Water is the foundation for life.  May 6–12, 2012 is Drinking Water Week. This observance is sponsored each year by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and a number of other organizations and agencies. Following the theme “Water: Celebrate the Essential,” Drinking Water Week provides an opportunity for the public to recognize the vital role that safe water plays in our daily lives.

Learn more about the vital role safe water plays in our lives and what CDC is doing to address challenges to our water supply: http://1.usa.gov/KeQnWb [CDC Current Features]

National Healthy Schools Day celebrates and promotes healthy, green indoor school environments for all children and staff. For more than 10 years, parents, school personnel, advocates and agencies have held National Healthy Schools Day activities nationwide to highlight the importance of clean indoor air in schools.

Visit the National Healthy Schools Day website to find activity suggestions, tools, and more: http://www.nationalhealthyschoolsday.org/

The northeastern United States may see a significant increase in cases of Lyme disease this spring, warns Richard Ostfeld, a disease ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y.

The reason is that oak trees produced relatively few acorns this year, part of a normal cycle of boom and bust years for the acorn crop. But the small crop means trouble for the white-footed mouse, which feeds on the acorns. Mice are the preferred host for black-legged ticks, which transmit Lyme disease. When there are low numbers of mice, the tick may seek alternate hosts.

For more information: http://ow.ly/9UKgt [HealthDay News, March 20, 2012]

More about Lyme Disease at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/lymedisease.html .

International World Water Day is held annually on March 22 as a means of focusing attention on the importance of fresh water and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

The United Nations General Assembly designated the first World Water Day in 1993. Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater; this year’s theme is “Water and Food Security.”

More information and how to be involved: http://ow.ly/9JTCH .

Tests of more than 200 common household products found that the products contain chemicals that research suggests may be linked to asthma and hormone disruption, researchers report.

Products tested included a wide range of household products, such as soaps, lotions, detergents, cleaners, sunscreens, air fresheners, kitty litter, shaving cream, vinyl shower curtains, pillow protectors, cosmetics and perfumes.

Researchers identified 55 chemicals that studies have shown may have health consequences. Among the chemicals detected were various types of phthalates, which have been linked to reproductive abnormalities and asthma; bisphenol A (BPA), which is being phased out of many baby bottles and children’s toys because of concerns about the effect on fetuses and young children; and parabens, which some research suggests may mimic estrogen in the body and have been associated with breast cancer. http://1.usa.gov/x0pOeE [Health Day News]

National Ground Water Awareness Week, an annual observance sponsored by the National Ground Water Association (NGWA), is March 11–17, 2012. The purpose of this observance is to stress how important ground water is to the health of all people and the environment. http://1.usa.gov/cyNdtX [CDC]

Nearly two years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, more than 10,000 cleanup workers and volunteers have enrolled in the National Institutes of Health Gulf Long-term Follow-up (GuLF) STUDY, a national effort to determine if the oil spill led to physical or mental health problems. Reaching the GuLF STUDY’s target goal of 55,000 participants would make it the largest health study of its kind.

For more information,  call the toll-free number at 1-855-NIH-GULF (1-855-644-4853) or visit the GuLF STUDY website at http://www.niehs.nih.gov/gulfstudy/ [DISASTR-OUTREACH-LIB listserv]

HealthMap, a team of researchers, epidemiologists and software developers founded in 2006, utilizes informal sources for disease outbreak monitoring and real-time surveillance of emerging public health threats. The freely available Web site ‘healthmap.org’ and mobile app ‘Outbreaks Near Me’ deliver real-time intelligence on a broad range of emerging infectious diseases for a diverse audience including libraries, local health departments, governments, and international travelers.

For more, including an introductory video called “What is HealthMap?”: http://healthmap.org

The NLM Technical Bulletin recently featured a news item about the redesigned and easier to use TOXNET Mobile site. TOXNET features databases on toxicology, hazardous chemicals, environmental health and toxic releases.

To access TOXNET on your mobile device, use the browser on your mobile device to visit the following URL: http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/pda/.

NLM Technical Bulletin article: http://ow.ly/9jl5o [via Blogadillo post: http://ow.ly/9jlvt ]

Do you live in the Southwest Region of the US?  The newest Tox Town scene, US Southwest, provides good information on the hazards of fracking, uranium tailings, and much more. The complete site , provided by the National Library of Medicine, is also available in Spanish.

Visit the site: http://www.toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/flash/southwest/flash.php .