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-47 (1/30/2012)
With the exception of the following parameters, the
remaining values were reported as NOT Detected (U)
Heterotrophic
Bacteria – not reported. The drinking water limit is < 500
colonies per 100 ml (OK).
Total Coliform <
1 colony per 100 ml (OK)
Aluminum – < 0.030 mg/L (Total) - drinking water standard
ranges from 0.05 to 0.2 mg/L. This parameter
is regulated as a secondary drinking water standard, because of aesthetic
reasons. The treated water level of
aluminum is < 0.030 mg/L. (OK)
Anionic Surfactants
–0.014 mg/L – the secondary drinking water standard for foaming agents is 0.5
mg/L. (OK)
Arsenic – 0.0907
to 0.0942 mg/L – drinking water standard is < 0.010 mg/L – the level is above the primary
drinking water standard. 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.
Treatment of arsenic reduction is advisable- the existing treatment
system does not appear to reduce the level of arsenic to below 0.010 mg/L. The post-treatment level appears to be 0.090
to 0.091 mg/L.
Barium – 0.485
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. After treatment, the
concentration is
< 0.010 mg/L. (OK)
Bromide – < 0.5 mg/L - In freshwater,
bromide is typically less than 0.05 mg/L. Therefore, it would be advisable to
retest using a method with a lower detection limit.
Other
References
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/drinkingwater/Pages/MCLReview2012.aspx
http://water.epa.gov/scitech/drinkingwater/dws/ccl/ccl3.cfm#chemical
http://water.epa.gov/scitech/drinkingwater/dws/ccl/ccl3.cfm#chemical
Boron –0.140 mg/L
(Total) – no specific drinking water standard drinking water standard is
available. EPA appears to have a long-term health advisory of 2.0 mg/L, but
other states have limits that range from 0.6 to 1 mg/L.
Calcium- 23.70
mg/L (Total)– no specific drinking water standard drinking water standard is
available. After treatment, the level of
Calcium is 22.10 mg/L.(OK)
Chloride –2.78
mg/L (OK) – drinking water standard is < 250 mg/L – this does not suggest any specific
impact.
Chromium-< 0.002
mg/L (D) and the EPA/ PADEP primary drinking water standard is
< 0.100 mg/L (OK).
Copper – 0.0101
mg/L (Untreated) - the secondary
drinking water standard is 1.0 mg/L and the primary drinking water standard is
1.3 mg/L. (OK) At the tap the level was
< 0.002 mg/L.
Ethane –< 0.0012
mg/L – No specific drinking water
standard (OK)
Ethene - < 0.0011 mg/L
– No specific drinking water standard (OK)
Fluoride – 0.184
mg/L – drinking water standard is < 2 mg/L- PADEP drinking water standard is
2 mg/L.
Iron – 4.55 mg/L
(Total) – Iron is regulated as a secondary drinking water standard in Pennsylvania and the
action limit is 0.3 mg/L. Therefore, the
total iron content does not exceed the secondary drinking water standard. After treatment, the level is < 0.10 mg/L.
(OK- with
treatment)
Lead – < 0.001
mg/L (Total) - Lead is regulated as
a primary standard (EPA and PA) at 0.015 mg/L, but the action level in PA for
source water is 0.005 mg/L. (OK)
Lithium – <
0.200 mg/L (Total) – no specific drinking water standard drinking water
standard is available, but EPA has recommend a level be below 0.7 mg/L (OK)
Methane – 7.9 to 10 mg/L – No specific drinking water standard. The well water is above the new action limit
of 7 mg/L. Action is needed – this may
include passive to active venting, monitoring, and possibly treatment. For more
details, go to http://www.water-research.net/methanegas.htm
Magnesium-3.95
mg/L– no specific drinking water standard drinking water standard is
available. (OK) The treated water level of magnesium was 5.57
mg/L. After treatment, the level is <
0.50 mg/L.
Manganese– 0.947
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. After treatment the level is < 0.001
mg/L. (OK-
with treatment)
Nickel – 0.001 mg/L – no specific drinking water standard
drinking water standard
is available, but
the EPA has suggest a MCL of 0.1 mg/L.
(OK) With treatment, the
level is <
0.001 mg/L
Potassium – < 2.0 mg/L (Total– no specific drinking water standard drinking
water standard is available (OK)
Sodium –53.6 mg/L –
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). After treatment, the level was higher at 93.9
mg/L. (OK-
but they may want to consider a K-based salt)
Sulfate –2.64
mg/L (OK) – drinking water standard is < 250 mg/L – this does not suggest any specific
impact.
Strontium – 0.757 mg/L – no specific
drinking water standard drinking water standard is available, but it is on the
EPA Candidate List. The
EPA recommends that drinking water levels of nonradioactive strontium should
not be more than 4 mg/L. The report
limit is consistent with background levels in Northeastern
Pennsylvania . If the
background level was above 4 mg/L, it would be advisable to test for
radiological parameters, especially alpha/beta.
(OK) After treatment, the level
is < 0.200 mg/L.
Total Dissolved Solids – 187
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. After
treatment, the level was higher 231 mg/L (OK).
Total Suspended Solids - < 10 mg/L – no standard, but would recommend retesting to obtain a lower detection limit.
Uranium –< 0.001 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
–< 0.002 mg/L – Zinc is
regulated as a secondary drinking water standard by the PADEP in Pennsylvania and the
action limit is 5.0 mg/L. After treatment, the level of zinc was < 0.002
mg/L. (OK)
Nitrate+Nitrite-
N – < 0.05 mg/L, this is well below the EPA / PADEP drinking water limit
of 10mg N/L for nitrate-N and would also be below the limit of 1.0 mg N/L for
nitrite-N. (OK)
Acetone - the reported value was <
0.002 mg/L. PADEP has a Medium Specific
Concentration (MSC) for aquifers with a TDS of < 2500 mg/L of 33.0 mg/L and Massachusetts
T. Phosphate – 0.287 mg/L – after
treatment 0.329 mg/L – this seems high for the region, but is more likely
related to agricultural development or the use of septic systems. No drinking
water standard (OK)
Ethylene glycol – the reported value is < 10 mg/L – there is
not standard, but the EPA has a guidance limit of < 7 mg/L. Other states have lower and higher standards:
Butyl benzyl phthalate – 0.00007
mg/L (J) value – the EPA Trigger value is 1.40 mg/L – A J value is an estimated
value, below the detection limit for the method. Butyl Benzylphthalate is an industrial solvent
and additive used in adhesives, vinyl flooring, sealants, car-care products,
and some personal care products. It is
slightly soluble in water, but it appears to be more of an air-borne
contaminant. There does not appear to be
any guidance on allowable levels in drinking water (World Health Organization).
Benzylbutylphthalate, also called n-butyl benzyl phthalate
(BBP) or benzyl butyl phthalate, is a phthalate, an ester of phthalic acid, benzyl alcohol and n-butanol.”
The health based screening level appears to be 0.100 mg/L and the EPA Human Health
Equivalent is 1.4 mg/L. (OK)
At a minimum, I would recommend retesting for ethylene
glycol other and glycol-type compounds using a method that is more sensitive or
conducting some type of standard additions analysis.
Installing or updating the treatment system
to handle arsenic and considering the use of a potassium based salt as an alternative the sodium-based salt that appears to being used.
Annual Water Testing
Watercheck with Pesticide Option (Order Online)- This informational testing package will check
for 103 contaminants in your well water. These contaminants include Bacteria,
(19) Heavy Metals & Minerals, (6) Other Inorganic Chemicals, (5) Physical
Characteristics, (4) Trihalomethanes (disinfection by-products), (47) Volatile
Organic Chemicals (VOCs), and (20) Pesticides, Herbicides and PCBs.
This package works well for well water
customers (Code 9002)- $ 206.00,
plus shipping - Request information
.
Add Methane (Order from us) - We can do a methane, ethane, propane - test for about $ 100.00
( self collection)-Request information .
This 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
No comments:
Post a Comment