Harveys Lake Private Well Owner Groundwater Monitoring Event

Water Well Tests and Q&A Session Offered

A comprehensive package of drinking water tests will be offered once again this summer at a deeply discounted price to Harveys Lake residents by the Harveys Lake EAC, Mr. Brian Oram, and the Keystone Clean Water Team.

You don’t have to live next to a superfund site to have problems.  Besides concerns related to agriculture, mining, land development, spills, and natural gas development, nature put many dangerous substances into the ground and we can add to it by what our neighbors and we do in our own backyards.  A few facts about PA Groundwater and Private Wells:

1. About 30 to 50% of private wells have an elevated level of total coliform.
2. About 15 to 20% of private wells have e. coli.
3. About 6 to 8 % have elevated levels of arsenic.
4. About 20 to 30% have elevated levels of iron.
5. About 10 to 20 % have elevated levels of managanese.
6. About 5 % have elevated levels of chloride, barium, strontium, total dissolved solids, radiological issues, and/or methane (above 7 mg/L).

Source: Citizens Groundwater and Surfacewater Database (Oram, 2012)

The tests will be conducted on Saturday morning, July 12 by Brian Oram, a professional geologist and water well expert who has run the testing programs here at Harveys Lake for many years.  The cost of this year’s water well test package will remain at $95 (compared to a retail value of more than $225).  Residents’ water will be tested for Alkalinity (Total as CaCO3), Chloride, Fluoride, Hardness, Nitrate as N, Orthophosphate, pH (Standard Units), Sulfate, Total Dissolved Solids, Turbidity (Turbidity Units), Total Coliform with e. coli check, Aluminum, Arsenic, Barium, Cadmium, Calcium, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Lead, Magnesium, Manganese, Mercury, Nickel, Potassium, Selenium, Silica, Silver, Sodium and Zinc  (We are trying to add Uranium and Strontium to this testing package)

 

Note: Because of the power outage and storms- Pick up day move to July 19 – 9:00 am to 10:30 am – Only a few kits remain! 

Interested residents should register with Denise, at 570- 639-1042.  Participants can pick up water sampling kits at the Harveys Lake Borough Building beginning June 30.  Water samples must be dropped off between 10am and noon on July 12 at the Borough Building’s meeting room, where scientists will perform certain tests immediately.  Confidential final test results will be mailed to participants directly from the Water Research Center  and the Keystone Clean Water within two weeks of the testing date.  Payment in full for the testing is due on July 12.

Important Note: This program’s test results do not meet the requirements of a legal baseline water well test.  However, these tests remain a valuable and cost-effective opportunity for homeowners to monitor the safety of their drinking water.  Residents can learn more about legal baseline testing and find competitive pricing at http://harveyslakepa.us/eac/well_testing.htm.  If you need help with baseline testing, please contact our staff for more information or visit our laboratory listing page.

Volunteer

We seek new people at all skill levels for a variety of programs. One thing that everyone can do is attend meetings to share ideas on improving CCGG, enabling us to better understand and address the concerns of well owners.  We look for people that can forward solid articles, help coordinate local education efforts, and more.  Become part of the Keystone Clean Water Team!.

Everything we do began with an idea.

We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot.  Get YOUR WATER Tested – Discounted Screening Tests !

For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us.

Carbon County Groundwater Guardians is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.  Waiting on Official Name change to the Keystone Clean Water Team by the IRS.  Unsolicited donations are appreciated (Helps us complete our mission).

Help the Organization and Get Your Water Tested or Order the Private Well Owner Guide (proceeds benefit This Organization).