A Group of Concerned Citizens Was Worried That Their Local

Multiple Choice

A group of concerned citizens was worried that their local water supply might be contaminated with naturally occurring arsenic. They decided to purchase a home arsenic monitoring kit and tested well water in their local area. After analyzing the data (shown below) , the citizens wrote a letter to the editor of a local newspaper arguing that their data proved that the water supply is contaminated. They demanded immediate government action to address the problem. The local water board again tested the wells using their official water testing instruments and found average concentrations of 8.1 +/- 0.2 micrograms per liter. Assume the water board's reported measurements are the accepted value. The maximum permitted level of arsenic in water supplies is 10 micro-grams per liter.

-Which of the following water board actions is most appropriate under the circumstances?

A) Shut down the wells because they are unsafe.
B) Test the same sample using both testing systems.
C) Ignore the citizens complaints after the retesting.
D) Test a third complete set of sample just to make sure the water is safe.
Emission testing is required by federal law in areas that have had problems meeting health-based air quality standards. Such areas typically include industrialized urban areas and large cities. Supporters of this practice argue that all citizens benefit because vehicles with malfunctioning pollution control systems are identified. They also cite government data showing average failure rates of 10%. Critics of the testing argue that, of those vehicles that fail, 90% are vehicles 5 or more years old. A law has been placed on the ballot to save citizens money by no longer requiring vehicles less than 5 years old be tested unless they are obviously malfunctioning.