Healthy Drinking Water and Healthy Homes – Communicating to the Public: What is a Drinking Water Advisory?

Healthy Drinking Water and Healthy Homes – Communicating to the Public
Nyahururu What is a Drinking Water Advisory?

buy Clomiphene online from mexico DO NOT PANIC !  What are Drinking Water Advisories and What Should You Do ?

Drinking water advisories let customers know that their tap water or drinking water could be contaminated and make them sick.  There are no advisories for private well owners or drinking wate systems that are NOT regulated. Advisories are used to send a message to users, customers, individuals, business, schools and other institutions that there is a potential problem with the water and how to act without getting into the details that are part of a Community Water Supply System or a regulated Non-Community System like a school, gasoline station that serves food, etc.  One thing we learned from Flint, Michigan and other case studies is that the citizens and most users do not really know what a “Drinking Water Advisory Means” and most Authorities or Water Companies DO NOT Know How to Explain the Situation.

The drinking water advisories typically fall into one of these 3 categories:  “Boil Water Advisory”, “Do Not Drink Advisory”, and “Do Not Use Advisory”.   Just to confuse you a little more, there is also something called a  Health Advisories that are published by EPA and we will deal with these separately.

Boil Water Advisory

If your local health officials, water company, water provider, or Authority issues a boil water advisory, you should take the immediate action of not using your drinking water for consumption (DO NOT DRINK !).

The boil water advisory means that the water may or does contain a pathogen, i.e., a disease-causing agent.   The primary actions would include establishing another temporary water source, such as bottled or bulk water, or boiling the water prior to use and consumption.  (Please Note:  I did not say filter the water or Microwave the water and I did not say drink hot water. I said BOIL!)

Boil water advisories the details.

  1. Use bottled water, bulk drinking water, or boiled water for drinking, and to prepare and cooking food, feeding the pets, brushing your teeth, and making baby formula.
  2. If bottled water is not available, bring your tap water to a full rolling boil for 1 minute for elevations below 6,500 feet and if you live at an elevation of over 6,500 feet a 3 minute rolling boil is needed.  After boiling, allow the water to cool before use and while it is cooling give a good shake to try and “re-aerate” the water, it will taste better.
  3. If a boil water advisory is issued, you CAN NOT just filter your water through a particle filter or install or use a Class B UV water treatment systemthis is NOT adequate. The verb in the sentence is “BOIL” not filter, but it is ok to boil and then filter (YES).   They make some very good home water coolers
  4. Do not use ICE comes from your automatic ice maker even if the unit has a filter or inline UV unit, the water must be cooled and then cooled and then you can make ice.
  5. Breastfeeding is the better choice. If you formula feed your child, provide ready-to-use formula, if possible, or the water must be boiled (not Microwaved or heated) and cooled.  The boiled water should be used within 72 hours (Source: Allinahealth.org)
  6. You a water screening test on your temporary water source and your water source when it comes off the boil water advisory.

Handwashing – (After COVID you should be a PRO)

  1. In many cases, you can use tap water and soap to wash hands during a boil water advisory. DO NOT wash your hands in boiling water or hot water. Follow the guidance from your local public health officials.
  2. Be sure to scrub your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Then, rinse them well under running water, but make sure to dry your hands.
  3. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol (Source: CDC).

Bathing and showering

  1. Be careful not to swallow any water when bathing or showering.
  2. Use caution when bathing babies and young children. Consider giving them a sponge bath to reduce the chance of them swallowing water. You do not need to use bottled water, but you can if you wish.

Brushing teeth

  1. Brush teeth with boiled water that has cooled or bottled water. Do not use tap water that you have not boiled. You may want to then store your toothbrush in some saline or salt water to prevent bacterial regrowth.

Washing dishes

  1. If possible, use disposable plates, cups, and utensils during a boil water advisory.
  1. Household dishwashers generally are safe to use if:
    • The water reaches a final rinse temperature of at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit (66°Celsius), or
    • The dishwater has a sanitizing cycle.
    • At the end of the boil water advisory, we recommend running a sanitizing cycle and using a dishwasher cleaner tablet approved by the manufacturer.
  2. Sanitize all baby bottles.
  3. To wash dishes by hand:
    • Wash and rinse the dishes as you normally would using hot water.
    • In a separate basin, add 1 teaspoon of unscented household liquid bleach for each gallon of warm water.
    • Soak the rinsed dishes in the water for at least one minute.
    • Let the dishes air dry completely before using again.

Laundry

Washing Clothes  (Assuming the drinking water is not discolored or turbid)

  1. Assuming the water is not discolored or turbid, it is likely safe to wash clothes as usual, but I would clean the unit by using chlorine or a citric acid cleaner or a clothes washer cleaner tablet approved by the manufacturer.

Do Not Drink Water Advisory

Local health authorities issue a do not drink water advisory when your community’s water is, or could be, contaminated with harmful chemicals and toxins, and when boiling water will not make it safe.

Authorities may recommend limited use of tap water for some tasks, depending on the harmful chemical or toxin contaminating the water. Follow health officials’ advice carefully to protect your health and your family’s health.

During a do not drink water advisory, use bottled water for: drinking and cooking, brushing teeth, washing fruits and vegetables, preparing food, mixing baby formula, making ice, and drinking water to pets and livestock.

In some instances, it will be safe to wash hands, flush toilets and shower; in other instances, it will not. You should be cautious when bathing a baby and young children; they might swallow water.

Do not drink or use water from any appliance connected to your water supply lines. This includes the water and ice dispensers in your refrigerator, freezer and dishwasher.

Do Not Use Water Advisory

Local health authorities issue a do not use water advisory when your community’s water is, or could be, contaminated with germs, harmful chemicals, toxins, or radioactive materials. Under this advisory any contact, even with the skin, lungs, or eyes, can be dangerous. Do not drink or use tap water from the impacted system for any purpose as long as the advisory is in effect, including for bathing. These types of advisories are rare.

EPA Health Advisory (HAs)

HAs primarily serve as information to drinking water systems and officials responsible for protecting public health when emergency spills or other contamination situations occur. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) authorizes EPA to issue HAs for contaminants that are not subject to a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) (Source:  42 U.S.C. §300g-1(b)(1)(F)). HA documents provide technical information on chemical and microbial contaminants that can cause human health effects and are known or anticipated to occur in drinking water. HA values/levels identify the concentration of a contaminant in drinking water at which adverse health effects and/or aesthetic effects are not anticipated to occur over specific exposure duration (e.g., 1 day, 10 days, a lifetime).

HA: Health Advisory- An estimate of acceptable drinking water levels for a chemical substance based on health effects information; a Health Advisory is not a legally enforceable Federal standard, but serves as technical guidance to assist Federal, state, and local officials.

“One-day HA: The concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse noncarcinogenic effects for up to one day of exposure

Ten-day HA: The concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse noncarcinogenic effects for up to ten days of exposure.

Lifetime HA: The concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse noncarcinogenic effects for a lifetime of exposure.”

Drinking Water Advisories – Water Standards and Health Advisory Tables (2018)

Listing of Drinking Water Contaminants

EPA Health Advisory’s for PFOA, PFOS, GenX ChemicalsHexafluoropropylene oxide (HFPO) Dimer Acid and Ammonium Salts, and Perfluorobutane Sulfonic Acid and Potassium Salts (PFBS)

Drinking Water Health Advisories for Two Cyanobacterial Toxins

Water Treatment Systems

Crystal Quest – Point of Use, Point of Entry, Whole House, Coolers, Pitchers
US Water Systems – Disinfection, Iron, Manganese, PFOS, Taste, Odors

Cordova, Illinois 3M Agrees to EPA Order to Sample and Provide Treatment for PFAS Contamination in Drinking Water

3M Agrees to EPA Order to Sample and Provide Treatment for PFAS Contamination in Drinking Water near Cordova, IL Facility
EPA Enforcement Part of Agency Strategy to Characterize and Address PFAS Releases from Major Manufacturers

WASHINGTON (November 3, 2022) – Today, the 3M Company agreed to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) order to sample and provide treatment to address contamination from per- and polyfluoroakyl substances (PFAS) found in drinking water in the vicinity of 3M’s Cordova, IL facility. Recent sampling results provided by 3M indicate the widespread presence of a mixture of at least 19 different PFAS chemicals in drinking water within a 3-mile radius of the Cordova facility. Given the unique circumstances affecting this community, including more than five decades of PFAS discharges and the many types of PFAS chemicals found, EPA has concluded that the situation constitutes an imminent and substantial endangerment under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

“I have directed EPA staff to use every enforcement tool at our disposal to require manufacturers of PFAS to address potential endangerment to the public and to compel them to characterize, control, and clean up ongoing and past PFAS contamination,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Communities have suffered far too long from exposure to these chemicals. This settlement is a critical step forward in our work to protect communities from pollution and hold polluters accountable for their actions.”

As part of this settlement, 3M is required to offer treatment to all private well owners within 3 miles of the facility and to the Camanche Water Supply in Iowa, in an effort to remove PFAS from the drinking water. 3M is also required to offer drinking water sampling out to 4 miles from the facility for private well owners and out to 10 miles from the facility for public water systems as well as to the Quad Cities’ public water systems, using EPA protocols and conducted under EPA oversight.

3M’s sampling of the drinking water in private wells near the facility detected a range of concentrations including: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) of non-detect to 25 ppt, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid  (PFOS) of non-detect to 30 ppt, hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), or “GenX” of non-detect to 59 ppt, and perfluorobutane sulfunate (PFBS) of non-detect to 51 ppt. 3M did not use EPA test methods for this sampling. As a result, the order issued today requires 3M to sample these wells again following EPA test methods.

3M was one of the original companies developing and producing PFAS within the United States, and their Cordova facility operations and discharges containing PFAS chemicals date back to the 1970s. 3M’s agreement to the terms of the Order including completing the work required under EPA’s oversight is an important step to begin addressing the problem created by decades of contamination. This settlement is part of EPA’s ongoing efforts to compel major PFAS manufacturers to characterize and control ongoing releases from their facilities.

Background

Last year, EPA launched the PFAS Strategic Roadmap, a whole-of-agency approach for addressing PFAS. The Roadmap sets timelines by which EPA plans to take specific actions and commit to new policies to safeguard public health, protect the environment, and hold polluters accountable. In the national PFAS Roadmap, EPA commits to investigate releases of PFAS and where needed require manufacturers to characterize and control their PFAS releases. In the Roadmap, EPA also commits to take swift action to address potential endangerments to public health. EPA is actively working with its state partners on this effort, which will build upon valuable work led by a number of states.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, collectively called “PFAS,” are a group of man-made chemicals that have been manufactured and used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. There are thousands of different PFAS chemicals, some of which have been more widely used and studied than others.

More information on EPA Order to sample drinking water near the 3M Cordova Facility

Order a Neighborhood Hazard Report

Get Your Water Tested for Forever Chemicals

Podcast Pike County with Brian Oram Septic and Environmental Issues

On September 19, 2019, the Pike County Conservation District hosted a 2-hour informational work and training session. The topic – Properly Maintaining Your On-Lot Septic System.  In January 2020, I visited with Pike County and did a podcast.  When Pike County Informs Me – I will post a link to the Podcast here.  In the interim, this was the information on the September Talk.

To help Pike County residents keep local lakes and ponds clean, the Pike County Conservation District is hosting a free three-part workshop series titled “How your Backyard Activities Affect your Lake.”This is the third workshop in the series. It will be held at the Dingman Township Fire Hall, 680 Log Tavern Road. Presenter Brian Oram, a Professional Geologist with Water Research Center and B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc., will discuss the basic functionality of an on-lot system and best practices to help prevent water pollution.

During the session – Mr. Brian Oram promised to post a few items:

  1. Here is a color copy of the presentation septicsystemspresentation92019. Please note copyright terms and conditions.
  2. Here is a copy of a document the presenter found available on the local agency website on septic systems.
  3. The Keystone Clean Water Team on-line store, get a copy of our educational booklet, order a neighborhood hazard report, mail order water testing program, at-home water screening and more.
  4. Keystone Clean Water Team new diagnostic tool and free phone app for drinking water issues. Go To – http://www.drinkingH20app.com

Other Training On Septic Systems (ONLINE)

1. EPA Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Systems Management

2. EPA Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Processes and Systems

Reading Recommendations

Wells and Septic Systems Paperback
The Septic System Owner’s Manual Paperback

Penn State Extension to Provide No-Cost Drinking Water Testing for Lead and Other Pollutants in a Limited Number of Private Wells, Springs and Cisterns

Community Announcement

Have you ever had the drinking water from your well, spring or cistern tested for lead and other health-related pollutants?  If not, here is your chance.

Penn State Extension has received funding from the Pennsylvania Water Resources Research Center and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to provide no-cost drinking water testing to a limited number of homeowners using private water wells, springs or cisterns in Luzerne County.  The testing is for private water supplies that are actively being used for drinking water in the household. Camps or seasonal households that are not continuously used are not eligible for this program. The commercial value of this water testing would be $100.

This testing is limited to the first 40 households using a private well, spring or cistern that register at  https://extension.psu.edu/safe-drinking-water-workshop

Once you register, you can pick up your drinking water test kit at the Luzerne County Extension office at 16 Luzerne Ave, Suite 200 West Pittston, PA 18643 starting on June 10. Instructions on how to collect the water sample are included in the kit.  Water tests kits will be collected at the Luzerne County Extension office on July 22 & August 8, 2019.

 


Individual water samples will be analyzed for numerous drinking water parameters including total coliform bacteria, E. coli bacteria, pH, total dissolved solids, hardness, corrosivity, nitrate, arsenic, copper and lead.  Results of your testing will be available during two separate one-hour workshops to be held at 2:00 PM or 6:00 PM on August 27 at the Dallas Emergency Services Building, 3593 State Route 118 Dallas PA 18612. You will be asked to attend one of these workshops to get your water test results.  A brief presentation will also be given including professional interpretation of your results and information on how to solve drinking water problems.

Diagnose a Drinking Water Problem

Other Water Testing Products

1. City Water Users (lab test)
2. Well Water Users (lab test)
3. Home Screening Test

This Year- Asked About Reverse Osmosis Treatment System

For some reason, this year we received a lot of questions from individuals looking to purchase or install a reverse osmosis treatment system.  The first question they all ask was about the features, models, and other details, but none answer the question why?  What was the problem or purpose?  They assumed they needed this system.

So my questions went as follows:

Question 1: Why?  What is the Problem – their answer in all cases was they thought it would be better.

Answer 1: They all thought they needed to install a reverse osmosis unit on their drinking water to protect their family.   They did not identify a problem such as salty water, metallic taste, etc.  When this happens, my first assumption is something went wrong somewhere or there is a new water treatment ad on TV pushing citizens to drink “Pure Water”, i.e., H20 or dihydrogen monoxide, only.  First – Drinking absolutely pure water for the long-term is not wise.

Question 2:  Where does your water originate?  Well water, City or Public water, or shared spring.

Answer 2:  80% said city or public water, 10 % said private well, and 10% said a local spring.

For the city and public water users, I said it was unlikely you needed a reverse osmosis unit because your source is regulated and must meet the state and federal drinking water standards, but after Flint and other cases this may not be true 100 % of the time.  I ask them if they look at the Consumer Confidence Report for their system and they had no idea what I was describing.  I pointed them in the direction of the EPA Consumer Confidence Report  (NOTE: If there is no report online, you will need to call your water supplier) and in every instance the water source was meeting drinking water standards, but they had some occasional problems with trihalomethanes, i.e., chlorine by-products, bacteria, and a few with copper, arsenic,  fluoride, and lead or corrosion issues.   For these individuals, I recommended the following:

a. Get a Comprehensive City Water Information Analysis

b. Based on the initial information and assuming the primary issue was trihalomethanes and chlorine by-products, the primary need most individuals was an under the counter “Point-of-Use” Carbon Filtration System for the Sink, Refrigerator, and/or Shower and in some cases for older homes I suggested a first flush test for lead and copper and then have a plumbing contractor inspect the service lines and plumbing in the home.  In one case, the homeowner found a slimy bacterial growth in the toilet tank reservoir, so we suggested they flush the system and suggested the installation of a water filter canister so they could flush and shock disinfect the water lines in the home.  For a small office, I might suggest a water cooler model.   I do not recommend a Whole House Reverse Osmosis unit.

c. Reverse Osmosis Treatment was not needed in ALL cases.

For the well water users (POE Systems- UV disinfection), I asked them when was the last time they tested their water and if the water had any aesthetic problems.  One complained of a salty taste, one was just concerned because of health issues, and the rest reported aesthetic problems ranging from odors to discoloration to staining.   If they did not have a recent water test, we recommended the appropriate water testing based on their description of the problem and surrounding land-use activities.

Homeowners that reported – Salty Water Taste and not near a gasoline station or farming area we recommended a basic water quality test with bacteria.

Homeowners that reported discoloration that was red, black, green, and/or a metallic taste we recommended a basic water quality test.

Homeowners that reported a chemical odor or metallic sheen and located in an area surrounded by agricultural activities or petrochemicals we recommended a test that included bacteria, metals, Volatile Organics, herbicides, and pesticides.  If they reported slimy coatings or films, we added a nuisance bacteria test.

We also directed a few of these users to our Phone App and Diagnose It for a self Diagnose.

At this point, NOT one of these individuals has installed a reverse osmosis unit, but it looks like the guy with the salty water may need a system.  We did find out that about 90% of the well owners needed to shock disinfect their well, 50% needed to install a UV disinfection System, 30% had a corrosion related problem, and 20% had to treat the water for an iron, manganese, or sulfur problem.

For the “Spring User” – we recommend the water be tested for total coliform and E. coli. and general water quality.  If the samples come back positive and there was a concern iron and manganese content we recommended a water test that included bacteria (including standard plate count and nuisance bacteria, iron, manganese, and total dissolved solids).  Some of the users complained about getting diarrhea, so we recommend the equivalent of a Pathogenic Screen Test for Your Drinking Water.

Guess What ! – the diarrhea case was positive for 1 pathogenic organism.   Our recommendation was to not use that spring and if possible have the spring properly abandon.   If you want to use a local spring source, plan on boiling the water at a minimum and use a water pitcher filter (test regularly at least quarterly).

For the guy that needed a reverse osmosis system, he also needed a pretreatment system to deal with the bacteria, hardness, and prepare the water for the R/O unit.    For individuals on city water that want a point of use R/O, we have found that is is typically necessary to prefilter the water to remove particles, add a carbon unit to remove chlorine, and is some cases reduce the hardness of the water.    Please keep in mind both applications are for Point-of-Use and not – Wholehouse RO treatment.

Looking for a Reverse Osmosis Unit – Questions?

  1. How much water do I need per day?
  2. Does my water require pretreatment?  If you do not have recent water testing data, we recommend this comprehensive assessment (Complete RO screen).  Testing for silica is critical.
  3. How much water will be “wasted” per day and where will this water go?   Some R/O units process 2 to 4 units of water to make 1 unit.  Therefore, you may waste 1 to 3 gallons of water to make 1 gallon.
  4. Do I need to install a booster pump- Do I have the proper pressure in my system?
  5. Do you need to re-mineralize the water for taste or to increase the pH?

Interesting R/O Unit with Booster Pump

Finally -You may want to be looking for an NSF/ANSI 58 approved systems – You can try this product search. “NSF/ANSI 58 establishes the minimum requirements for the certification of point-of-use (POU) reverse osmosis systems designed to reduce contaminants that may be present in public or private drinking water.  The scope of NSF/ANSI 58 includes material safety, structural integrity, total dissolved solids (TDS) reduction and other optional contaminant reduction claims. The most common optional claims addressed by NSF/ANSI 58 include cyst reduction, hexavalent and trivalent chromium reduction, arsenic reduction, nitrate/nitrite reduction, and cadmium and lead reduction.”  and you most likely want to hire a local trained professional to assist with product selection and install. If your looking for a treatment system to remove Pfas/Pfos (meets NSF P473)

Training
If you are looking for Training on the Subject – Visit :  Basic Water Treatment Course (Search Water Supply
(Topics: Desalination, Disinfection, Membrane Filtration)

More -Training – Visit Training Professionals 

Please share the site – We try to be as fact based as possible and try to provide solid information.

Manufacturers

Crystal Quest
US Water Systems

Lycoming County Pennsylvania Flooding Private Wells

Lycoming County, Pennsylvania – Flooding Private Wells

With the significant and long-term rainfall events, we have areas that have undergone flooding.   If your area has been flooded and you use private water wells you must take some action to ensure that your water well is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.    When water wells become inundated or a region floods, it is possible that the contaminated water may enter the water well directly via the well cap or indirectly through natural macropores  (i.e., spaces between the rock or particles of sand and gravel,  in the unconsolidated material or bedrock.  OUR suggestions are as follows:

  1. Do not panic!
  2. If you are not handy, we recommend that you contact a licensed professional well driller.
  3. If you are handy and have power, we recommend that you inspect the area around the well and remove the well cap and shock disinfect the well.
  4. We would recommend the well be purged to waste – do not purge the water into the septic system or back directly into the well initially.  When the well water appears clear, recirculate the water back into the well to wash down the sides of the casing.   Please make sure to by-pass any water treatment devices and water filters and do not run this water through your main plumbing of the home.
  5. We then recommend that the well and main line be shock disinfected twice.  This is our website that contains information on how to shock disinfect a well and a link to a video that reviews the process and to the preferred chemical to use (Link to Amazon).  Please note- Some local well drillers has this chemical available.   If you can not get this chemical, it is ok in an emergency to use household bleach that does NOT contains scents, fragrances, or other additives.
  6. After the well has been shock disinfected and purged one to waste, the second shock disinfection should be to the well and the distribution system of the home.  When you conduct this disinfection, it is critical that you remove all aeration devices, by-pass all filters, and remove any hoses or connections that have inline filters or screens, i.e., your washer hoses and you may want to consider raising the casing, adding a sanitary well cap, and adding a Well Seal.
  7. When you believe you have shock disinfected the well properly, we recommend the following:
    1. Screen the raw untreated well water and the water from the piping of your home using a DIY Informational Water Testing Screening Test. (Link to TA – portion of the proceeds benefits the Keystone Clean Water Team)
    2. If the screening test is negative, we would suggest that you then contact a certified laboratory PA by county and have the water tested for at least total coliform and E. coli. using a method that gives you a physical count, i.e., an enumeration method.
    3. If the water is still positive for total coliform and/or E. coli, we would recommend that you shock disinfect the well and distribution system a second time, but use a longer reaction time and then retest using a certified laboratory.
    4. If you are in an area with farming or petrochemical storage or high use, we would also recommend an informational water screening test that includes trace metals, herbicides, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds  (Link to NTL – portion of the proceeds benefits the Keystone Clean Water Team).

PS: Adding too much disinfection chemical to the well is not wise, this can cause the release of arsenic and other trace metals into the water.

Recent Concerns:
Worms in Well Water
Forever Chemicals in Drinking Water

The Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501 c3 that focuses on Pennsylvania, but helps private well owners and small water systems worldwide.

For more information about us, please visit our portal.  We have a new educational booklet on groundwater in Pennsylvania.   More Questions -visit us at Water-research.net

If you can – give us a hand – all we ask is you share, retweet, and help promote our social media platforms.  If you can donate – GREAT !

Article Submitted to Connections Magazine for February 2018 American Heart Health Month

Show Your Partner You Care – “Know Your H20”

By: Brian Oram, Professional Geologist

This article was prepared based on the topic of “Romance”.   On the topic of romance, I am not an expert.  I have been married only twice and currently love only one women my current wife.  Robin is great!   Many see this as a time to show the one you love you care by going that extra mile, saying I love you, being more considerate, and trying to at least let that other person know you care and you love them.   Therefore, it is good to have big strong heart and for that reason it is “American Heart Month”.

Heart disease is a leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States and in the month of January my good friend had a massive heart attack.  He is currently doing well.   Since I am not a physician I can only tell you what my doctor tells me   “Make heart-healthy choices” and “Know the risk factors”, and stay hydrated.

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Since I am in expert in geology and water quality, I would like to add “Know YOUR H20”.  It is critical to know what you are putting into your body and what you are using to hydrate your system.    Humans are big bags of water.    Since hydration impacts the circulatory system, improper hydration may cause the heart to pump quicker.  There are a number of contaminates in drinking water that can impact your heart and overall health.  These contaminants include: atrazine, arsenic, antimony, barium, cadmium, lead, microorganisms, and selenium.   In general, 50% of private wells in Pennsylvania have elevated levels of bacteria and 8% contain elevated levels of arsenic, and about 40% may contain elevated levels of lead/copper and other trace metals.  Even “city water” may contain elevated levels of trace metals and chlorine by-products that can impact your health.  To show your partner you care, get your water tested and make sure you “KnowYour H20” and the Neighboorhood Hazard Reports.

PS: Buy native flowers and say I love you !

Keystone Clean Water Team
http://www.pacleanwater.org

Brian Oram is a licensed professional geologist and a soil scientist.  He is the owner of B.F. Environmental Consultants, Inc. and the manager for the Keystone Clean Water Team a 501 c3.

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Test Assured Science Fair Water Testing Kits

Science Fair / School Project Test Kit

If you’re looking for a science fair project, TestAssured’s 4 Test Kit Set is perfect for students. This set includes 4 test kits and is appropriate for children in grades three through nine. The easy to use tests encourage students to learn about water quality while testing various samples against each other. The tests allow them to analyze and compare the differences among a number of water sources, including bottled, well, rain, puddle, and lake water.

This comprehensive test set provides quick results delivered on the spot. Using the test kits, students can accurately determine contamination levels in their test samples. Test 4 different samples of water and compare the results from each. The set comes with a detailed instruction guide and results notebook to track and compare test results.

The School 4-Pack Kit Set includes 4 kits that contain tests for:

  • Chlorine (Cl)
  • Copper (Cu)
  • Nitrates
  • Nitrites
  • Alkalinity
  • pH
  • Hardness
  • Iron (Fe)

This is the perfect water experiment kit for classrooms and students of all ages from elementary to middle and high school students.  The test strips can be used to compare the results of a variety of liquids besides water, such as sodas, juices, and other beverages.  Easily compare results of different waters and liquids without buying multiple kits. This 4-pack testing kit for schools and science fairs gives you a total of 32 tests in just one convenient kit.

We would also suggest you reviewing the following:
1. Water Quality Index (WQI) Calculator – Surface Water Quality Data
2. Watershed Monitoring Website 

Pennsylvania Lead Task Force – John Yudichak. Senate Resolution 33

Senate Approves Resolution Creating Task Force to Investigate Threat of Lead Exposure in Pennsylvania

Senator John T. Yudichak recently announced that Senate Resolution 33 — which creates a bipartisan task force to investigate the scope of Pennsylvania’s lead exposure problem — was approved unanimously by the full Senate. The resolution had been approved unanimously by the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee at the end of April.

Senator Yudichak introduced the resolution earlier this session because lead exposure can threaten the health and well-being of every Pennsylvanian—especially senior citizens and children. “The task force report will advance cooperative efforts to arm the General Assembly with better information and best practice recommendations to develop new lead abatement programs that more aggressively mitigate lead exposure in Pennsylvania,” said State Senator John Yudichak.

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The resolution calls for the Senate to establish a task force on lead exposure comprised of the chairs of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and the Health and Human Services Committee and two members appointed by the Senate President pro tempore and the Minority Leader. An advisory committee of the Joint State Government Commission will conduct a comprehensive review of Pennsylvania law and public policy related to lead exposure and abatement practices and then submit a report to the task force and full Senate within 18-months. The report must assess the age of housing and infrastructure, lead exposure threats, and identify the prevalence of lead in structures where children spend significant time.

A few key points

  1. This is not just a drinking water issue.  Lead is present in many homes and sources include old lead paint, cookware, make-up, and other consumer products.
  2. If on city water, check piping in home for lead pipe and evidence of corrosion.  Remove the aeration devices and clean and flush the water lines to remove any films and coatings.
  3. If on city water – read the Consumer Confident Reports generated by water supplier and look for signs of corrosion.
  4. If on well water – get your water tested.
  5. Use are free phone App – Know Your H20 – Android / Google ;  Apple

Radon occurrence in groundwater from 16 geologic units in Pennsylvania

Evaluation of radon occurrence in groundwater from 16 geologic units in Pennsylvania, 1986–2015, with application to potential radon exposure from groundwater and indoor air
Scientific Investigations Report 2017-5018

“Results from 1,041 groundwater samples collected during 1986‒2015 from 16 geologic units in Pennsylvania, associated with 25 or more groundwater samples with concentrations of radon-222, were evaluated in an effort to identify variations in radon-222 activities or concentrations and to classify potential radon-222 exposure from groundwater and indoor air. Radon-222 is hereafter referred to as “radon.” Radon concentrations in groundwater greater than or equal to the proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) for public-water supply systems of 300 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) were present in about 87 percent of the water samples, whereas concentrations greater than or equal to the proposed alternative MCL (AMCL) for public water-supply systems of 4,000 pCi/L were present in 14 percent. The highest radon concentrations were measured in groundwater from the schists, gneisses, and quartzites of the Piedmont Physiographic Province.

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In this study, conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, groundwater samples were aggregated among 16 geologic units in Pennsylvania to identify units with high median radon concentrations in groundwater. Graphical plots and statistical tests were used to determine variations in radon concentrations in groundwater and indoor air. Median radon concentrations in groundwater samples and median radon concentrations in indoor air samples within the 16 geologic units were classified according to proposed and recommended regulatory limits to explore potential radon exposure from groundwater and indoor air. All of the geologic units, except for the Allegheny (Pa) and Glenshaw (Pcg) Formations in the Appalachian Plateaus Physiographic Province, had median radon concentrations greater than the proposed EPA MCL of 300 pCi/L, and the Peters Creek Schist (Xpc), which is in the Piedmont Physiographic Province, had a median radon concentration greater than the EPA proposed AMCL of 4,000 pCi/L. Median concentrations of radon in groundwater and indoor air were determined to differ significantly among the geologic units (Kruskal-Wallis test, significance probability, p<0.001), and Tukey’s test indicated that radon concentrations in groundwater and indoor air in the Peters Creek Schist (Xpc) were significantly higher than those in the other units. Also, the Peters Creek Schist (Xpc) was determined to be the area with highest potential of radon exposure from groundwater and indoor air and one of two units with the highest percentage of population assumed to be using domestic self-supplied water (81 percent), which puts the population at greater potential of exposure to radon from groundwater.

Potential radon exposure determined from classification of geologic units by median radon concentrations in groundwater and indoor air according to proposed and recommended regulatory limits is useful for drawing general conclusions about the presence, variation, and potential radon exposure in specific geologic units, but the associated data and maps have limitations. The aggregated indoor air radon data have spatial accuracy limitations owing to imprecision of geo-coded test locations. In addition, the associated data describing geologic units and the public water supplier’s service areas have spatial and interpretation accuracy limitations. As a result, data and maps associated with this report are not recommended for use in predicting individual concentrations at specific sites nor for use as a decision-making tool for property owners to decide whether to test for radon concentrations at specific locations. Instead, the data and maps are meant to promote awareness regarding potential radon exposure in Pennsylvania and to point out data gaps that exist throughout the State.”

Link to Study “sir20175018”

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