WASHINGTON (October 3, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is inviting small businesses, governments, and not-for-profit entities to participate as Small Entity Representatives (SERs) providing advice and recommendations to a Small Business Advocacy Review (SBAR) Panel. This SBAR Panel will focus on the agency’s development of a rule that will regulate perchlorate in drinking water to protect public health.
EPA is developing a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for the chemical contaminant perchlorate (ClO4–) under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and as required by court orders. EPA has committed to issuing a proposed NPDWR for perchlorate by November 2025 and a final regulation by May 2027.
The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires agencies to establish an SBAR Panel for rules that may have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The SBAR Panel will include federal representatives from the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the EPA. The Panel members ask a selected group of SERs to provide advice and recommendations on behalf of their company, government, or organization to inform the Panel members about potential impacts of the proposed rule on small entities.
The EPA seeks self-nominations directly from the small public water systems (serving 10,000 or fewer people) that may be subject to the rule requirements. Other representatives, such as trade associations that exclusively or at least primarily represent potentially regulated small public water systems, may also serve as SERs.
Self-nominations may be submitted through the link below and must be received by October 7, 2024.
The simple and direct answer is Yes. A water well can be over-pumped and when this occurs the actions can cause premature failure of pumps and motors, damage the wellbore integrity, decrease the wellbore yield, impact produced water quality, and ultimately decrease rate of production.
In most cases when a new well is drilled, the well driller reports the blown yield of the well. This is typically the amount of water the driller can physically blow out the top of the well over a short period of time or in a very few cases this may be the rate they were able to pump from the well for a short time period. This period of time is multiple hours, but more likely at most 1 hour. This is not the long-term sustainable yield from the well and in many cases, this is all the water that was in the well.
The Know Your H20 program is based in Northeastern Pennsylvania and we have worked on a number of cases where the actual well yield of the well was significantly less than the blown yield for the well over the last 30 years. One example: (look for the red flags)
Well Case 1- Pocono Vacation Home (2nd Home)
This well is used intermittently during the year and used mostly over long weekends during the summer and ski season. The well was drilled by a licensed well driller, but the pump/motor was installed by the home builder. The well was 150 feet deep and reportedly the well had a blown yield of 10 gpm. The well was serving 1 single family home (3 bedrooms) and the peak water usage should be equivalent to about 400 gpd.
We (Keystone Clean Water Team) were called out because the homeowner was getting very dirty water that contained a lot of “gas” and at sometimes no water. We looked at the available well log for the well and drillers notes and we found the following:
Primary water bearing zone was at 100 feet, static water level at 45 feet top of casing (toc), and a blown yield (15 minutes) of 10 gpm. We searched and found the actual drillers log in the PAGWIS Database.
Pump was set at 120 feet or 20 feet off the bottom of the well. Note: Is not a good idea to install a pump below the primary water bearing zone. We got to review the actual plumbers bill and notes on the pressure tank.
The pump that was installed was rate at 10 gpm, but from the pump curve this rate would apply to a dynamic water level of 120 feet and not the more likely dynamic water level of about 80 feet or 20 foot above the water bearing zone. Therefore, the pump would initially pump at a rate greater than 10 gpm for some period of time.
These observations suggested that one of the problems was the well was being over-pumped. After we investigated, this is what we found:
The actual static water level in the well was not 45 feet top of casing, but 80 feet top of casing. We used a sonic water level sensor.
We camera surveyed the well and tested the water and found that a bioslime layer and scale coated the fractured zone.
We filled the borehole with water to 45 feet toc and turned on the pump and discovered that the pump was actually pumping at a rate of 15 gpm and not 10 gpm and if permitted the dynamic water level would drop to 130 feet toc. This means that the dynamic or pumping water level was below the point that groundwater would enter the borehole. This means that the aquifer was no longer acting like a confined aquifer under pressure, but the aquifer was being drained. We confirmed the well was being over-pumped.
We were correct the well is being over-pumped and the well also has a problem with bioslime/ scale formation. Our first action item was to clean out the well and do some basic well development to increase the well conductivity and yield. After cleaning out the wellbore and fractured zone using a combination of chemical cleaning and surging, the static water level was about 50 feet toc. We then conducted a step pumping test that lasted a total of 4 hours and estimated that the “safe yield” of the well was more like 5 gpm and not 10 gpm. We recommended that the pump be changed and the pump be set at a depth that could not draw the water below the water bearing zone.
Summary : Therefore, what we really had was a low producing well that was not properly identified originally and then the pump installer (not the well driller) installed a pump with an excessive pumping rate at a depth that did not protect the aquifer.
Because this article is really about low producing water wells, we went looking for solutions and found “EPP Well Solutions” – https://eppwellsolutions.com/well-health and their article on “Well Health”. A few quotes from this article that we found most helpful:
“Over pumping is a common factor with the low water well. A well is over-pumped if the water is withdrawn at a faster rate than the well was designed for or the aquifer is able to produce. Over-pumping is the most common well problem that leads to premature well failure. Over-pumping not only depletes the groundwater aquifer (or source), but it rapidly increases the rate of corrosion, incrustation, and biofouling related problems. Over-pumping also increases the rate of sediment particles moving toward the well, causing plugging of the perforated area where water flows into the well. It can also cause the aquifer to settle and compact which further restricts water flow to the well.”
In the article, they highlighted the problems that might occur with over-pumping a well, which were perforation plugging (slotted casing), mineral incrustation, and biofouling. One that was not mentioned was natural decrease in aquifer porosity and conductivity. In the case of our example, the aquifer was a confined aquifer under artesian pressure, which means that the pressure of the water in the formation were helping to keep the fractures open along the borehole walls. When the well was over-pumped and the water was permitted to cascade into the well, this means that the weight of the earth and rock above the fracture could cause the fracture to partially close.
The typically solution to a problem with low yield wells are as follows:
Drill more than one well or attempt to modify the well by drilling deeper or hydrofracturing the well.
Installing some internal storage within the system, i.e., a storage tank and then using a second set of pumps to re-pressurize the system.
Supplementing the system capacity with surface water or a rainwater harvesting system.
EPP Well Solutions have developed a hybrid option using the Water Harvester System. “The Well Harvester automatically harvests the water in the well while preventing the well from over-pumping itself. The harvested water is then pumped from their system into the house. Their system is compact and can fit in most garages or well houses and is able to harvest and store 215 gallons (or more with additional tanks) for use throughout the day. “
If you suspect you have this problem, we would recommend you review EPP WELL Solutions educational videos. In addition, the company has a really interesting Emergency Well Hand Pump System.
Drinking Water Educational Booklet Know Your H20 (Water) – Part of the Healthy Home and Healthy Water Outreach Effort. The Booklet is a resource for private water well owners and customers of community and non-community water supply sources
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Rick Grant, 570-497-5850
B.F. Environmental Updates Popular Drinking Water Guide
The 2024 KnowYourH2O guide includes updated and expanded content.
WILKES-BARRE, PA—August 12, 2024—B.F. Environmental Consultants, an environmental consulting firm providing a range of services throughout the Northeast, announced today that company consultants working with the Keystone Clean Water Team, a Pennsylvania-based non-profit, have released an updated version of their popular KnowYourH2O Drinking Water Guide. The new version covers both Private Water systems and Public Water supplies. It includes updated content, new graphics related to water well systems and lead service lines, and information about forever chemicals and PFAS.
“When we wrote the first version of this guide, people needed to know how to determine the quality of the water their families were drinking,” said Brian Oram, a professional geologist, soil scientist, and founder of B.F. Environmental Consultants. “A lot has changed since then, including new testing methodologies and new risks to our groundwater and drinkable water. What hasn’t changed is the vital importance of clean water. The 5th edition booklet provides a readily available fact-based source of information related to drinking water quality, contaminants, water treatment, and a means to easily understand your drinking water quality and identify problems.”
The new drinking water educational booklet is for private well owners, city water users, water professionals, and educators. It provides general information explaining certified water testing, chain-of-custody, and drinking water regulations and standards. It provides information related to the health (primary standards) or aesthetic (secondary standards) concerns for each parameter and provides information on water quality parameters that do not specifically have a drinking water limit.
Oram and the team at B.F. Environmental are key contributors to the Know Your H2O website, which includes basic water testing and water quality information, as well as educational resources designed to help better understand the complexities of water quality through a review of the basics of physics, chemistry, and biology that impact our water.
Oram was also instrumental in the development of a free Surface Water Quality Index Calculator, which is available to the public through the “Know Your H20” his company supports. The new online WQI Calculator provides a user-friendly website interface, allowing users to add a GPS location to the database or locate the unique sampling site, using an online mapping tool.
Using the tool, users input basic information about the surface water test site as well as other field data they have collected. The calculator then completes the necessary interpretations and generates the customized report. The online calculator provides the individual ranking or score for each parameter, calculates the weighted average ranking for the test site, and allows the user to generate a customized report for each sampling site.
For more information about any of these programs or to preorder your copy of the new booklet, visit the website. Get a copy of the booklet signed by Brian Oram here. If you are looking to order 1 copy of this booklet, please use the form below. If you are looking to order multiple copies, please contact Mr. Brian Oram at brian.oram@knowyourh2o.com or use this link.
About B.F. Environmental Consultants, Inc.
B.F. Environmental Consultants, based in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Poconos, has been providing professional geological, soils, hydrogeological, and environmental consulting services and professional, professional and environmental training courses, and environmental outreach and education, since 1985.
Alkaline water is slightly less acidic than regular drinking water and contains alkaline minerals with a pH > 7. Alkaline water has a higher pH level than most tap water and well water sources that are used for drinking water. In fact, in Pennsylvania, a primary problem with well water is that water is acidic and corrosive to the piping and it is recommended that a whole-house water treatment system a neutralizer be installed. Most tap water has a pH from about 6.5 to 7.5, but alkaline water may range from 8 to 9. Alkaline water tends to have a high alkalinity and mineral content that includes calcium and magnesium as the dominant positive cations, but in some cases a natural water may be high in sodium or potassium. As the pH of the water increases, the redox potential (Eh) of the water becomes more negative, but the degree of change is not just a function of the pH it depends on the water ionic chemistry.
In drinking water, “redox potential is a measure of the tendency of the solution to either gain or lose electrons in a reaction. A solution with a higher (more positive) reduction potential than some other molecule will have a tendency to gain electrons from this molecule (i.e. to be reduced by oxidizing this other molecule) and a solution with a lower (more negative) reduction potential will have a tendency to lose electrons to other substances (i.e. to be oxidized by reducing the other substance).” (Source: Wikipedia) The redox potential of the water can be measured using an 0xidation‐Reduction Potential (ORP) sensor. The Eh of the water is related to the ORP measurement based on the type of sensors used in the ORP meter.
Oxidation‐Reduction Potential (ORP) is a measurement of the relative oxidizing or reducing condition of water and is typically monitored using a handheld voltage meter that measures the electrical potential between a platinum electrode and a reference electrode. When the ORP value is positive this indicates an oxidizing environment while a negative value would suggest a more reducing condition. The Eh, or redox potential, can be used to estimate the reduction potential for your drinking water.
If the sensor is made using an Ag/AgCl reference electrode with a 1 M KCl fill solution the correction factor is + 236 mv.
If the sensor is made using an Ag/AgCl reference electrode with a saturated KCl fill solution the correction factor is + 197 mv.
For example, the Orp Sensor is a platinum ‐ Ag/Ag Cl electrode where the reference electrode is filled with 1 M KCL and you get a reading on the sensor of – 125 the actual EH of the fluid is:
-125 mv + 200 mv = 75 mv
DIY Alkaline Water systems are designed to initially provide a physical barrier to remove contaminants and purify the water to remove chlorine by-products, particles 5 micron or greater, and heavy metals. An alkaline water system manufactured by Crystal Quest has a GAC and anionic resin to pesticides & herbicides, volatile organic compounds, pharmaceutical by-products & other inorganic substances such as petroleum byproducts. The final filter increases the calcium and magnesium content of the water and the water pH.
There is a lot of controversy related to the consumption and use of alkaline water and ionized water. The following is a taste of some of the available information on this topic.
We are not advocating for the consumption of either approach, but we think the user and customer should have the facts and available information and make a choice that meets there needs and their personal preferences. The Keystone Clean Water TEAM and the Know Your H20 Team are not ADVOCATES or Warriors Just Scientists. We provided this information to address questions asked as part of our education and outreach efforts.
A 1999 study showed an “Increased bile acid excretion and reduction of serum cholesterol after crenotherapy with salt-rich mineral water” (Source)
A 2017 study titled “ Natural mineral waters: chemical characteristics and health effects”, reviewed the potential health benefits and side-effects associated with the consumption of natural mineral water, Bicarbonate mineral water, Sulphate mineral waters, Chloride mineral waters, Magnesiac mineral waters, Fluorurate mineral waters, Ferrous mineral waters, and Sodium-rich mineral water. (Source)
Mineral waters and bone health (2004) “Since potassium and bicarbonate lower renal calcium excretion, and since the latter improves calcium balance, mineral waters rich in bicarbonate and potassium have been tested. Indeed, they lowered renal calcium excretion and bone resorption in short- and medium-term trials, and they could be of particular interest in the prevention of osteoporosis in addition to calcium-rich waters.”
Personal – Adults get to make a choice and we all have personal preferences and slightly different sensors when it goes to the smell and taste of water.
More Blog Posts
Chlorophyll Water – New Clean Label Certification– Chlorophyll Water is a purified water beverage enhanced by nature with the addition of Chlorophyll, a key ingredient and the vital green pigment in plant life. Chlorophyll Water is a refreshing introduction to the many benefits of Chlorophyll along with the added health benefits of Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C and Vitamin D for enhanced hydration.
Feedback and Analysis on the Safety of Fluoride in Drinking Water -Part of the KnowYourH2O Team philosophy is adherence to the scientific method. We are open to having our existing knowledge and any information we provide examined for the benefit of improving our own knowledge and in turn sharing it with our audience.
The Relationship Between Water and Weight Loss– Drinking enough water is one of the most important things that can be done for one’s health. With the right quantity and quality of water, you can stay well hydrated to ensure that bodily functions run smoothly. This includes weight loss, as numerous sources, including the National Health and Nutritional Examination surveys, reveal that there is a link between hydration levels and weight. Evidence suggests that those who are more chronically dehydrated are likely to have higher body weight.
Have you read your warranty on that new $ 1500.00 appliance or $ 5000.00 boiler ?
GUESS WHAT? If you water quality violates the terms of you manufactures warranty, the Warranty on that NEW Water Appliance may mean nothing and may be invalid on day one. The same goes for the water heater, other heat exchange devices, dishwashers, clothes washers, and other water related appliances.
We suggest you get a copy of critical warranties and review !
When you review your warranty, the warranty will usually list circumstances that not covered, and “scale buildup due to water quality” is typically found on that list. Read the fine print (Source – https://homewateradvisor.com/hard-water-appliance-warranty/) .
We reviewed a warranty for a boiler as part of a water quality assessment and we found the following: “Water conditions that have caused deterioration or unusual deposits on the heat exchanger”. We asked one water quality professional and they said this could be a number of conditions, but the most common are corrosive conditions and scale forming water. In a few rare cases, the problem may be associated with a high total dissolved solids associated with salts (chloride) or potentially water with high levels of metal oxides like iron and manganese that could create an oxidized residual or coating or a lot of suspended particles in the water that contribute to physical corrosion.
During an energy expo focusing on renewable energy, one of the professionals and guest speakers indicated the following: “The local groundwater or drinking water quality is a significant factor in ensuring the long-term performance and efficiency of any water related appliance. One significant problem is water that is classified as very hard with a high alkalinity. When this water is heated, a portion of the carbonates are converted to CO2 (carbon dioxide) gas and the water becomes supersaturated with calcium and magnesium carbonate. The calcium and magnesium come out of solution as a solid particle and then this particle becomes a coating or scale in the water piping and appliance components that are in contact with the water. As the scale accumulates, the pipes become clogged and the efficiency of the appliance is reduced. This is very common with boilers, on-demand tankless water heaters, and storage water heaters that use gas for fuel or high temperature units. ”
An independent study (pdf) commissioned by the Water Quality Association showed that “water heaters operated on softened water maintained the original factory efficiency rating over a 15-year lifetime. On the other hand, hard water can lead to as much as a 48% loss of efficiency in water heaters.”
One common question is why is the hot water appliances more vulnerable to corrosion?
“Corrosion is more likely and more rapid at higher water temperatures. The rate of corrosion triples or quadruples as water temperature rises from 60°F to 140°F. Above 140°F, the rate of corrosion doubles for every 20°F increase.” (Source (pdf) )
At an Eastern Regional Water Quality Conference, I meet Kris Toomey from LH Brubaker Water Conditioning. He told me a bit about his business.
“Appliances and water treatment go hand in hand. The benefits of soft water for appliances are plentiful. It is a perfect marriage between providing an appliance that improves the quality of life for a family and offering water treatment equipment to ensure the long-term reliability of the state-of-the-art appliances and at the same time providing a barrier to protect the family. Providing the appropriate water quality treatment of the household water is like offering an additional “insurance policy” for the house, family, and the appliance.
Not only are you protecting their investment, but you are helping with soap savings, skin and hair benefits as well as protecting the plumbing system, water heater, and plumbing fixtures. In many cases, this action is necessary to protect the warranty on the new equipment. There is no better feeling than ensuring that the family walking through your door making an investment in their home is given the right information to ensure the reliability of the appliances. Every fridge that leaves the store has an opportunity for an RO system to provide the highest available purified water option and this additional barrier protects not only the appliance, but also the family.”
For example: Depending on the hardness of your drinking water, the concentration of the total hardness or hard water or the corrosiveness of the water may void or invalidate the manufacturer’s warranty, the HOME Warranty, and any extended warranty of your water related appliances, such as: dishwasher, refrigerator, washing machine or water heater due to its corrosive nature of the drinking water. A typical water heater warranty could state that the heater is covered for anywhere between 6 -12 years. If you read the warranty, it will likely list specific water quality parameters that should not be exceed or water conditions, such as scale formation due to water quality or corrosive water.
Therefore, if you buying a water appliance from a business that does not recommend getting your water tested and you are on a private well or on city water that has occasional problems or you have not had your water properly tested, you should ask about the terms of the warranty and get your drinking water tested (City TApWater / Well Water). Regarding basic treatment, the Know Your H20 team recommends the installation of a whole house particle filter (Well Water Particle Filter) or (City Drinking Water Filter (basic approach / advanced approach) to protect home water appliance from corrosion related to the presence of particles in the water that could damage piping.
Impact of Water Quality on Water Heating Equipment “The local water quality is one of the factors that contributes most significantly to the long-term performance and longevity of water heating equipment. Specifically, highly alkaline water will lead to the accumulation of scale, which will impact the efficiency of tankless and gas storage water heaters and can lead to decreased equipment life.”
The Know Your H20 Team recently reviewed a Warranty for a boiler. The warranty did not list specific water criteria for specific parameters, but the warranty stated that the warranty was not valid if these conditions were present: “Water conditions that have caused deterioration or unusual deposits on the heat exchanger”. This condition could include a number of situations that could include corrosive water, scale forming water, water with high salts, especially chloride, and/or drinking water with a high concentration of metal oxides like iron and manganese that could create an oxidized residual or coating.
Your Potential Problem- Is it Corrosion or Scale Formation?
Corrosion
Corrosion is where the water reacts with the household metal plumbing piping and fixtures and these reactions are typically associated with the release of copper, lead, nickel, chromium, and zinc. The common problems associated with Corrosion include: water that has a bitter taste, intermittent discolored water, coatings that may be blue, bluish green and sometime brown, low water pH, high water acidity, low hardness and low alkalinity, discolored laundry, deterioration to piping, fixtures, and appliances, and ultimately the failure of equipment. For this condition, we recommend the Corrosion Check Kit.
Scale Formation
Water can contain two general types of hardness, i.e., temporary hardness and permanent hardness. Scale formation in water appliances is typically associated with temporary hardness, because the scale is normally formed after the water has been heated. The scale is normally composed of calcium and magnesium carbonate that has a white to gray appearance. If the water company adds a sequestering chemical like phosphate to the water, the scale may include other metals such as copper, lead, zinc, aluminum, nickel, arsenic, iron, and manganese. The initial scale coating if uniform on the pipe may protect the piping from localized corrosion or physical damage, but as the scale increases the user may experience problems with the system. Scale formation can reduce efficiency of hot water related appliance, reduce pipe diameter and pressure, reduce the water flow, block intakes to water appliances, and cause valves to not properly or completely close. For this condition, we recommend the Corrosion Check Kit or the Problem Checker (if you suspect a nuisance bacterial problem and have an iron or manganese potential problem) .
One engineering calculation based on water quality testing can be used to conduct a preliminary assessment for the potential for corrosion or scale formation is the Saturation Index (SI) calculation.
The Healthy Homes, Healthy Communities, and Healthy Drinking Water Initiatives or Programs
The Healthy Homes Program / Healthy Home Initiates
“Environmental hazards in the home potentially harm millions of children each year. The Healthy Homes Program addresses multiple childhood diseases, exposures, and injuries that may originate in the home. The Initiative has a focus on housing-related hazards and educating and informing the public. This was one of the key factors missing in the Flint Michigan Drinking Water Crisis. In response to Congress, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) launched its Healthy Homes Initiative (HHI) in 1999. The objective of the program was to protect children and their families from housing-related health and safety hazards.
HUD has developed a new Healthy Homes Strategic plan that lays out the next steps their office will take to advance the healthy homes agenda nationwide. The HHI builds upon HUD’s successful Lead Hazard Control programs to expand its efforts to address a variety of environmental health and safety concerns including: mold , lead , allergens/ asthma, air quality gases and VOCs , pesticides , and radon .”
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) developed the Healthy Communities Program (HCP). The program uses local, state, territory, and national partnerships to attempt to prevent chronic diseases and reduce health disparities (Note: For me this is a buzz word related to equity, we will never have equal outcomes in communities because of genetics, individual choice, and economics, and lifestyle issues, but we can attempt to treat all individuals equally).
Nearly 50% Americans die of one chronic disease, such as: heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer (polycythemica vera/ radon), obesity, and arthritis.
Chronic diseases make up 7 of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States and based on our recent experience with COVID, these diseases made individuals more vulnerable to the negative and adverse impacts associated with COVID-19. Not only can these diseases result in death, they can also be associated with chronic pain, inability to function and support an individual or family, limit daily activities, and significant impact a family’s budget and health care costs.
The Healthy Communities Program attempts to raise awareness and provide fact-based information, but also encourage citizens to make better choices, increase physical activity, make better food choices, and reduce the use of tobacco. These efforts addressed key factors that raise the risk of disease, including: CDC funded 331 communities and 52 state and territorial health departments through HCP .
Drinking water comes from a variety of sources including public water systems , private wells , or bottled water. Ensuring safe and healthy drinking water may be as simple as turning on the tap from an EPA-regulated public water system. Other water sources may need to have point-of-use or whole house filtration systems, citizens educated and informed, water quality monitored, water distribution systems flushed and septic systems need to be serviced or inspected. It is important to know where drinking water comes from, how it’s been treated, and if it’s safe to drink. Therefore, it is important to Know Your H20 and Get on the Path to Clean Water.
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Final Fifth Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5), which will serve as the basis for EPA’s regulatory considerations over the next five-year cycle under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This update includes a substantial expansion of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), an important first step towards identifying additional PFAS that may require regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
“Following public engagement and robust scientific review, the final contaminant candidate list is the latest milestone in our regulatory efforts to ensure safe, clean drinking water for all communities,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “As EPA takes action to protect public health and the environment from PFAS, including proposing the first nationwide drinking water standards later this year, today’s final CCL 5 looks further forward to consider additional protective steps for these forever chemicals.”
A year ago, EPA published the PFAS Strategic Roadmap, outlining an Agency-wide approach to addressing PFAS in the environment. Today’s announcement strengthens EPA’s commitment to protect public health from impacts of PFAS and support the Agency’s decision-making for potential future regulations of PFAS.
In developing the Final CCL 5, EPA requested public nominations, providing an opportunity for people to make recommendations to the Agency about specific contaminants of concern that may disproportionally affect their local community. EPA further enhanced the CCL process based on comments received on this CCL and previous CCLs, including by prioritizing data most relevant to drinking water exposure, improving considerations of sensitive populations including children, and considering the recommendations included in the Review of the EPA’s Draft Fifth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5) report from the Science Advisory Board. These improvements resulted in a Final CCL 5 that can better inform prioritization of contaminants for potential regulatory actions and/or research efforts.
One of the most important issues related to consumer products, the environment, and the public health is the new problem “forever chemicals” and a specific group called PFAS. PFAS are man-made per- and polyfluoroalkyls chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and others. Starting in the 1940s, these chemicals have been manufactured around the world and these chemicals historically can be found in food packaging, commercial household and personal products, manufacturing and industrial facilities, waste discharges, landfill leachate, and firefighting products and clothing. At this moment, the PFOA Stewardship Program has phased out SOME of these PFAS chemicals so they are no longer manufactured in the United States.
But wait, we are a global community and these compounds can bioaccumulate and can now be found in the environment and US (That is right You and me!) and the available studies suggest that these PFAS chemicals (PFOA and PFOS) can adversely impact human health. In animal studies, these chemicals have shown to cause tumors, adversely impact the liver and kidney, reproductive system, impact developmental,
The most-studied PFAS chemicals are PFOA and PFOS. Studies indicate that PFOA and PFOS can cause reproductive and developmental, liver and kidney, and immunological effects in laboratory animals. Both chemicals have caused tumors in animals. Human epidemiology studies have shown these chemicals increased cholesterol levels and the available data suggests these compound also negative influence infant birth weights, reduced immune system, thyroid hormone, ulcerative colitis, and potentially cause cancer.
The routes of exposure to this compounds includes are work environment, foodborne routes, commercial products, and our drinking water. If you work in a facility using PFAS or producing products made with PFAS you can be exposed direct exposure or contaminated air. Foodborne routes included contaminated equipment used to process food, food packaging (coated cardboard / fast food paper), cookware (use PFOA Free Cookware) and/or the environment and conditions under which the food is grown. PFAS exposure can come from consumer products like water-repellent, nonstick cookware, stain-water repellants, cosmetics, cellphones, lubricants and much more. Since these chemicals are not routinely tested in drinking water and they are difficult to breakdown, PFAS has been found in drinking water sources that include streams, lakes, groundwater, well water, springs, and even city water. “Testing by the EPA has determined that 6.5 million people have been exposure to PFOA in their drinking water and the chemical has been detected in over 94 public water supplies in 31 different states” and in 2004 99.7% of Americans had detectable levels of PFOA in their body”. The EPA advisory limit, not enforceable, for PFOA and PFOS in drinkingwater at 70 parts per trillion (Update).
The Keystone Clean Water Teams goal is to provide resources to help you get your water tested and to provide fact based information. Since this testing is normally not readily available, we have partnered with a national testing company to provide you with some testing options. We are offering these 4 informational testing packages.
Go to ResinTech is a global leader in ion exchange for water purification, helping distributors and operators worldwide (Forever Chemical Testing)
Note: Informational Testing (Level 3): “Results are not intended to be used to meet any regulatory requirements or for litigation purposes. Results are for informational and educational purposes only and are useful in determining general water quality and safety”. “Laboratory tests were conducted by methods approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or variations of these EPA Methods”. Informational Water Testing conducted through a partnership between the Keystone Clean Water Team, B.F. Environmental Consultants, and Resin Tech Inc. The results of this testing are intended for an educational or informational purpose only and not used for a regulatory function or litigation. If you are looking for Well Water or City Water Testing.
Get Treatment
EPA officials recommend NSF and ANSI Certified filters to reduce PFOA and PFOS. ” P473: Drinking Water Treatment Units – PFOA and PFOS — to verify a water treatment device’s ability to reduce perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) to below the health advisory levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).”
Treatment Options: (Point of Use Filters meets P473 and other standards)
Article by Pike County Conservation District: By Rachel Posavetz, Watershed Specialist.
“Riparian buffer is the term for an area of vegetation that grows along a waterway to help prevent substances from reaching the water. The fact that this type of area has its own term should be telling of its importance. As water flows across the land, or the watershed region, it carries with it a whole slew of pollutants: sediment, chemicals, nutrients, bacteria, litter, etc. These pollutants are filtered and absorbed by the plants and soils growing in riparian buffers, and therefore prevented from entering the water.
Riparian buffers provide flood water storage and help to prevent soil erosion during high rain events and along high motion waters such as streams and lake shores. They also provide cooling shade which helps heat-sensitive aquatic organisms survive (such as brook trout), and control algal growth by blocking sunlight.
Where do we need riparian buffers? Every stream, lake, wetland, and pond will benefit from these helper plants filtering out harmful substances, holding in the soil, and allowing excess water to infiltrate into the ground water system. These plants are most crucial along the waterway edge, and the greater the riparian buffer width, the better.
What makes a good riparian plant? Almost anything with roots, and preferably native species that are tolerant to wet conditions. Trees and shrubs, grasses and forbs (wildflowers), and sedges and rushes, have strong root systems that lock in the soil and are adapted for surviving in our seasonal weather changes. Trees are the most beneficial because they establish long-term roots, continue to grow over time, and provide the most shade, food and shelter proportional to the space they occupy. A healthy riparian buffer mimics the natural the habitat for the area in which it is located, whether it be a forest or a meadow, with a diversity of plant types and heights. Sod, or mowed grass, has leaves too short to aid in filtering, and roots too shallow to aid in erosion protection.
What else do they do? Riparian buffers add to the available habitat and food sources for wildlife such as birds, pollinators, mammals, and other critters, including aquatic ones. Did you know “trees feed trout”? The aquatic insects at the bottom of the food chain, like caddisflies, munch on the tree leaves and their biofilm (algae and bacteria) that have fallen into the streams. Trunks and branches that fall into the stream create aquatic habitat variety as well.
Who can make a riparian buffer? You can! If your property borders a waterway, you can enjoy designing a grow zone that suits your liking. Though it will require some maintenance until the new plants establish, you can enjoy the beauty of the flowers right away. Check the links below to learn more.
Lastly, riparian buffers can serve as a reminder to us that water levels fluctuate within the floodplain, and we should keep development a safe distance from the water’s edge.” (Article link)
Our thoughts on riparian buffer zones:
1. Overall we agree, we should protect and restrict encroachment on stream channel, floodway, floodplain, wetland, and hydric soil boundary.
2. This should not be a one-size fits all “safe distance”, but based on site-specific information and conditions.
3. Most beneficial chemical reactions happen at this critical transition zone – if you want to protect streams from nitrogen impact from nitrate – maintain the anoxic zone and transition zones between uplands and streams.
Funding and Resource Management Considerations for Public Water Suppliers
When: Wednesday May 8, 2019. Doors opens at 8AM. Workshop: 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Where: Big Flats Community Center, 476 Maple Street, Big Flats, NY 14814
Fee:Free of charge, continental breakfast and lunch included.
Please register early – spots will be filled on a first come, first served basis!
Speakers / Topics include:
Simplifying Asset Management: It’s About What’s in it for You(Heather Himmelberger, P.E., Director of Southwest Environmental Finance Center at the University of New Mexico)
Leak Detection and Water Loss Management(Shawn Crater, Water Supervisor, Town of Big Flats, NY)
Panel Discussion – Funding Considerations for Public Water Suppliers:NYSDOH, NYSDOS, USDA, NYS Homes and Community Renewal
Developing and Managing Water Resources in the Susquehanna River Basin(Mike Appleby, P.G., Supervisor, Groundwater Project Review, SRBC)
Overview of NYSDEC’s Role in the Management of NY Public Water Suppliers(NYSDEC)
Overview of NYDOH’s Role in the Management of NY Public Water Suppliers(Brock Rodgers, Professional Engineer 1, NYSDOH Bureau of Water Supply Protection)
Development of Aquifer Test Plans and Waivers(Brent Bauman, P.G., Hydrogeologist, SRBC)
Conference approved for 5.50 contact hours for New York – Certified Water Operators (Drinking Water Contact Hours). *The Commission is currently vetting the workshop with the appropriate agencies to offer continuing education credits for Licensed Professional Engineers and Geologists (the website will be updated once approval has been granted).
Remote online workshop participation is available; however, water contact hours are only available to classroom attendees. If interested, please click “Attend by Webinar” on the registration page.
The workshop is sponsored by the SRBC Public Water Supply Assistance Program.
Click Here to Register! For more information contact: Brent Bauman, P.G. Hydrogeologist at bbauman@srbc.net or 717-238-0423 (x1235), or Mike Appleby, P.G. at mappleby@srbc.net or 717-238-0423 (x1208)
