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-02
With the exception of the following parameters, the
remaining values were reported as NOT Detected (U) and duplicate (Z)
Total Coliform –
Two samples - (82 colonies per 100 ml
and 1 colonies per 100 ml) – since EPA collected this sample at the end of the
purging process – this suggests the well is vulnerable to near surface
influence and the presence of total coliform would suggest the water is not
potable. This is a very common problem
in NEPA and about 30 to 50% of private wells have total coliform bacteria. The problem could be private well
construction, type of well cap, or improper well siting. The primary recommendation would be to
inspect the well, shock disinfect the well, and retest. If this was a regulated water source, it would be classified as not-potable, and disinfection would be required. As stated, this is a common problem with private wells in PA and the significant variation in the two testing results could suggest induced contamination by the field samplers. Retesting Recommended
Ethylene glycol – the reported value is < 10 mg/L – there is
no standard set by EPA or PA, 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 using a method that is more sensitive or conducting some type of
standard additions analysis.
Chloride – 3.9
mg/L (OK) – drinking water standard is < 250 mg/L – this does not suggest any specific
impact.
Sulfate – 8.9 mg/L (OK) – drinking
water standard is < 250 mg/L –
this does not suggest any specific impact.
Arsenic – 0.004 mg/L (Total) and
0.0026 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. It
would be advisable to monitor the arsenic level of the well on an annual basis.
(OK)
Barium - 0.275mg/L (Total) and 0.263
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)
Boron – 0.050 mg/L (Total) and
0.0588 mg/L (D) – 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. Therefore, this does not appear to suggest
any form of impact. (OK)
Calcium- 31.7
mg/L (Total) and 32.1 mg/L (D) – no specific drinking water standard drinking
water standard is available. (OK)
Copper – 0.0035
mg/L (Total) and 0.0025 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)
Iron – 1.62mg/L
(Total) and 0.140 mg/L (D) – 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 exceeds the secondary drinking water
standard. Since the total value exceeds
the limit and not the dissolved, this suggests that the primary recommendation
would be to install a water treatment system to filter the iron colloids or
particles from the water. Because of the
high bacterial issue, it is also possible that iron bacteria may be present in
the water causing discolored and smelly water. The water probably has a reddish or brown
appearance. Elevated level of iron is a common water quality problem in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Action
is Recommended, because of an aesthetic issue.
Lead – 0.0019
mg/L (Total) and 0.001 mg/L (D)- 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. Because of the hits for copper and lead, it is possible that the nuisance
bacteria may be causing some corrosion related problems – Call MIC –
Microbiologically Induced Corrosion – Problem recommend inspection of the well,
camera survey, shock disinfection, and retesting. This is a common problem in NEPA. (Action Needed may be a warning sign of
corrosion)
Magnesium- 5.73
mg/L (Total) and 5.75 mg/L (D) – no specific drinking water standard drinking
water standard is available. (OK)
Manganese– 0.112 mg/L
(Total) and 0.105 mg/L (D) – 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 exceeds the secondary drinking
water standard. Since the manganese is
in a dissolved form, the water could become browner in color over time. Because the water coming out of the well has
dissolved manganese, the water treatment system would require either chemical
oxidation or some type of ion exchange system. Elevated level of manganese is a
common water quality problem in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Action
is Recommended, because of an aesthetic issue and it could be related to
Iron-Related Bacteria and MIC. (photos of iron bacteria on the website)
Sodium – 15.9 mg/L (Total) and 16.2
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)
Strontium – 0.661mg/L (Total) and 0.677 mg/L (D) – 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)
Thallium- < 0.001 mg/L (Total) and
< 0.001 mg/L (D) – Thallium is
regulated as a primary drinking water standard by the EPA and PADEP in
Pennsylvania and the action limit is 0.002 mg/L. (OK)
Uranium – 0.004 mg/L (Total) and 0.0039 mg/L (D) – 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 (Total) and < 0.002 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)
Ethane – 0.57 mg/L – No specific drinking water standard (OK)
Methane – 18 mg/L – No specific drinking water standard, but
the level indicates supersaturated conditions.
This means the well pump is pulling in water that is not in equilibrium
with the atmosphere. The well is above
the new action limit of 7 mg/L and methane gas mitigation measures should be
employed. These measures not only
include venting the well, but also potentially modifying the well, installing
treatment, or taking other action. For
more details, go to
http://www.water-research.net/methanegas.htm
There
are places in PA were baseline levels of methane gas are at or above 7 mg/L. In
general, I would estimate that 1 to 3 % of private wells may have elevated
levels of methane. In addition to
modifying the well, it would be advisable to conduct isotopic analysis. Based on the ratio of methane to ethane, the
ratio is 31 to 36. Since a ratio of methane to ethane of over 1000 typically suggests a biogenic source and a value of under 100 suggests a thermogenic source, the available information would suggest a thermogenic source for the gas.
As a guide, it may be possible to use a ratio to suggest the source of the gas- “ if the ratio of methane to ethane is 25, the source is thermogenic, but if the ratio is over 2500, then it is biogenic" (Mr. Bob Pirkle, President of Microseeps, Inc.), but between 25 and 2500 this is where isotopic analysis is critical.
No specific health concern, but a health risk associated with the potential for a flammable environment.
Action needed to properly vent gas from the well, perhaps modifying the well, water treatment to reduce methane level in the water to < 7 mg/L or more, and isotopic analysis recommended.
May be advisable to check the level of other gases, such as propane.
Total Dissolved Solids – 95 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)
Acenaphthylene – the reported level was
0.00001 mg/L. Acenaphtylene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon –
PAHs are created when products like coal, oil, gas, and garbage are burned but
the burning process is not complete. Acenaphthylene is a component of crude oil,
coal tar and a product of combustion which may be produced and released to the
environment during natural fires. Very little information is available on the document that was released and the report indicates that one sample had a detected at 0.00001 mg/L and the other sample was non-detected. There is no EPA or PADEP drinking water
standard and the primary recommendation would be to retest the water. During
retesting, it is critical to check for airborne sources of contamination during
sampling.
“Note:
PAHs have been detected in surface waters of the United States. In an assessment of
STORET data covering the period 1980-82, Staples et al. (1985) reported median
concentrations in ambient water of less than 0.010 mg/L for 15 PAHs
(acenaphthene, acenaphthylene, anthracene, benz[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene,
benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene, benzo[a]pyrene, chrysene, fluoranthene,
fluorene, indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene).
It
appears that Arizona and Missouri recommended a limit of < 0.003
ug/L or <0.000003 mg/L.”
Retesting is Recommend -During
retesting, it is critical to check for airborne sources of contamination during
sampling and it would be advisable to attempt to use a method with a lower
detection limit. At this point, I am not
sure if a certified method can detect acenaphthylene to the recommended level of 0.000003 mg/L –
still researching.
Anthracene the reported level was
0.00023 mg/L (0.23 ug/L). This is
an unregulated synthetic organic compound and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. PAHs are created when products like coal,
oil, gas, and garbage are burned but the burning process is not complete. There
is no EPA or PADEP drinking water standard and the primary recommendation would
be to retest the water.
Retesting Recommended - During
retesting, it is critical to check for airborne sources of contamination during
sampling. The EPA reports a trigger
value of 1.3 mg/L, but I can not this reference. I did find a reference
to a DWEL of 2.0 mg/L. It appears that
the health-based screening requirement in California is 2.0 mg/L and a lifetime
exposure limit is 10 mg/L- based on this information (OK).
Benzo(a)pyrene – the reported level was
0.00020 mg/L (0.00016 to 0.0002 mg/L).
The EPA and PADEP have a primary drinking water standard of 0.0002
mg/L. The value is at the maximum
contaminant level for a regulated water source. The primary recommendation would
be to continue to monitor this source and make sure to monitor the source
following a recharge event.
4-Bromopheyl-Phenyl Ether – the
reported level was 0.00018 mg/L – there does not appear to be a federal
drinking water standard but Florida
does appear to have an upper limit of 0.0010 mg/L. (OK)
Butyl benzyl phthalate – the reported
level was 0.00035 mg/L – “
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. Butyl
benzylphthalate is an industrial solvent and additive used in adhesives, vinyl
flooring, sealants, car-care products and some personal care products. (OK)
Carbazole (Diphenylenimine)was reported
at a level of 0.29 ug/L or 0.00029 mg/L. Carbazole is released to the
atmosphere in emissions from waste incineration, tobacco smoke, aluminum
manufacturing, and rubber, petroleum, coal, and wood combustion. If released to
the atmosphere, vapor-phase carbazole is rapidly degraded by photochemically
produced hydroxyl radicals (estimated half-life of 3 hr). In the particulate
phase, the rate of degradation depends upon the adsorbing substrate. The EPA does not have a regulated drinking
water limit, but it appears Florida
has set a standard of 0.0075 mg/L. (OK)
Source: USEPA/Office of Water; Federal-State
Toxicology and Risk Analysis Committee (FSTRAC).
4-chlorophenyl phenyl ether was
reported at a level of 0.10 ug/L or 0.0001 mg/L. The preliminary research suggests that this
chemical has a relatively low solubility and would have a tendency to bind to
soil and sediment. In general, it is
considered to be insoluble or have a low solubility in water. The U.S. EPA Storet Data Base, 1,333 samples,
1.1% positive, median concentration less than 10 ug/L or 0.010 mg/L. Because of the affinity to have only slight
mobility in soil and water and because the well is vulnerable to near surface
activity, it may be advisable to check the area around the well for evidence of
surface contamination.
“4-Chlorophenyl
phenyl ether which finds use as a dielectric fluid, can be released to the
environment during its manufacture, formulation, and through its use in
capacitors. If released to the atmosphere, 4-chlorophenyl phenyl ether should
react with photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals with an estimated
half-life of 1.3 days. Direct photolysis in the atmosphere should be an
important fate process, as 4-chlorophenyl phenyl ether has an absorption
greater than 290 nm. 4-Chlorophenyl phenyl ether should be expected to undergo
biodegradation in soil and in water. 4-Chlorophenyl phenyl ether should display
slight mobility in soil, and volatilization to the atmosphere may be an
important process. If released to water, 4-chlorophenyl phenyl ether would be
expected to adsorb to sediment and suspended material, can volatilize to the
atmosphere, and should bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms. Degradation by
direct photolysis in surface water has been estimated to proceed with a
half-life of 200-400 days. Volatilization from water to the atmosphere should
be an important fate process. The estimated volatilization half-life for a
model river is 6 hours, while from a model pond which takes into account
adsorption processes, the estimated half-life is 40 days. Exposure to
4-chlorophenyl phenyl ether should be by inhalation and dermal contact which
might occur during its manufacture, formulation, or use in capacitors.
4-Chlorophenyl phenyl ether is an anthropogenic compound, and is not known to
exist in nature.” Florida appears to have established a
standard of 0.010 ug/L. Based on the
available standard, the level seems appropriate, but it would be advisable to
monitor the quality of the water and inspect the area for signs of surface
contamination. (OK)
Dibenzofuran (Dixons) was reported at a
level of 0.04 ug/L or 0.00004 mg/L. Dibenzofuran is used as an insecticide, to
make other chemicals, and is a by-product of combustion. It is made from coal tar
and has been found in coke dust, grate ash, fly ash, and flame soot. In addition, it can be found in tobacco and as
a combustion product, dibenzofuran may be released from the incomplete
combustion of coal biomass, refuse, diesel fuel and residual oil, as well as
from tobacco smoke.
Based
on the available information, the primary recommendation would be to conduct a
more detailed site-specific evaluation and conduct confirmation testing. Since this well appears to be susceptible to
near surface impacts, it may be possible to eliminate exposure by improving
control at the wellhead to reduce vulnerability to contamination. No clear standard, but follow-up testing and on-site evaluation is recommended. Note: The aerobic decomposition in an aerobic
and anaerobic environment is < 28 days to over 112 days.
Groundwater
Chemicals Desk Reference by By John H. Montgomery (Google Books)
Note:
Dibenzofuran was qualitatively identified in
drinking water collected from Cincinnati,
Ohio in October 1978 and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
in February 1976.
Retesting –should also include breakdown products.
Comment = the presence of the partially
combusted material and the bacterial contamination is making me believe there
is a local source of contamination, i.e., old burn pit, burn barrels, etc. This is not a judgment, but it makes me very
interested in seeing this site and the condition of the well and surrounding area.
Lucas SV; GC/MS Analysis of Organics in Drinking Water
Concentrates and Advanced Waste Treatment Concentrates: Vol 1.
EPA-600/1-84-020a p. 45,147 (1984)
Fluoranthene (
Benzo(j, k)fluorene) was reported at a level of 0.27 ug/L or
0.00027 mg/L and there is a trigger level reported at 0.63 mg/L. It has been suggested that the EPA has set
for total PAHs of 0.2 ug/L or 0.0002 mg/L and I can not find an EPA reference
that confirms this statement, but
Florida
has a health advisory level of 0.5 ug/L or
0.0005 mg/L for
benzo(k)fluorene.
Note: “Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are a group of chemicals that occur
naturally in coal, crude oil, and gasoline. PAHs are also present in products
made from fossil fuels, such as coal-tar pitch, creosote, and asphalt. Fluoranthene adsorbs strongly to soil and
would be expected to remain in the upper layers of soil. However, it has been
detected in groundwater samples which demonstrates that it can be transported
there by some process(es). It slowly degrades in soil (half-life ca 5 mo to 2
yr).”
Based on the reported trigger level and the standard used for Florida, this value does
not appear to violate a trigger level, but monitoring is advisable. http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/community/health-advisory/HAL_list.pdf
Benzo(k)fluoranthene was reported at
0.32 ug/L or 0.00032 mg/L and the reported EPA trigger level is 0.029 mg/L. Florida
has a health advisory at 0.0005 mg/L. (OK)
Still researching
Benzo(b)fluoranthene was reported at
0.15 ug/L or 0.00015 mg/L and the reported EPA trigger level is 0.0056 mg/L. Florida has a health
advisory at 0.0005 mg/L. (OK) Still
researching
Fluorene was reported at 0.10 ug/L or 0.0001 mg/L and the reported
EPA trigger level is 0.220 mg/L, but has a DWEL of 1.00 mg/L. Florida
has a health advisory at 0.500 mg/L.
(OK)
Still researching- “Fluorene is
a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) released from the incomplete combustion
of fuels including oil, gasoline, coal and wood, as well as waste materials; it
is an intermediate in production of dyes and other chemicals”- The reported
health based standard was 0.3 mg/L or 300 ug/L.
http://www.ewg.org/tap-water/chemical-contaminants?file=contaminant&contamcode=2264
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) - was reported
at 0.22 ug/L or 0.00022 mg/L and the reported PADEP/ EPA has a MCL of 0.001
mg/L. (OK) Florida also has a standard of 0.001
mg/L. (OK)
Ortho Nitroaniline (2-Nitroaniline)- the reported value was 0.00007 mg/L
and the EPA indicates a “Trigger Level” of 0.15 mg/L. The NY Regulations suggest a limit of 0.005
mg/L is the principle organic standard. (OK)
3-Nitroaniline -the reported value was
0.00012 mg/L and the EPA indicates that there is no “Trigger Level”. The NY Regulations suggest a limit of 0.005
mg/L is the principle organic standard. (OK)
http://www.bnl.gov/gpg/files/Annual_Reports/2001pdf/Table1-03.PDF
4- Nitrobenzenamine - the reported
value was 0.00014 mg/L and the EPA indicates that there is a “Trigger Level” at
0.061 mg/L. The NY Regulations suggest a
limit of 0.005 mg/L is the principle organic standard. (OK)
4-Nitrophenol - the reported value was
0.00017 mg/L and the EPA indicates that there is no “Trigger Level”. The NY Regulations suggest a limit of 0.001
mg/L is the standard for the total amount of phenolic compounds. (OK)
n-Nitrosodimethylamine
(NDMA) - the reported value was < 0.005 mg/L
and the EPA indicates that there is
“Trigger Level” at 0.00004 mg/L.
It appears this could be a by-product of chlorination. NDMA can be produced and released from industrial
sources through chemical reactions, such as those that involve alkylamines with
nitrogen oxides, nitrous acid, or nitrite salts. Potential industrial sources
include byproducts from tanneries, pesticide and rocket fuel manufacturing
plants, rubber and tire manufacturers, alkylamine manufacture and use sites,
fish processing facilities, foundries, and
dye manufacturers (ATSDR 1989). In 2011, Health Canada established a drinking water
guideline at a maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) of 0.00004 mg/L, based on
an assessment by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water
(CDW). EPA has a 10-4 Cancer Risk of 0.00007 mg/L.
Therefore, the primary recommendation would be to resample
and use a method with a lower detection limit.
Note:
10-4 Cancer Risk: The
concentration of a chemical in drinking water corresponding to an excess
estimated lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 10,000.
n-Nitrosodiphenylamine-- the reported value
was 0.00017 mg/L and the EPA indicates that there is a “Trigger Level” at 1.0
mg/L.
It dissolves in water, but it
binds to soil and does not move quickly through soil. It breaks down in air,
water, and soil within several weeks. For drinking water, the EPA has
suggested trigger limits that range from 0.070 to 0.70 mg/L.
Pentachlorophenol – the reported value
was < 0.005 mg/L, but the EPA/ PADEP
MCL is < 0.001 mg/L. The NY
Regulations suggest a limit of 0.001 mg/L is the standard for the total amount
of phenolic compounds. The EPA has a DWEL of 0.2 mg/L.
Looks OK, but retesting using a method with a
lower detection limit may be advisable.
benzo(ghi)perylene– the reported value
was < 0.0021 mg/L, but the there is
no MCL or trigger limit. Like most PAHs, benzo(g,h,i)perylene is
used to make dyes, plastics, pesticides, explosives and drugs. It has also been
used to make bile acids, cholesterol and steroids. It has been suggested that
the EPA has set for total PAHs of 0.2 ug/L or 0.0002 mg/L and I can not find an
EPA reference that confirms this statement, but Florida has a health advisory level of 0.210
mg/L for benzo(ghi)perylene.
(OK)
phenanthrene– the reported value was
< 0.0023 mg/L, but the there is no
MCL or trigger limit. Florida
has a health advisory level of 0.210 mg/L for phenanthrene.
(OK)
dimethyl phthalate – the reported value
was 0.00015 mg/L and the reported trigger limit is 1.4 mg/L. Florida has a
health advisory level of 70 mg/L for dimethyl phthalate.
(OK)
di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP)- the
reported value was 0.00028 mg/L and no trigger limit is reported.
Exposure to di-n-octylphthalate occurs
mainly from eating food or drinking water that is stored in plastic containers.http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts95.html There
does not appear to be an action limit, but it would be advisable to monitor and
conduct a site-specific survey. “T
his type of plastic can be used for medical tubing and blood storage bags,
wire and cables, carpetback coating, floor tile, and adhesives. It is also used
in cosmetics and pesticides.”
Pryene - the reported value was 0.00026
mg/L and the reported trigger limit is 0.087 mg/L. Florida has a health
advisory level of 0.210 mg/L for Pryene.
(OK)
indeno(1,2,3-cd)-pryene- the reported
value was 0.00021 mg/L and the reported trigger limit is 0.003 mg/L. It is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). (Source for standard not available). (OK)
This sample seems to
have as series of detects for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), plus is
positive for bacterial contamination.
“Polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of over 100 different chemicals that
are formed during the incomplete burning of coal, oil and gas, garbage, or
other organic substances like tobacco or charbroiled meat. PAHs are usually
found as a mixture containing two or more of these compounds, such as soot. “
Again – I have not
been to the site, but I am just wondering if the because the well is vulnerable
to bacterial contamination is it also vulnerable to air-borne or local contamination
related to the burning of materials. I have recommended the following:
a. an evaluation of
the well – including a shock disinfection.
b. local wellhead survey
to attempt to identify local sources of potential contamination.
c. Recommended retesting
for a number of parameters to either monitor or to use a different method with a
lower detection limit. This should include
monitoring following a recharge event.
d. Methane above the
action limit – recommend venting and other modifications to the well and regular
monitoring.
http://www.water-research.net/methanegas.htm The gas appears to have a thermogenic origin, but additional analysis is recommended.
e. Retesting for glycol
using a more sensitive method.
f. Iron and manganese
exceeds secondary drinking water limits that were set for aesthetic reasons.
Again – this is not
about cause and effect- it is an honest review of the data. (Period)
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
