Saturday, May 5, 2012

HW-19 Dimock Data Review - EPA Findings - barium, chloride, phthalates


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 – 0.014mg/L – the secondary drinking water standard for foaming agents is 0.5 mg/L.  (OK)

Barium – 0.229 mg/L – the primary drinking water standard for barium is 2.0 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)– no specific drinking water standard drinking water standard is available.  (OK)

Chloride – 18.7 mg/L (OK) – drinking water standard is <  250 mg/L – this does not suggest any specific impact.

Chromium- 0.0032 mg/L (D) and the EPA/ PADEP primary drinking water standard is < 0.100 mg/L (OK).

Copper – 0.0074 mg/L (OK)- the secondary drinking water standard is 1.0 mg/L and the primary drinking water standard is 1.3 mg/L. (OK)

Ethane – < 0.0012 mg/L  – No specific drinking water standard (OK)

Methane   < 0.002 mg/L  – No specific drinking water standard. (OK).
The well water is not above the new action limit of 7 mg/L.   For more details, go to http://www.water-research.net/methanegas.htm

Magnesium- 7.72 mg/L (D)– no specific drinking water standard drinking water standard is available.  (OK)

Manganese– 0.0082 mg/L (Total)– Manganese is regulated as a secondary drinking water standard in Pennsylvania and the action limit is 0.05 mg/L.  Therefore, the total manganese content does not exceed the secondary drinking water standard.   (OK)

Nickel - 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)

Nitrate+Nitrite- N – 2.39 mg/L, this is well below the EPA / PADEP drinking water limit of 10mg N/L for nitrate-N. (OK)- Recommend testing for nitrite-N.   Total nitrogen- 2.61 mg/L.

diethyl-phthalate – 0.000029 mg/L , the EPA/PADEP drinking water limit is 0.006 mg/L.  The reported value is less than the drinking water limit.   (OK)

The data in the Citizens Groundwater and Surfacewater database suggests that up to 8 % of private wells may have a level of phthalates that exceed the drinking water limit.
“It is commonly used to make plastics more flexible. Because diethyl phthalate is not a part of the chain of chemicals (polymers) which makes up the plastics, it can be released fairly easily from these products. These plastics are found in products such as toothbrushes, automobile parts, tools, toys, and food packaging. Diethyl phthalate is also used in cosmetics, insecticides, and aspirin”.http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=601&tid=112

Sodium –10.0 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)

Sulfate – 18.2 mg/L (OK) – drinking water standard is <  250 mg/L – this does not suggest any specific impact.

Total Dissolved Solids  148 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. 

Uranium 0.0037 mg/L (Total) – Uranium is regulated as a primary drinking water standard by the EPA and PADEP in Pennsylvania and the action limit is 0.030 mg/L.  (OK)

Zinc  0.0069 mg/L (Total) – Zinc is regulated as a secondary drinking water standard by the PADEP in Pennsylvania and the action limit is 5.0 mg/L.  (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:

New Jersey 0.300 mg/L (300 ppb)
Arizona 5.5 mg/L (5500 ppb)
New Hampshire 7.0 mg/L (7000 ppb)
Florida, Massachusetts, and Minnesota14.0 mg/L (14,000 ppb)
Minnesota

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.

No major problems

1. No major problem, but recommend testing for nitrite-N.  The drinking water standard for nitrite-N is 1 mg/L.  Since the concentration for total nitrate and nitrite is over 2 mg/L, it is possible that the level of nitrite-N is over 1 mg/L.

2. Retesting for glycols using a more sensitive technique is recommended.

3. The detection of the plasticizer is not atypical or a red flag for the region.  The data in the Citizens Groundwater and Surfacewater database suggests that up to 8 % of private wells may have a level of phthalates that exceed the drinking water limit.  Support the citizen groundwater surfacewater database - its Free !

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






2 comments:

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