This short documentary on contaminants that have been found in drinking water. The film also includes underwater videos of tank inspections and divers cleaning water storage tanks.  Many water system managers do not understand the importance of keeping water storage tanks clean. 

There have been new microbiological threats that have recently been found in public water systems.  We explore how keeping water storage tanks & towers free of sediment greatly reduces that threat, and may also help to prevent violations under EPA rules.

Municipal water tanks and towers are the last stop water makes before being served at your tap. Sediment creates a habitat where microbes can hide from treatment chemicals and thrive. The AWWA recommends that tanks be cleaned every 3 to 5 years or as needed.  However, due to many states not specifically requiring cleanings, many utility managers focus on meeting only the challenges that are regulated.  

This film explains how sediment on the floor of a water storage tank is a “Broken Barrier”, that can allow bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and multi-cellular parasites to get a foothold in municipal water storage tanks, grow leaving systems at risk of contamination and creating a treat to public health. 


There is a danger lurking in americas drinking water supply

Ryan Bijan 
Ryan is the director and editor of this film. he is an award-winning Video director, producer, and Narrator. Ryan has a degree in Film/TV/ Digital Media with a minor in Journalism from Texas Christian University. Ryan has been a report writer and video producer for Ron Perrin Water Technologies, Inc. since 2015. Some of his films can be seen at http://www.taptalk.blog.

Ron Perrin
President of Ron Perrin Water Technologies, Inc.
I am the producer and co-editor for this film. With roles both in front of and behind the camera. 

Since 1992, I have been involved with the inspection and cleaning of municipal potable water storage tanks, serving over 500 utilities in Texas and six other states. I am a former Master Peace Officer and Security Consultant, licensed in the state of Texas. 

I was one of the first to develop diving potable water tanks as a cleaning method in Texas by originating a company called TDI (Tank Diver Inspections) in 1992. By 1994, I had become one of the original principals at U.S. Underwater Services. At U.S. Underwater Services, I served as Director of Marketing and was promoted to Director of Operations during his last year at the company. 

In 1997, I established Ron Perrin Water Technologies. The company use’s Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) to inspect water storage tanks.  To date, Ron Perrin Water Technologies has inspected over 8,000 water storage tanks. The methods I have developed to inspect and clean potable water storage tanks and towers have saved millions of gallons of treated drinking water annually and have improved the quality in hundreds of water systems.  Ron Perrin Water Technologies Incorporated in 2020.

Our Cast & Crew

Len Pardee Former USEPA Region 6 Drinking Water Chief
Ron Perrin Water Technologies, Inc. Environmental Compliance Officer and Tank Inspector
Len retired form the United States Environmental Protection Agency after a 34-year career. During that time he worked on many water regulations and was at one time overall drinking water regulations in Region 6 (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico). before getting promoted to Air Quality.  Len has a unique perspective on municipal water tanks thinking they would be clean and shiny on the inside like a milk truck for his entire time with the USEPA only to be disappointed when he saw the interior of water tanks after he retired and became a water tank inspector. 

Robert Perrin Vice-President and Safety Manager of Ron Perrin Water Technologies, Inc.
Responsible for tank inspection report writing and making sure all OSHA safety regulations
are followed. Certified. Kirby Morgan Diving Equipment Technician. 

Dr Christopher Parker PHD Associate Professor of Microbiology, Department Chair
Texas Wesleyan University. 
Dr. Parker’s research interests lie in the relationships formed between microorganisms and their environment. Specifically, his research revolves around strategies that may be used by bacteria to sense and respond to environmental signals.  One project focuses on the role of leucine-responsive regulatory protein (Lrp) in controlling a pair of closely linked genes implicated in stress response and signal sensing. His other research interests involve the study of microbiomes of various environmental conditions and how those communities change over time

Saeed Samavat  Sr. Microbiologist/Water Quality Specialist Sr. Microbiologist/Water Quality Specialist City of Fort Worth City for over 20 years.
 
Jeff Brown Director of Student Services at The Ocean Corporation 15 years
 Graduated from the University of Rochester. 

Established in 1968, The Ocean Corporation is the oldest Commercial Diving School in Texas.They offer both a DIVER  and ROV educational program. 
10840 Rockley Road, Houston, Texas. 

Ron Perrin Water Technologies Commercial Divers: 

Edwin Hernandez Commercial Diver/photographer and Crew Chief 2018 - Present
Joe Reily Commercial Diver 
Joshua Villareal Commercial Diver

Victor Woodward  Dive Tender Ron Perrin Water Technologies, Inc.  2018 - 2022.



We are a professional diving company that inspects and cleans water towers for a living

In 1990, the EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) cited drinking water contamination as one of the most important environmental risks and indicated that disease-causing microbial contaminants (i.e., bacteria, protozoa, and viruses) are probably the greatest remaining health risk management challenge for drinking water suppliers (USEPA/SAB, 1990). 

Unfortunately, they were right and if anything our nation's drinking water supply has gotten worse, not better.  Ron Perrin has been a leader in the underwater inspection and cleaning of municipal water storage tanks and towers. This film documents some of what he has seen over his 30+ year career. We take a close look at municipal drinking water storage from the inside out. The film also talks to former EPA drinking water officials, microbiologists, and academics to understand the microbiological threats to drinking water in the USA. 

Out of Sight and Out of Mind: What is in your drinking water?

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Out of Sight and Out of Mind: What is in your drinking water?

Short Film

Events

Events

Images

Details

Credits

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Director

Editor

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