This morning your grandson called to remind you of the date -- as if you needed a reminder. It is his eighth birthday, and he wants to be sure you are making your “special cake.” Of course you are, you tell him. After you hang up, you laugh, tickled that he is so enamored with your “special cake” -- a simple cake mix (just add water and eggs) topped with plenty of frosting and colored sprinkles...

At 11:47 a.m., Darlene Hudler analyzes a water sample at the Company's state-certified water quality laboratory. She is part of the team of chemists and microbiologists responsible for testing more than 70,000 water samples each year for 310,000 compounds. Here, in the “inorganic section” of the laboratory, chemists use various methods, and a quarter-of-a-million-dollar Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrophotometer, to test the water for elements such as iron. Of course, you don't want to think about elements like iron. But because we do, you can feel comfortable giving your grandson, and his friends, seconds of your “special cake.”