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-20 (1/30/2012)
With the exception of the following parameters, the
remaining values were reported as NOT Detected (U)
Heterotrophic
Bacteria – 67 colonies per 100 ml ( I do not understand the J value). 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
–< 0.01 mg/L – the secondary drinking water standard for foaming agents is
0.5 mg/L. (OK)
Arsenic – < 0.002
mg/L – 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. The treated water level of arsenic
was
< 0.002 mg/L and treated and filtered < 0.002 mg/L. (OK)
Barium – 0.0328
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 0.0329 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 –< 0.050
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- 22.40
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 –3.41
mg/L (OK) – drinking water standard is < 250 mg/L – this does not suggest any specific
impact. After treatment, the reported
value was 3.1 mg/L (OK).
Chromium-< 0.002
mg/L (D) and the EPA/ PADEP primary drinking water standard is
< 0.100 mg/L (OK).
Copper – 0.0045
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
0.0039 mg/L.
Ethane –< 0.0012
mg/L – No specific drinking water
standard (OK)
Fluoride – 0.109
mg/L – drinking water standard is < 2 mg/L- PADEP drinking water standard is
2 mg/L. After treatment, the reported
value was 0.124 mg/L (OK).
Iron – < 0.100
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. (OK)
Lead – 0.0024
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 – < 0.0095 mg/L – No specific drinking water standard. The well water is below the new action limit
of 7 mg/L. After treatment, the level
of methane is < 0.0095 mg/L. For more details, go to http://www.water-research.net/methanegas.htm
Magnesium-5.71
mg/L– no specific drinking water standard drinking water standard is
available. (OK) The treated water level of magnesium was 5.57
mg/L.
Manganese– 0.0026
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 0.0023 mg/L.
(OK)
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)
Potassium – < 2.0 mg/L (Total– no specific drinking water standard drinking
water standard is available (OK)
Sodium –6.21 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 6.04 mg/L.
(OK)
Sulfate –5.73
mg/L (OK) – drinking water standard is < 250 mg/L – this does not suggest any specific
impact.
Strontium – < 0.200 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 – 48
mg/L (Value appears low) – 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 109 mg/L (OK-
Retesting Recommended).
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
–0.0127 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 0.0158 mg/L.
(OK)
Nitrate+Nitrite-
N – 0.42 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
Bromoform – < 0.0005 mg/L – the Total
Trihalomethane Group has a limit of 0.08 mg/L, but bromoform should be less
than 0.004 mg/L. (OK)
Methyl ethyl ketone –
< 0.002 mg/L in the treated water and untreated water. (OK)
Methyl
ethyl ketone is a colorless volatile liquid that is soluble in water. The odor
threshold for methyl ethyl ketone is 5.4 parts per million (ppm), with an
acetone-like odor reported. Methyl ethyl ketone is also referred to as
2-butanone. The EPA and PADEP has not
set a drinking water standard, but it appears that Massachusetts
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/methylet.html
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:
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. In addition, it would be advisable to retest the level of total dissolved solids and conduct a first flush test for copper, lead, and zinc.
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
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