keep you informed about important issues, and cover exciting events beforehand so you can attend with family and friends. Our community resource section and columns offer a wealth of useful tips and info. We also have a wildfire e-mail alert service plus live updates during emergencies – all free, thanks to our generous donors and sponsors. (See our “Donors and Sponsors” section to help support our independent community media and emergency alert services.) Most importantly, please let us know what you think – and what else you’d like to see in our upcoming issues. Miriam Raftery Editor, East County Magazine Posting Guidelines Welcome to the Back Fence Blog, your place in cyberspace to share news and views with neighbors here in San Diego’s eastern region. We respect all viewpoints and encourage participation by everyone in our community. Please keep posts brief and courteous (no name-calling, threats, hate speech, libel or profanity) and respect copyright laws. Comments will be screened to be sure guidelines are followed, so expect a brief delay before seeing remarks posted. If you notice an inappropriate post, please contact webmaster@eastcountymagazine.com or editor@eastcountymagazine.org. Printer-friendly version
Health Tips
Printer-friendly version HUMAN WEST NILE VIRUS CASES REACH FIVE TOTAL SAN DIEGO August 18, 2008 — Another confirmed locally-acquired human case of West Nile virus (WNV) brings the year-to-date total to five—including one patient in East County, according to the County Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA). FDA DECISION ON BPA OUTRAGES HEALTH ADVOCATES FALLS CHURCH, Va., Aug 20, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ —-Scientists, physicians, and children’s health advocates expressed outrage with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) announcement that bisphenol A – the hormone disrupting chemical found in numerous consumer products including can linings and baby bottles – is "safe." In laboratory studies BPA is consistently linked to obesity, developmental problems, risk for heart attack, and breast and prostate cancer. "The FDA’s assessment relies on just two studies which were funded by the American Chemistry Council (ACC: 29.09, -0.10, -0.34%). This ignores dozens of other studies done by independent scientists which have found evidence of health consequences," says Dr. Sarah Janssen, a physician and scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). RECORDS SHOW FDA KNEW OF DISEASED PEPPERS BEFORE OUTBREAK OMAHA, Neb., August 19, 2008 — An Associated Press investigation has found that the Food and Drug Administration was apparently aware that diseased peppers were traveling to the U.S. border from Mexico months before a salmonella outbreak. FDA records show that border inspectors repeatedly turned back dirty and diseased peppers. More than 1,400 people have been sickened by Serrano peppers since April. TYPE 2 DIABETES LINKED TO ARSENIC IN DRINKING WATER MEDICAL RESEARCH NEWS, August 20, 2008 – Researchers in the U.S. say they have found a link between arsenic and diabetes. …The study found levels of arsenic were 26% higher in people with late-onset, or type 2 diabetes than those without the disease. The researchers say U.S. government limits for drinking water are 10 micrograms of arsenic per liter, which is exceeded in the water consumed by 13 million Americans living mostly in rural areas that rely on wells to bring up ground water. Printer-friendly version