Comment
1. Without predrilling data, it is not possible to comment
on the cause for any water quality problems.
2. Where possible, I have noted situations where elevated
levels of a water quality parameter exists in Pennsylvania .
3. If duplicate analysis provided, I attempted to use the
highest reported value.
5. This is not about cause and effect; it is about a review
of the data.
Well – HW-19
With the exception of the following parameters, the remaining
values were reported as NOT Detected (U)
Anionic Surfactants
– 0.01 mg/L – the secondary drinking water standard for foaming agents is 0.5
mg/L. (OK)
Heterotrophic
Bacteria – 24 colonies per ml – the general guidance for “standard
plate count” or total bacterial count is < 500 colonies per ml (OK)
Ethane – < 0.0012 mg/L – No specific drinking water standard (OK)
Methane – < 0.002 mg/L – No
specific drinking water standard. (OK).
Ethylene glycol – the reported value is < 10 mg/L – there is
no standard, but the EPA has a guidance limit of < 7 mg/L. Other states have lower and higher standards:
At a minimum, I would recommend retesting for ethylene
glycol other other glycol compounds using a method that is more sensitive or
conducting some type of standard additions analysis.
Chloride – 19.10
mg/L (OK) – drinking water standard is < 250 mg/L – this does not suggest any specific
impact.
Sulfate – 18.20 mg/L (OK) – drinking water standard is < 250 mg/L – this does not suggest any specific impact.
Arsenic – < 0.001mg/L (Total) and 0.002 mg/L (D) – drinking water standard is < 0.010 mg/L – this does not suggest any specific impact and arsenic is a common problem in NEPA – about 6 % of private wells have arsenic above 0.010 mg/L.
Barium - 0.229 mg/L (Total) and 0.234 mg/L (D) – drinking water standard is < 2 mg/L – this does not suggest any specific impact and barium is typically detectable in non-saline impacted water at a level of less than 1 mg/L. (OK)
Calcium- 37.6
mg/L (Total) and 41.6 mg/L (D) – no specific drinking water standard drinking
water standard is available. (OK- but there is either
a contaminant added during filtration or this represents lab error – Higher
Filtered Sample Higher than Total)
Chromium- 0.002
mg/L (Total) and 0.0032 mg/L (D) and the EPA/ PADEP primary drinking water
standard is < 0.100 mg/L (OK).
Copper – 0.0074
mg/L (Total) and < 0.069 mg/L (D)- Copper is regulated as a primary standard
(EPA and PA) and secondary drinking water standard in Pennsylvania . Primary standard 1.3 mg/L and secondary
standard 1.0 mg/L. (OK)
Magnesium- 7.12
mg/L (Total) and 7.72 mg/L (D) – no specific drinking water standard drinking
water standard is available. (OK)
Manganese– 0.0082
mg/L (Total) and < 0.001 mg/L (D) – Manganese is regulated as a secondary
drinking water standard in Pennsylvania and the action limit is 0.05 mg/L. (OK)
Nickel - 0.0016
mg/L (Total) and 0.0017 mg/L (D) – – no specific drinking water standard
drinking water standard is available, but the EPA has suggest a MCL of 0.1
mg/L. (OK)
Sodium –9.03 mg/L (Total) and 10. mg/L
(D) – – no specific drinking water standard drinking water standard is
available, but the EPA has added it to the Candidate List to provide more
analysis. The EPA’s initial value of 20
mg/L has been clearly identified as not realistic. When chloride (salt is sodium chloride) is
present at a concentration of over 250 mg/L, the water can have an “off” taste.
At 400+ mg/L chloride, the water will taste definitely salty. (Source- Dr.
Brian Redmond, Professional Geologist). (OK)
Zinc
– 0.0069 mg/L (Total) and 0.0053 mg/L (D) – Zinc is regulated as a secondary drinking
water standard by the PADEP in Pennsylvania
and the action limit is 5.0 mg/L. (OK)
Total Dissolved Solids – 148
to 173 mg/L – Total Dissolved Solids is regulated as a
secondary drinking water standard by the PADEP in Pennsylvania and the action limit is 500
mg/L. (OK) This is a significant range in TDS – it may
be worth checking to see if the “P” sample was field contaminated or if there
was an increase in the conductivity during the purging process. (OK)
Nitrate+Nitrite – 2.38
mg N/L, the EPA drinking water for nitrate-N/L is 10, but the primary drinking
water standard for nitrate is 1 nitrite-N/L.
It is probably be ok, but it may be advisable to test for
nitrite-N. (OK)
No major problems
1. Heterotrophic bacteria present- but that is common in
NEPA.
2. Nitrate-Nitrite at 2.38 mg/L – it may be advisable to
check the level of nitrite in the water.
3. Retesting for glycols using a more sensitive technique is
recommended.
4. Water did not contain methane gas, it was not detected.
Document can not be copied in whole or part without the expressed written permission of Mr. Brian Oram, B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc. http://www.bfenvironmental.com
Do you want to make a positive change in PA - that will cost you NO Money?
Help Support the Citizens Groundwater and Surfacewater Database and Submit Your Baseline Data !
Document can not be copied in whole or part without the expressed written permission of Mr. Brian Oram, B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc. http://www.bfenvironmental.com
Do you want to make a positive change in PA - that will cost you NO Money?
Help Support the Citizens Groundwater and Surfacewater Database and Submit Your Baseline Data !
Free Information on Drinking Water Quality - http://www.water-research.net
Agree with you it must be necessary that0.0069 mg/L (Total) and 0.0053 mg/L (D) – Zinc is regulated as a secondary drinking water standard by the PADEP in Pennsylvania and the action limit is 5.0 mg/L
ReplyDelete