Nationwide Program – Neighborhood Environmental Report Your Home Health Status

Nationwide Program – The Keystone Clean Water Team is in pre-launch for a new USA program to help homeowners.  The program helps you to identify the existing and historic environmental hazards in your community.   We are working with a national environmental database search company to offer a report to help you understand your home’s or your future homes environmental health status within a community.  We are doing this by taking a snapshot of the current and historic environmental concerns and hazards in the community and a review of select criminal activity.   This program has been lauched – order a Neighboorhood Hazard Reports.

The program, Neighborhood Environmental Report™, offers a search of over 1,400 databases and millions of records of potential land and groundwater contamination within 1 mile radius of the entered address.  The report  includes a search for concerns that might be dangerous to a homeowner’s family or investment such as nearby leaking underground oil tanks, leaky underground fuel tanks (LUSTs), leaky above ground tanks (LASTs),  CDC Health Assessment Database,  landfills, hazardous waste sites, DOD facilities, gas and radiological sources, National Wetland Mapping, Flooding mapping data, drug houses, and clandestine drug labs.

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Healthy Communities = Healthy Kids and Families

Some of the most toxic and/or costly hazards exists outside of your home.  These contaminants can enter your home through direct human or animal contract or vapor intrusion into your home through the air, soil, or groundwater.  These hazards pose a threat to you and your family’s health and the value of your property.    Every report includes detailed information about what has been searched and identified as well as contact information for all governmental and private organizations cited in the databases.

The benefits of this report:

1. Help existing homeowners understand the hazards in their communities.
2. Aid future homeowners quickly learn about the historic hazards and concerns to conduct prior water quality, soils, or environmental testing and get the proper inspections.
3. Aid real estate professionals, investors, and appraisers evaluate the value of a home or residential property.
4. If you are selling your home, what a great way to introduce your home and surrounding community to any potential buyers, and as a home buyer, the Neighborhood Environmental Report helps provide peace of mind for you and your family.
5. For environmental groups, this is a great way to educate and inform your community about existing environmental hazards, develop local targeted sub-watershed monitoring programs, and educate children about their communities.  In some cases a larger search area is needed.
6. Home inspectors, environmental laboratories, and other may find the reports useful, but in many cases some additional review or interpretation will be needed to select the appropriate testing parameters, inspections, and monitoring.

(Example Report Dallas Pennsylvania)

We ran this report for a small business owner that was looking to purchase a residential property in Shavertown, PA.  The property was going to be purchased for cash.  We completed the search and search identified a specific potential problem with a past but active leak at a gasoline station.  This lead the buyer to ask for more information.   When the right questions were asked, it was determined that there may be some environmental hazards that could impact the value of the property.  In addition, the preliminary search suggested that the property could be located  in a floodplain.  The quote from the buyer – “The preliminary information and educational materials allowed me to better understand my risk and allow me to find a new property in a timely manner and save over $ 200,000.00” (GW, Shavertown, PA, 2015).

During the period from 2010 to 2011 – the following are the states with the most “Meth Lab” busts:  Missouri, Tennessee , Indiana , Kentucky, Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

We are in pre-launch on this service.  During pre-launch we are offering to complete compile this report for a fee of only $ 55.00.   After pre-launch and website design, we think the final cost will be $ 75 and up.  Neighboorhood Hazard Reports

2. Contact Mr. Brian Oram at the Keystone Clean Water Team (KCWT) at cleanwater@carbonwaters.org and provide the mailing address for the property, your contact information, email address, and phone number.   We can provide this service for the USA.  For some areas, we may need more information.

Terms and Conditions

1. Reports do not meet the terms and conditions of an environmental audit for real estate translations.
2. Reports can not be resold and the copyright will be maintained by the Keystone Clean Water Team.
3. Any analyses, estimates, ratings or risk codes provided in this Report are provided for illustrative purposes only, and are not intended to provide, nor should they be interpreted as providing any facts regarding, or prediction or forecast of, any environmental risk for any property. Only a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment performed by an environmental professional can provide information regarding the environmental risk for any property. This Report is not a replacement for a home inspection. This Report does not provide information pertaining to the interior of the target property such as, but not limited to: mold, asbestos, lead, radon or other issues. Additionally, the information provided in this Report is not to be construed as legal advice.
4. This report contains certain information described herein pertaining solely to the exterior of the target property, which information was obtained from a variety of public and other sources reasonably available to the database search company. The company. does not produce, maintain or verify the information contained in these sources; and assumes, without independent investigation, that the information in such sources is accurate and complete.

Everything we do began with an idea.

We have offered “Free” Assistance to this effort, but if you are a private well owner that needs assistance we are happy to help.

We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. KCWT’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable. It can be a little or a lot.  Get YOUR WATER Tested – Discounted Screening Tests, posting articles on social media, or assisting with a local event !

For more information, please go to KCWT’s About Page or contact us.  Follow us on Twitter 

Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.    Unsolicited donations are appreciated (Helps us complete our mission), but we also do local educational workshops and local cellphone/small electronic recycling programs. If you would like to set up a program to help recycle cellphones at an event, business, or other organization.  Through our program we can recycle  cell phones, iPods, game systems, and small digital cameras.  If your interested, please contact us.  Our new PSAs.

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

Solar Pasteurization System Low Tech Solutions for Third World Countries, Off the Grid and Camping

In the 1880s, Mr. Louis Pasteur identified bacteria and other waterborne diseases and he learned that at many of these organisms can be killed or inactivated by boiling the water.    Other commonly used forms of disinfection includes ozone, chlorine, iodine, hydrogen peroxide, UV-Disinfection, ozone, and other chemical process.  Even though many drink pasteurized milk – many do not realize that this process can be used as a low tech way to treat drinking water.   Pasteurization occurs when the water is heated to only 160 F or 71 F.

Pasteurization of Microbe

Pasteurization of Microbes

This presentation was originally prepared as part of a a field training and education program to use low tech approaches to training young adults in developing solutions for water quality problems.  The process uses water pasteurization to inactivate or kill biological organisms.  This process provides an alternative to conventional disinfection methods for remote areas as an alternative to boiling, UV-Disinfection, Chlorination, Chemical treatment, or ozonation.

From the World Health Organization – “Diarrhea occurs world-wide and causes 4% of all deaths and 5% of health loss to disability. It is most commonly caused by gastrointestinal infections which kill around 2.2 million people globally each year, mostly children in developing countries. The use of water in hygiene is an important preventive measure but contaminated water is also an important cause of diarrhea. Cholera and dysentery cause severe, sometimes life threatening forms of diarrhea.”

Diarrhea is

1. Biochemical/ Chemical irritation of the gut.
2.  There are 1.5 billion cases of diarrhea per year.
3.  Approximately 2 million children die each year.
4. Waterborne disease can cause systematic collapse of the local or regional food web and facilitate cross-species infection.
5. Drinking contaminated water, improper sanitation practices, and improper management of wastes can facilitate disease.

Key measures to reduce the number of cases of diarrhea includes:

  • Access to safe drinking water.
  • Improved sanitation.
  • Good personal and food hygiene.
  • Health education about how infections spread.

Key measures to treat diarrhea include:

  • Giving more fluids than usual, including oral rehydration salts solution, to prevent dehydration.
  • Continue feeding.
  • Consulting a health worker if there are signs of dehydration or other problems.

Our Presentation on Solar Pasteurization Process Water Treatment.

Educational Materials are Available  from the Keystone Clean Water Team. The Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501c3 and donations are appreciated.

Everything we do began with an idea.

We have offered “Free” Assistance to this effort, but if you are a private well owner that needs assistance we are happy to help.

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.  Follow us on Twitter 

Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.    Unsolicited donations are appreciated (Helps us complete our mission), but we also do local educational workshops and local cellphone/small electronic recycling programs. If you would like to set up a program to help recycle cellphones at an event, business, or other organization.  Through our program we can recycle  cell phones, iPods, game systems, and small digital cameras.  If your interested, please contact us.  Our new PSAs.

Help the Organization and Get Your Water Tested or Tap Score Tapwater and Well Water Testing Program, and  Order the Private Well Owner Guide (proceeds benefit This Organization). Water Science Basics!

On-going Fundraiser – Go Fund Me -Global Stream Water Monitoring Tools: A new online tool called the Water Quality Index Calculator is available from KnowYourH2O that can be used globally to provide a ‘grade’ for surface water quality as part of a watershed monitoring, surface water monitoring and assessment program, citizen science, lake monitoring, or source water assessment tool.

Groundwater Availability Analysis and Groundwater Quality Wayne County, Pennsylvania

The Wayne Tomorrow Action Committee invited the Keystone Clean Water Team to compile and develop a presentation on the general water quality, water availability, and some general recommendations related to groundwater resources in Wayne County, Pennsylvania.   The Keystone Clean Water Team had Mr. Brian Oram, a local water quality expert and professional geologist, review the information and conduct the presentation for the Keystone Clean Water Team.    During the education session, the members of the Wayne Tomorrow Action Committee and the Sustainability Committee for Wayne Tomorrow was present.   A copy of the presentation Wayne County Planning for Our Future is available.    For this training event, the following sponsors were recognized:

BF. Environmental Consultants
Water Research Center
Quantum Laboratories

Key Topics:

1. Private Wells are not regulated in Pennsylvania and there are NO minimum construction standards.
2. About 50% of private wells in Pennsylvania appear to have at least one water quality problem and causes the water to NOT meet the PADEP Drinking Water Standards.
3. Common problem is the pH of the water is low and the water is corrosive.   Corrosive water can increase the concentration of trace metals like copper/lead/zinc (plumbing and fixtures) and iron/manganese/aluminum/arsenic (aquifer).4. From the USGS Study – 97 % of private wells have radon over 300 pCi/L,  6 Percent have elevated arsenic, well water with a pH of over 7.8 may be associated with the presence of methane, arsenic, fluoride, sodium, bromide, lithium, boron, and chloride.  (Speaker note:  Well water with a pH of 8.0 or more may be influenced by naturally occurring saline water).
5. Analysis – The County could consider using the GIS System to conduct Groundwater Vulnerability Analysis, Availability Analysis, and Identify the location of historic or current hazards of concern.
6. In general, Wayne County can use a basic water budgeting analysis to evaluate project sustainability and if possible promote the use of on-site well and septic system with proper installation and maintenance.  The example demonstrated how projects could be analyzed to determine the estimated development capacity of a project based on water availability.
7. The Organization or County can not allocate water – this is the role of the Delaware River Basin Commission.
8. Wayne County is appears that 35 to 45 % of rainfall contributes to baseflow for the region.
9. Advisable to develop a County or Local Agency – Well Construction Standard.
10. Educational Materials are Available for PA from the Keystone Clean Water Team. The Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501c3 and donations are appreciated.

Everything we do began with an idea.

We have offered “Free” Assistance to this effort, but if you are a private well owner that needs assistance we are happy to help.

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.  Follow us on Twitter 

Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.    Unsolicited donations are appreciated (Helps us complete our mission), but we also do local educational workshops and local cellphone/small electronic recycling programs. If you would like to set up a program to help recycle cellphones at an event, business, or other organization.  Through our program we can recycle  cell phones, iPods, game systems, and small digital cameras.  If your interested, please contact us.  Our new PSAs.

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

Northeast Pennsylvania Polycythemia Vera (PV) Investigation

Background

In 2004, using state cancer registry records, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) found a PV cluster in northeast Pennsylvania. PV is part of a disease group called myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), which is a group of slow-growing blood cancers where the bone marrow makes too many red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets.

In 2006, ATSDR was asked to help study PV patterns in the area. From 2007-2008, ATSDR reviewed medical records, conducted genetic testing, and confirmed this PV cluster.

In 2009, Congress funded ATSDR to continue this investigation. ATSDR is overseeing 18 projects with PADOH, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and various universities and private organizations. These projects are based on recommendations from an expert panel. The panel identified four areas for investigation; epidemiology, genetics, toxicology, and environmental studies.

In 2014, the last of the contracts for the 18 different projects ended.

PV Research Projects Status Graphic March 2015  (The Graphic)

Status

The graphic, PV Research Projects Status Graphic March 2015  (The Graphic),  this provides a summary of the status of each of the 18 projects as of March 2015.  I’ve attached this graphic both as a “snapshot” in the body of this email, as well as a pdf attachment.  Projects highlighted in “green” in the attached graphic have work complete and a final product available (if applicable).  Projects highlighted in “yellow” have final products in progress and undergoing clearance.  Projects highlighted in “red” have final products that are anticipated but not yet started.  The shapes of the projects in the graphics give you an idea of the category of work of that project, as described in the key on the graphic.

As of March 23, 2015, work is complete and a final product is available (if applicable) for 12 projects.  We are happy to announce that 1 new project (#12) moved from yellow to green since my January 2015 update:

#12:  “Tri-County MPN Updated Surveillance Study“ conducted by the University of Pittsburgh is complete.  The published manuscript and ATSDR/CDC summary factsheet are available on the ATSDR website at:

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/polycythemia_vera/

The purpose of this study was to examine PV reporting to the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry (PCR) following the original ATSDR PV investigation; to determine whether other myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) were similarly underreported or falsely reported; and to determine whether a cancer cluster persisted in the follow-up period. The original ATSDR PV cancer cluster investigation was conducted in a tri county area in northeast Pennsylvania in 2006. This study was initiated to update and expand the original investigation.  These researchers found that:

  • *       Most MPN cases had been reported to the PCR but only about half were true cases.
  • *       Using the seven true PV cases identified, these researchers did not find any statistically significant clusters in space or in space-time in this updated analysis.
  • *       Using the eleven true CML cases, these researchers did not find any statistically significant clusters in space or in space-time in this updated analysis.
  • *       Using nine true ET cases, these researchers found a statistically significant cluster at the zip-code level when evaluated in space, but not in space-time.
  • *       The estimated incidence rates for most MPNs are lower than the rates calculated from the original PCR database.
  • *       The estimated PV incidence rate was 2.5 (0.8-5.1) per 100,000, 64% lower than the original rate based on PCR reports after correcting for completeness and accuracy.
  • *       The estimated ET incidence rate was 2.3 (0.6-3.8) per 100,000, slightly higher than the original rate based on PCR reports after correcting for completeness and accuracy.
  • *       However, the wide range of values for estimated incidence rates reflects the variability associated with the findings based on the low response rate. The response rate for this study was 26%. This means that approximately ¼ of the identified cases agreed to participate in this study.

Further, #13 “Case Control Study” conducted by Drexel University (reported as already complete when Carol Ann Gross-Davis’ PhD dissertation was completed as of the October 2014 update) now has a publicly available journal article published related to this effort.  This article is entitled “The Role of Genotypes That Modify the Toxicity of Chemical Mutagens in the Risk for Myeloproliferative Neoplasms” and is available online at:

http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/12/3/2465/html

This article describes Drexel’s population-based case-control study.  Eligible participants were residents of Carbon, Luzerne, and Schuylkill counties born between 1921–1968 and residing in the area between 2000–2008. Drexel recruited 27  “cases” (i.e., participants diagnosed with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), including polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and primary myelofibrosis (PMF))and 292 “controls” (i.e., participants not diagnosed with MPNs but similar in other characteristics such as age, residence history, etc) through random digit dialing.  Blood samples from participants were analyzed, and odds ratios estimated for a select set of polymorphisms (i.e., variations in a particular DNA sequence).  The researchers selected polymorphisms that are associated with “environmentally sensitive genes.”  The aim of this effort was to try to identify potential classes of environmental exposures that could be linked to the development of genetic changes that could be related to MPNs.

 

For more information:

Visit ATSDR’s web page on PV: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/polycythemia_vera/index.html

Call ATSDR’s toll-free PV information line: 866-448-0242 or email jcx0@cdc.gov, which will connect you to Dr. Elizabeth Irvin-Barnwell, ATSDR Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences.

Contact Lora Siegmann Werner, ATSDR Region 3, by phone at 215-814-3141 or by email at lkw9@cdc.gov.

Schaumburg area Illinois Get Your Private Well Tested Trichloroethylene (TCE)

“Water in some private wells near Schaumburg might be contaminated and should be tested, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.   Related Smoking around oxygen tank eyed as cause of fatal fire SCHAUMBURG AREA Smoking around oxygen tank eyed as cause of fatal fire.  During routine testing of Schaumburg’s water supply, the department officials discovered trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene might be present in private wells.  The wells that could be affected are in an area south of Algonquin Road, west of Salt Creek, north of Gold Road and east of Meacham Road. A second area located south of Briarwood Lane, north of Algonquin, east of Meacham and south of Westwood Lane could also be affected, according to the health department.

There were no violations of state or federal standards in Schaumburg’s community water supply, according to the public health department.

People in the areas potentially affected, and who get their water from private wells, are encouraged to have their well water tested for volatile organic compounds by a private laboratory.   Tetrachloroethylene (PERC) is a liquid often used in the textile industry and in aerosol dry-cleaning products, while trichloroethylene (TCE) is often used to remove grease from fabricated metal and to make some textiles, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.”  (article source)

More on Trichloroethylene

We recommend Test Kit

Take Action !
ATSDR on Tetrachloroethylene

New PSA – Public Service Announcement Videos Pennsylvania Groundwater

The Keystone Clean Water Team would like to this opportunity to thank our current sponsors and supporters who aided in creating our first set of PSAs.   It has been a great year.   The first set of public service announcements can be found on the Organizations YouTube Site.   The Videos are as follows:

1. Getting Your Water Tested Can Cost as Little As $ 50.00 – Only Costs $ 50.00

2. Hidden Contamination in Your Water – Looks Clear – It is Ok?

3. Got Coliform Bacteria – Do NOT Panic !

4. Water Testing – It is Easy!  (Annual Water Quality Testing – Baseline Testing – Natural Gas)

5. We Could Use Some Help – Help Us Help You and Our Community !

Please share on social media, like and share our sites on facebook, and we do Tweet. Get our Educational Booklet.

Featured Product – Well Safe – Something Every Well Owner Should Have on the Shelf !

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Thanks

Sponsors – We can use some help!

Thank You to Our Current Sponsors and Supporters
Carbon County Environmental Education Center
Greg Sorber Well Drilling –204 Niemchik Rd, Hunlock Creek, PA 18621 · (570) 477-5393
RGA Public Relations
White Knight Productions Inc.
B.F. Environmental Consultants
Practical Law and Life
Groundwater Foundation – Groundwater Guardian Program

Private Well Water System Drinking Water Well Owner Homebuyer in Rural Pennsylvania

Welcome to Pennsylvania and Welcome to Managing Your Own Small Water Company

In Pennsylvania,  there are generally no specific construction standards for private wells and there is only some general guidance with respect to well placement and construction.  Further, private well water is not regulated by the EPA or PADEP and therefore it is up to YOU to check your water to ensure that the well produces good clean and adequate water.    This is only a short summary of the information.  If you are interested we offer a Private Well Owner Training Course that can be offered as a Workshop for Your Community, Association, or other Organization  (Some of our community project pages).

There are a number of steps to this process and well will break them down as follows:

Well Placement
Well Construction
Well Testing (Yield and Quality)
Well Maintenance
Annual Water Testing

Well Placement
In general, the primary guidance with to water well placement in Pennsylvania is that a water well should be 100 feet from a septic system (regulated), 50 feet from a septic tank (regulated), 10 feet from a sewer line under pressure (regulated), 300 + feet from petrochemical storage, and 10 feet from a property line. To be honest, these isolation distance do not consider impacts from other natural conditions or activities.  In general, we  would recommend the following:

1. If possible, the private well owner should control all activities within a 50 to  100 foot radius of the wellhead, i.e.., top of the water well. These activities should include: use of pesticides and herbicides, storage of toxic or hazardous chemicals, storage or management of manure and other waste, diversion of surface water and runoff, overuse of the area by grazing animals, location of burrow pits, burn pipes, rubbish storage, or storage of used cars or other items that may contain antifreeze, oils, and greases.
2. Well casing should extend at least 18 inches above grade.
3. Well should be fitted with a sanitary well cap that has some form of venting.
4. The well should be located at least 10 feet from a property line.
5. It might be wise to install a Well Seal.

Other suggested isolation distances

Delineated wetlands or floodplains (25 feet)- with top of casing 3 feet above flood elevation.
Surface waters (25 feet) Storm water Systems (25 feet)
BioInfiltration Stormwater Systems (100 feet +)
Spray Irrigation/ Septage Disposal (100 feet+)
Sinkholes and Closed Depressions (100 feet +)
Farm silos / manure storage (200 feet) Septic Systems (100 feet)
Septic Tanks/Holding Tanks (50 feet)
Chemical Storage/Preparation Area (300 feet)

Well Construction

1. Prefer the use of steel casing that extends at least 15 feet to 20 feet into firm bedrock or 60 feet below ground, whichever is greater.
2. Casing should be of  adequate wall thickness to deal with corrosion and stress – 19lb casing+ (Steel).
3. The base of the casing should contain a harden driveshoe on the bottom of the casing and casing centralized in the borehole.
4. Wells drilled by a licensed well driller using only potable water as the drilling fluid.
5. Casing should be double circumferential welded or threaded casing.
6. Well caps should be sanitary well caps that are properly vented.
7. Annular space should have a neat cement grout layer that is at least 1.5 inches thick.
8. Pitless adapters should be used over well pits and if possible an NSF 61 pitless adapter used.

Well Testing (Yield and Quality)

After the well is drilled, the well should be developed using surging, air-lift, or pumping the well.  This is done to clean out the well cuttings and improve yield.  In some cases, this needs to be done to improve the efficiency of the borehole. If the well yield is low, some well drillers will hydrofrac the well. If you are going to hydrofrac a water well, we recommend zone hydraulic fracturing to isolate the deeper potential water-bearing zones.   After the well development has been completed, a shock wellbore disinfection should be conducted.  The well should be allowed to fully recover and a minimum 2-hour yield test is recommend.  After the yield testing, the well should be shock disinfected.  For information on shock disinfection – we recommend visiting Water-Research Center (Know Your H20) .   The well yield data should include the static water level (water level before pumping), maximum dynamic water level (maximum depth to water during pumping), pumping rate, and length of the pumping test.  This data should be included on the well log and the specific capacity of the well should be reported.  The specific capacity is the rate of yield or gallons per minute per foot of drawdown.  The drawdown is the difference between the static and dynamic water level measurement. 

Before the end of the yield testing, it is recommended that a general water quality analysis of the well be conducted.  This testing should include bacterial quality, general water quality, and specific parameters that are known problems for your region.  Do not rely on a free water analysis or a basic water quality screening down by the well driller.  This should be either information or certified testing conducted by a laboratory.  For information on this type of testing, please contact the Keystone Clean Water Team or the Water-Research Center.   The initial water quality testing data should be reviewed and evaluated.  The first well or city water quality test should be a comprehensive water quality check.  If you are want informational water testing, we would recommend either the Well Water Check or the City Water Check Option. This evaluation should include the need for any further action to improve the well security, continue with well development, or add equipment to improve well water quality.  In some cases, water treatment systems are installed as an additional barrier or layer of protection.  In many cases, the only type of additional treatment that is needed is a whole-house particle filter and a sanitary well cap.  For information on Do-it-Yourself Water Treatment Systems (US Water Systems, FilterWater.com, or Crystal Quest) .

Well and System Maintenance

At a minimum, the well water system should go through an annual inspection.  This inspection could be associated with the annual water quality test or inspection of any water treatment systems.  During this evaluation, the aesthetic quality of the water should be evaluated and some basic field water quality screening should be conducted.   For the field water screening, it is possible this can be done using a number of low-cost meters or an informational water quality screening test.

Annual Water Testing

Depending on the results of the initial evaluation, the results should be evaluated to determine what are the water quality parameters that should be monitored to help track the general water quality of the well.  If a water treatment system was installed, the annual water quality evaluation should include the performance of the water treatment system.  If you need help with determining what you need, WE can Help – We first recommend our Self-Diagnostic Tool and then maybe the DIY Water Testing or Informational Water Testing Program.  The Keystone Clean Water Team can provide guidance on the selection of water quality parameters, review water quality data, and make recommendations on the water quality parameters.  If you are interested, you may want to obtain a copy of our Educational Booklet and Brochure.

To Review a Number of our Case Studies – Common Private Well Problems and Fixes.

In some cases, you may need Baseline Water Testing.

Everything we do began with an idea.

We have offered “Free” Assistance to this effort, but if you are a private well owner that needs assistance we are happy to help.

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.  Follow us on Twitter 

Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.    Unsolicited donations are appreciated (Helps us complete our mission and we have a current Go Fund Me Campaign.  If your interested, please contact us.

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

Water Science Basics!

Buying the Home – Most Important Location Location Water

The Role of Water Treatment Professionals in Real Estate Transactions 

The Best Drinking Water Test / Testing Kits

The Top Drinking Water Contaminants for Private Well Owners and City Water Sources of Drinking Water.

Pike County Conservation District looking for Volunteers to allow FREE WELL WATER TESTING

Conservation District looking for Volunteers to allow FREE WELL WATER TESTING

Pike County Conservation District along with the US Geological Survey (USGS) will be completing a study of drinking water wells from around the county during the summer of 2015. The wells included in the study will be selected from a list of private residential or business wells owned by individuals who agree to volunteer access to their well for the study.  From this list of volunteers, wells will be selected based on several criteria such as geology, accessibility and construction information.  In order to place your well on the list, just call or email the Pike County Conservation District at 570-226-8220 or PikeCD@pikepa.org and give some basic contact info and well location.

Help Pike County develop a baseline for drinking water quality! This is a great opportunity to have an excellent comprehensive sampling of your well water. The cost of this sampling would be several hundred dollars but well water tests completed as part of this study will all be done at no cost to the well owner because this study is funded by the Commonwealth Finance Authority through a Marcellus Legacy Fund Grant awarded to the Pike County Conservation District.   Well water samples will be compared to EPA health standards along with many secondary standards for safe drinking water. Also included in the testing will be several chemicals associated with Unconventional Gas Well Drilling (fracking).  Well owners will be provided with the results. There are only 60 openings for wells throughout Pike County available for the study. Well locations and names will be kept confidential; only the data from the water tests will be used in the study.

Everything we do began with an idea.

We have offered “Free” Assistance to this effort, but if you are a private well owner that needs assistance we are happy to help.

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.  Follow us on Twitter 

Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.    Unsolicited donations are appreciated (Helps us complete our mission), but we also do local educational workshops and local cellphone/small electronic recycling programs. If you would like to set up a program to help recycle cellphones at an event, business, or other organization.  Through our program we can recycle  cell phones, iPods, game systems, and small digital cameras.  If your interested, please contact us.

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

Coatesville Solar Panel Energy Initiative – Exton Pennsylvania

Press Release – Exton, PA Dec. 31, 2014

When the power grid that currently feeds electricity to our hospitals, police stations, homes or electric cars goes down, in a natural disaster like Hurricane Sandy, it will be the microgrids that will come on and will power us back up.

 

“Think of it like we think of ‘Locally-grown produce,’ ” says Bob Keares, of Keares Electric, developer of the Coatesville Solar Initiative (CSI). “When the Coatesville Solar Farm goes live, it will, by regulation, become a microgrid for part of the Coatesville area. That’s comparable to locally grown apples, tomatoes and corn. If the container ships that deliver fresh fruit and vegetables to us from across the globe could not make it into port due to a natural or man-made disaster (and thus to our supermarkets), our own “locally grown” products could then sustain us. It’s the same way with the solar farm. We are literally harvesting electricity, on a local basis.”

 

The benefit (and strength) of the solar farm is not only illustrated in the production of total renewable energy for the Coatesville Area High School (CASH). It will also be demonstrated in a disaster, for example, such as last week’s snowstorm in Buffalo, where power was cut off to municipalities, thus crippling much-needed services. With a microgrid in place, power (reserved in batteries) will be available for local use. The CSI microgrid will be on call 365 days a year, and 24 hours a day, ready with the clean, renewable power the solar farm produces.

 

David Ferris, of Forbes Magazine (July, 31, 2013) explains it in this way, “A microgrid is a lot more than just backup power… It is a system that blends power from the utilities with local power whether there is an outage or not. Few large-scale examples of microgrids yet exist, but here is what one is intended to do. It reduces emissions by scaling down the power arriving from faraway, carbon-spewing coal or natural-gas plants, while adding in local sources like fuel cells, biomass plants, and solar and wind power installations. It prioritizes power needs so that during a blackout, the most crucial elements stay on (like data centers) while the less important ones (like coat closets) are let go. It gives a user some control over the power supply instead of just begging to the power company. And it does all this autonomously and without a flicker in the lights.”

 

 In addition to serving as a microgrid, the Coatesville Solar Initiative (CSI) will provide 100% of the energy needs for the Coatesville Area Main Campus (CAMC) for the next 25 years. CSI will construct two (2) 2.4 MW farms producing approximately 6.3 plus million KwHs of power covering 26 acres of the 48-acre parcel located adjacent to the school. It is estimated CASD by the year 2039 will have saved a total of $3.0 to $6.0 million dollars in energy costs. CAMC includes the High School, its athletic facility and outdoor lighting.

 

CSI will also be providing the CASD with an electric vehicle and three electric vehicle-charging stations to power it, to be used by staff or students that may want to bring their electric vehicle to work and or school. Plus, included in the CSI package is LED lighting at the high school on main campus, as well as LED lighting on poles at Rainbow Elementary. Three solar-education kiosks will be developed, which can be moved from school to school. These savings (in excess of $365,000.00) are all “no cost benefits” to the school district. The statement of sustainability and energy conservation are being made, and will help benefit students of all ages including staff and administration from all areas of studies.

Not to mention, the geographic region of Coatesville in a power outage emergency.

 

For information on this project, kindly contact the Coatesville Solar Initiative at Keares Electrical Contracting at 610-363-8160 or visit

http://www.gogreencsi.com/ 

Release Prepared and submitted by:  For more information on this release, kindly contact Melinda Williams at The Williams Group, 610-518-4888 or visit www.thewilliamsgroup.info

 

Other educational programs or training

Green Design – Sustainability and Historic PreservationStormwater Harvesting
Certificate in Sustainability (University Program)
Global Communities and Building a Sustainable Future
Solar Energy Generation

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.  Follow us on Twitter 

Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.    Unsolicited donations are appreciated (Helps us complete our mission), but we also do local educational workshops and local cellphone/small electronic recycling programs. If you would like to set up a program to help recycle cellphones at an event, business, or other organization.  Through our program we can recycle  cell phones, iPods, game systems, and small digital cameras.  If your interested, please contact us.

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

Be Part of #GivingTuesday Support Groundwater Education Outreach in Pennsylvania

#GivingTuesday inspires personal philanthropy and encourages bigger, better and smarter charitable giving during the holiday season, show that the world truly gives as good as it gets.

#GivingTuesday will take place in December. You can be part of this effort, Help Make Groundwater Education in PA Go Viral !

 

Help Us Make PAGroundwater Education Go Viral !
#PAGROUNDWATER  @KeystoneWater

 Things you can do – To make a Difference in Pennsylvania!

1. Send out a twit that includes #PAGROUNDWATER and @KeystoneWater
2. Visit one of our portals and follow our websites on twitter (@PACleanwater and @KeystoneWater) and facebook.
3. Consider a donation for as little as $ 5.00 or give the gift of groundwater education by obtaining an Education Guide.
4. Consider becoming a family supporter of the Keystone Clean Water Team- Our New Brochure!
5. Protect Our Groundwater – Submit Your Baseline Data to the Citizens Database.
6. Get an Water Quality Well Check Up for your Well.
7. Check out our New PSA !
8. Consider adding some water conservation or other conservation products to your home.
9. Sign Up for the Water Research or the Private Well Owner Newsletters.
10. Schedule an Educational Workshop in Your PA Community.

Share this image on your favorite social media to help spread the word about groundwater education and #GivingTuesday. Don’t forget to share an educational fact with your comment below.   

Together we can keep it clean!

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Thanks

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