Keystone Clean Water Team – Groundwater Foundation Library – Links to Educational Webinars – Groundwater Guardians Pennsylvania
“The Groundwater Foundation’s library of FREE educational webinars, available on-demand.”
The Keystone Clean Water Team (KCWT) -Carbon County Groundwater Guardian Program (CCGG) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer, environmental education organization which provides homeowners with information on private wells, water quality and quantity, and septic systems. We are dedicated to protecting private well owners from illnesses caused by our drinking water. We advance good groundwater stewardship by raising awareness on a variety of groundwater issues that affects everyone with a private water supply. We can help you get your water tested at the lab of your choice and explain the test results.
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Click on the webinar title for a description, presenter information, length, and link to view.
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Becoming a Groundwater Guardian Green Site: An Overview of the Application Process
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Introduction to Groundwater Guardian Green Sites
Our Educational Booklet on Groundwater
Looking for a speaker related to Well Issues, Septic Systems, or Groundwater in Pennsylvania – contact: http://www.pacleanwater.org
Your Appliances Have a Warranty – Does Your Drinking Water Quality Violate this Warranty?
Have you read your warranty on that $ 1500.00 appliance, GUESS WHAT? If you water quality is not appropriate your warranty may be invalid. The same goes for the water heater, other heat exchange devices, dishwashers, clothes washers, and other water related appliances. At the Eastern Regional Water Quality Conference in September 2017, 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.”
Kris Toomey CWS-1
Director of Water Sales
LH Brubaker Water Conditioning
ktoomey@lhbrubakers.com
717-945-5851 ext. 206
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.”
Note:
Learn about the warranty when purchasing a water related appliance and Get Your Water Tested (Well Water or City Water) Requires Different Testing!
Your Drinking Water and Your Health – You are Not an Observer !
Even though 60% of the human body is water, water is a resource that is often taken for granted. The primary concerns with water relate to having adequate quantity of the proper quality. In terms of hydration, drinking water is probably one of the best ways to keep your body healthy. Water is used in your body to help maintain your temperature and ensures the proper operation of your circulatory, digestive, and neurological systems. Water is one of the pathways that potential contaminants and disease causing agents can enter the body, so the quality is also important. Therefore, we need drinking water of adequate quantity of the proper quality.
When the body is not properly hydrated, our body’s response is to make us feel thirsty, but if you miss this clue watch out for dry mouth, swollen tongue, weakness, dizziness, confusion, palpitations, and fainting. If over hydrated, you can become water intoxicated or hyperhydration. If hyperhydration occurs, the kidneys can not process all the water and the system becomes overwhelmed. There are phone apps and other tools to help you to remember to drink enough water, but our general recommendation is if you feel thirsty it is time to get a drink and given a choice pick water.
Water comes in many forms, which can include premium bottled water, tap water, spring water, carbonated water, soda, coffee, tap water, nutrient infused water, juices, and purified water. Of all these, it is my professional opinion that we just need to drink water. The two most common sources of drinking water for a community is either public water or a private water source. A public water source is always regulated by both the federal and state governments and many may call this city water or tapwater, but well or spring water may be from a public or private source. If you get your water directly from a well or spring, this is a private source and this is not commonly regulated.
If you get your water from city water, the most common health concerns are related to the presence of chlorine-by-products or corrosive by-product in the United States, the public water supply systems are disinfected using various forms of chlorine and phosphate is added to attempt to control corrosion. The chlorine is used to disinfect the water, but it can react with naturally occurring organics to form trihalomethanes, i.e., a potential carcinogen; while phosphate will react with the metals in the water to form a scale or coating on the inside of the piping, see “Flint, Michigan”. If you are on well water, the most common problems are the presence of bacteria and elevated levels of salts in the water, like nitrate, chloride, and sulfate, or corrosive water. In some cases, the water may contain elevated levels of radionuclides and trace metals, like arsenic, iron, lead, and manganese. The quality of the drinking water depends on type of water, location, level of treatment, the condition of your plumbing, and your home or house. In some areas, the community is concerned about pipelines and natural gas development, but a hidden problem may be the existing quality of their drinking water.
For citizens, our general recommendations related to drinking water are:
1. City Water Customers– Review any annual “Consumer Confident Reports” produced by your water supplier and act accordingly.
2. Private Water Sources -Get your water tested, at least annually, and have the results review by an expert (our Mail order program) or maybe conduct a in-home screening test yourself and calculate your Water Quality Rank.
3. Look out for potential problems with your drinking water, based on what you can see, taste, smell, or otherwise detect with your senses or problems that may be caused by the water.
4. Review our Drinking Water Diagnostic Web Application.
A few short phrases we should try to remember.
We ALL Live Downstream !
Groundwater and Surface water are Connected!
We are Part of the Water Cycle – Not just an Observer!
Websites of Interest
Consumer Confidence Reports
https://www.epa.gov/ccr/ccr-information-consumers
Neighborhood Hazardous Reports and Water Testing
http://www.knowyourh2o.com
Water Testing From Throughout The USA !
DIY – Do it Yourself- Citizens are screening the quality of their drinking water. With thousands of customers around the world, where starting a new project where everyone can share their results & then view other results submitted from around the world. Compare your water quality with other people from all over. Compare your drinking water quality to others throughout the USA. Does you water score a 100 (A+) or does it get an F.
Check out the Informational Map
Get a DIY Water Testing Kits
he Keystone Clean Water Team (KCWT) -Carbon County Groundwater Guardian Program (CCGG) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer, environmental education organization which provides homeowners with information on private wells, water quality and quantity, and septic systems. We are dedicated to protecting private well owners from illnesses caused by our drinking water. We advance good groundwater stewardship by raising awareness on a variety of groundwater issues that affects everyone with a private water supply. We can help you get your water tested at the lab of your choice or use our Mail Order Program, plus explain the test results –Get our Educational Booket.
Complete Water Quality Screening Test – DIY at Home
Complete Water Testing Kit – Because it is important to @KnowYourH20
Whether you have well water or municipal water, you won’t know what you’re drinking unless you test it. Crystal clear water can contain a number of contaminants from chemicals to metals and even bacteria. Many of the contaminants that are cause for concern can easily go undetected. They are colorless, odorless, and tasteless.
TestAssured’s Complete Water Analysis Test Kit includes 10 tests that are easy to administer and give you results within 10 minutes with the exception of the bacteria test which takes 48 hours. This single kit includes all of the following water tests:
- Lead Test
- Bacteria Test
- Pesticide Test
- Iron
- Copper
- Nitrates & Nitrites
- Chlorine Level
- pH Levels Check
- Alkalinity
- Hardness
These tests allow you to quickly and accurately analyze your drinking water and are compatible with well water, city/municipal water, tap water, residential drinking water, ground water, spring water sources, and bottled water. The results are fast and easy to read by following along with the color-coded charts and instruction manual. Testing can easily be done in your home, classroom, school, office, or anyplace else where you would need to test water quality.
The Complete Water Analysis Test Kit is TestAssured’s most popular water testing kit and includes ALL 10 of TestAssured’s at home water tests in one convenient, affordable package.
If you looking for more information on water quality and drinking water, please visit the Water Research Center.
Well Water Testing is Critical – You Must Know Your H20
Well Water Safety
If your water comes from a private well, you know that the safety of your drinking water is up to you. At the federal level and in most states there are no regulations that govern private wells, but the CDC and EPA does recommend that you test your well water at least once a year. You may want to check the quality of your water more often if there are known problems with wells in your area or if you have experienced any flooding or land disturbances near your well. Indications of a change in water quality include cloudiness, odor, and unusual taste.
You can quickly and easily test your well water for a variety of contaminants with TestAssured’s Well Water Testing Kit. This kit is a great screening test to help you determine the quality of your water.
This single kit includes all of the following water tests:
- Chlorine
- Copper
- Nitrates & Nitrites
- Iron
- Alkalinity
- pH
- Hardness
- Bacteria
Specially designed for people on well water, the Well Water Testing Kit includes 8 tests for a complete water analysis. You’ll be able to identify the presence of chemicals, metals, and even bacteria like E. coli.
These easy to use tests will give you results within 10 minutes, with the exception of the bacteria test which takes 48 hours for full results. There’s no need for expensive equipment or to mail samples to a lab. Each test is calibrated to the EPA standards. Once you have your results, compare them to the EPA recommendations and guidelines for water quality limits.
Please review and share some of our PSAs on Well Water.
Get our Educational Booklet on Drinking Water Quality for Private Well Owners.
Corrosion Index, LSI, Hardness and Alkalinity – Do you have a problem??
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
Lead in Drinking Water – Quick Accurate Screening Test At Home
Lead in Your Drinking Water
Despite measures taken by the EPA, lead poisoning is still a serious concern. Lead can be found in old water taps as well as interior and exterior piping, plus in consumer products, paints, and pigments, and even your home. As water sits in these pipes, the water can interact with the piping or the coating on the piping. During this reaction, the level of lead in the water may increase. You can not see lead in water, but there may be some warning signs of a problem. These warning signs are blue-green or blue water when you fill the bathtub, coatings or precipitates that are green or bluish-green in color, water that has a metallic taste, and pin hole leaks in the piping. Drinking this water can cause lead poisoning that results in a number of serious health concerns. Those at the most risk are young children, pregnant women, and the elderly. If your tap water has lead levels exceeding 15ppb, you should take action immediately to minimize your exposure.
TestAssured’s Lead in Drinking Water Test Kit is designed to test for lead in water. This test is compatible with municipal water and private water systems. If you live in a home with older pipes or frequently drink from a water fountain where lead piping could be used, you should check the lead levels. If you not sure, you may want to take a look at our Know Your H20 Phone App.
This fast acting Lead in Drinking Water Test Kit includes all the instructions and supplies you need to quickly test your drinking water for the presence of lead. In only 10 minutes, the Lead in Drinking Water Test will let you know if there are harmful elements in your water. It also includes a free pesticide test strip so you can make sure there are no pesticide contaminants in your water. This simple test kit can easily be used in your home, classroom, office and anywhere else where you would need to test water quality. Quickly and accurately test well water, city/municipal water, tap water, residential drinking water, groundwater, and spring water sources. The results are fast and easy to read by following along with the included color chart and instruction manual.
Our Suggestions
- Take a look at the DIY Lead in Water Test Kit.
- Check out and learn about your city water, using this zip code search site.
- Support and Share this page with others @KnowYourH20
- Learn about Flint Michigan do not let this happen to you – Be Proactive – Not Reactive.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- If on city water – read the Consumer Confident Reports generated by water supplier and look for signs of corrosion.
- If on well water – get your water tested.
- 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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