Private Well Owner Outreach to Private Property Owners Association in the Poconos – Monroe County
The Keystone Clean Water Team was very happy to work with the local “Poconos Region” Property Owners Association to offer a private well water screening test for the residents drinking water. For the 2016 program, a total of 16 residents participated in the program and for this program water testing was offered at two different tiers. The basic tier provide general information related to the bacterial quality of the water and level of nitrate, iron, and total hardness. The advanced tier provided testing for trace metals such as arsenic, copper, lead, zinc, and more comprehensive analysis of the overall quality of the water. The following is a summary of the results:
2 samples were positive for total coliform bacteria, but no samples were positive for E. coli.;
1 sample exceeded the drinking water standard for lead and 5 other samples had detectable levels of lead in the water;
13 of the 16 samples contained detectable levels of nitrate, but at no point did the level exceed or approach the drinking water standard of 10 mg/L;
1 sample had elevated levels of manganese, but 3 had detectable levels of manganese in the water; and
15 of the 16 samples were considered slightly to corrosive to metal piping and 1 sample was considered very corrosive to metal piping.
The pH of the water ranged for 6.2 to 7.5 and only two samples had a pH that was less than the recommended drinking water standard of 6.5. These samples were associated with water that had detectable levels of lead, but not the highest level of lead. The sample with the highest level of lead appeared to be a sample collected at the kitchen sink after the water had been treated with a water softener.
From this snapshot, we learned the following:
- There appears to be a 13 % probability that a private well may contain total coliform bacteria.
- The water produced from the aquifer tends to be slightly corrosive and have total hardness that ranges from 30 to 150 mg/L.
- The groundwater does not appear to have elevated levels of nitrate.
- The groundwater does not appear to have E. coli. bacteria.
- Lead was detected in some water samples, but the occurrence in the well water is related to the corrosiveness of the water, type of water treatment, and type of plumbing fixtures in the home and not the groundwater aquifer.
- Homeowners that reported problems with sulfur odor or black particles were the same homeowners that had elevated or detectable level of manganese.
- If you are considering the use of a water softener, please consider the type of household plumbing and it may be necessary to install a neutralizing filter.
Based on these results, we recommend that all private well owners conduct an annual water quality test. To facilitate this effort, the Keystone Clean Water Team offers an online mail order informational water testing program for private well owners throughout the USA and we offer our Know Your H20? Free Phone App. To learn about our mail order program, please visit us at http://www.water-research.net or http://www.knowyourh20.us. If you have any questions, please call or email 570-335-1947 or bfenviro@ptd.net.
Respectfully submitted,
Mr. Brian Oram, PG
AquiSense POU POE Treatment System with UV Disinfection Multiple Barriers
AquiSense can help provide families with the purest water available. The PearlAqua harnesses the power of ultraviolet (UV) light to destroy pathogens in the most natural way possible, without adding any harmful chemicals. The PearlAqua has been compactly designed to be a Point-of-Entry (POE) or Point-of-Use (POU) system. Physical filtration of the water is required before UV disinfection so a PearlAqua is a great addition to any existing water treatment system.
The PearlAqua was designed to work with any water treatment system so installation of the unit is easy and retrofitting is simple. Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems remove dissolved inorganic solids from water, but not organic materials or pathogens. This may lead to algae growing in the holding tank, but recirculating the water through a PearlAqua will prevent algae from ever growing. Traditional UV disinfection systems use a large amount of electricity and heat the water while they disinfect. These systems also use mercury gas-filled lamps to create their UV light. Mercury lamps are very fragile and release mercury into the water stream when they break.
The LEDs inside the PearlAqua last for 10,000 hours. A mercury lamp will have a similar lifespan, but a mercury lamp can only be turned off/on a few times per day. This limitation leads to the lamp remaining on, even when there is no water flow – hence annual replacement. The PearlAqua LED system can be turned on/off an infinite number of times per day, so the unit only runs when water is flowing through it, greatly extending the lamp replacement interval. For example, a PearlAqua unit that is on for 2 hours a day will only need a lamp replacement every 14 years!
The Units provide “The Home Concept“
1 .DC input power means solar power is possible
2. After hot water tank as pathogen barrier
3. Point of use legionella control
4. Disinfect rain water after storage
5. Post septic tank for environmental protection
6. Reuse grey water without concern of infection
7. RO/filter system final polishing and/or bio-film control
For more news and information – Go to News Page
A few steps
Step 1 – Get your water tested.
Step 2 – Get the water properly treated.
Norweco Singulair No Sand Mound System in Pennsylvania Get the Nitrogen Out
Norweco new at-grade bed is approved in Pennsylvania and other states for our Singulair® residential wastewater treatment system! We are proud to offer Pennsylvania the most affordable and effective residential onsite wastewater treatment system. Our Singulair® system, accompanied by our award-winning Hydro-Kinetic Bio-Film Reactor®, produces a clear, odorless effluent that is safely returned to the drain field (NO SAND MOUND REQUIRED).
Norwalk Wastewater Equipment Company (Norweco) is a manufacturer of water and wastewater treatment products, systems and chemicals. They specialize in small-flow treatment applications, ranging from municipal treatment systems for small towns and villages, all the way down to systems for the individual family home. Their products are designed to provide a high level of treatment in the most efficient, cost-effective manner. They place special focus on customer service, product innovation, research and development, regulatory cooperation, industry education and employee fulfillment. Their corporate offices are located in Norwalk, Ohio, we serve a diverse customer base through our licensed distributors and dealers across North America and around the world. Norweco has both concrete and a high density polyethylene options that will meet all your design needs for residential wastewater.
All of our systems carry NSF Standards 40, 46 and 245 listings and have been proven product since the 70’s. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future and working with you on using our affordable product. Thank you once again for showing interest in Norweco and feel free to contact us at any time.
The Singulair® system has been approved and used for decades in North America and continues to lead the way in today’s market. Certified and proven in hundreds of thousands of installations, the Singulair®, in series with our Hydro-Kinetic Bio-Film Reactor®, is the most innovative, state-of-the-art wastewater treatment system. Consider these advantages:
- Precast concrete & HDPE tanks include pretreatment
- Non-mechanical, demand use, built-in flow equalization (surge control) and filtration
- Low electrical usage
- Simple to install and maintain
- No large replacement expenses
- Environmentally safe – no harmful product to replace
Norweco systems are available state-wide through our network of dedicated, hard-working local distributors. For additional information on design applications or where you can purchase Singulair® systems, give Paul Cannon a call at (419)668-4471 or email him at pcannon@norweco.com.
Please mention to Paul you save this Announcement on the Keystone Clean Water Team Portal – It appears this is suitable for flows up to 800 gpd or two single family homes or a house with 7 bedrooms (3 bedroom house – 400 gpd; each additional bedroom – 100 gpd).
Product Literature
Singulair Brochure
Singulair Specifications
TNT_Flyer
Training
Norweco treatment systems are currently solving wastewater treatment problems throughout Pennsylvania. We invite you to join us at an upcoming Factory Training School to learn more about our company and products. Norweco schools are accredited by the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for six hours of continuing education credit. Please contact me at 1-800-NORWECO or pcannon@norweco.com for additional information.
Training for PASEOs
Water and Wastwater Training Topics
It is important to Neighboorhood Hazard Reports and get your well water tested.
More on sewage options in Pennsylvania.
Understanding the Health Risks of Private Well Ownership
Understanding the Health Risks of Private Well Ownership
Guest blogger / writer – Julie Bowen <julie@palatino.org>
As a country, we are proud of our reputation for having the safest and cleanest drinking water in the world. However drinking water that is procured from privately owned wells is not regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency or many state agencies, meaning that the owners of those wells are responsible for ensuring that their water is safe and drinkable. Water from private wells tastes crisp and refreshing, and it can be a wonderful gift to own your own water source. It is also important to acknowledge that many residents living in rural areas have no choice but to procure their water from private wells or cisterns. However, regardless of the reasons that their water is sourced from private wells, it is essential that private well owners are aware of the health risks involved in private well ownership as well as the myriad of benefits that they can obtain.
The Risks of Water Contamination
Drinking water from wells can be contaminated in a variety of different ways: either due to naturally occurring chemicals and minerals, the land use and farming practices in the area surrounding the well, and a malfunction of the wastewater treatment systems operating on the well itself. As a result of this, there are a wide range of illnesses that can be contracted via drinking contaminated well water. These can range from short-term gastrointestinal and stomach illnesses that includes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea to more severe long term illnesses such as reproductive problems, neurological disorders, and other chronic illnesses. Death by drinking water is not common, but it has happened. Individuals with compromised immune systems, as well as children, pregnant women, and elderly people, are more vulnerable to the effects of certain contaminates and should be especially vigilant about the quality of their privately owned drinking water.
Two of the parasitic illnesses private well owners should be most aware of are Hepatitis A and Giardia (which is the parasite that causes the illness giardiasis, a common cause of diarrhea). Giardiasis is a relatively short lived condition, that is caused by water becoming contaminated by either mammalian or human feces. The parasite itself is resistant to basic chlorination, meaning that it tends to be particularly resistant to water treatment methods, however once infected most individuals have overcome the illness in approximately 7 days. More deadly are the risks posed by the liver condition hepatitis A, which is a highly contagious illness that is also contracted via the fecal oral route, due to water contaminated by infected feces. Hepatitis A is a self-limited disease that does not result in chronic infection, but the symptoms can be severe and pose a particular risk to vulnerable individuals.
Taking the Appropriate Precautions
Because of the risks of being exposed to contaminated drinking water, it is recommended that in addition to regularly checking the quality of your drinking water, and taking the necessary precautions to ensure it avoids contamination, private home owners also secure comprehensive health insurance. This will help them to ensure that they are fully protected in the unlikely instance that something should go wrong with their water supply, and they should contract one of the myriad of illnesses listed above.
The Keystone Clean Water Team (KCWT) is committed to ensuring that home owners with responsibility for private wells are given the support, the information, and the technology that they need to ensure that their well based drinking water is as clean and as safe as possible. The quality of well water should be tested at least three times a year, and the well itself should be regularly repaired and maintained to protect the water that is inside. When it comes to modern well technology, knowledge is power, so it is important to be as informed as possible about what is happening inside your well, and well as any possible risks that you face. The process involved in maintaining healthy well water can seem complicated, and the language involved in the process unnecessarily convoluted, which is why The Keystone Clean Water Team can help homeowners interpret their test results and ensure their water is as safe as it can be.
A few thoughts from the KCWT:
- When people say may water taste great and looks great – I have no problem – 50% of the time they have a problem that can make them sick.
- Of these individuals, 50% of the time the problem can be eliminated for a few hundred dollars.
- Some recent work on lead in drinking water found that 2 out of 3 private well samples had elevated lead; whereas only 1 out of 10 city water samples had a lead issue. Testing your well water quality is important, but you must understand our risks.
- Blood lead testing is important for kids – get it done if you are living an older community that has or had historic industrialization.
A few suggestions:
- Download our free phone App.
- Get Your Water Tested (Portion of the Proceeds Help the KCWT)
- Neighboorhood Hazard Reports
- Order the Private Well Owner Educational Guide
Installing a Rain Garden
Install a rain garden in your community – Possible ROAs for a Groundwater Guardian Project
Spring is just around the corner, and a great time to think about installing a rain garden. A rain garden is a garden of native shrubs, perennials, and flowers planted in a small depression, which is generally formed on a natural slope. It is designed to temporarily hold and soak in rain water runoff. Rain gardens help filter out pollutants such as fertilizers, chemicals, bacteria, and others contained in runoff. They also incorporate native vegetation, reducing the need for fertilizers and after the first year, maintenance is usually minimal.
Rain gardens are effective in:
- removing up to 90% of nutrients and chemicals
- removing up to 80% of sediments from rainwater runoff
- allowing for 30% more water to soak into the ground than a conventional lawn
Consider installing a rain garden as one of your team’s 2016 Result-Oriented Activities. Remember, you can add an ROA at any time during the year. Involve the public and make it an educational event! Read more about how rain gardens benefit a community and how to get started.
Stormwater Management for Homeowners
Some examples of water features – Dallas, PA
Norweco New At Grade Bed For Residential Wastewater Applications in Pennsylvania
Norweco is excited to announce our at-grade bed approval for our Singulair® residential wastewater treatment system! We are proud to offer Pennsylvania the most affordable and effective residential onsite wastewater treatment system. Our Singulair® system, accompanied by our award-winning Hydro-Kinetic Bio-Film Reactor®, produces a clear, odorless effluent that is safely returned to the drain field (NO SAND MOUND REQUIRED).
The Singulair® system has been approved and used for decades in North America and continues to lead the way in today’s market. Certified and proven in hundreds of thousands of installations, the Singulair®, in series with our Hydro-Kinetic Bio-Film Reactor®, is the most innovative, state-of-the-art wastewater treatment system. Consider these advantages:
- Precast concrete & HDPE tanks include pretreatment
- Non-mechanical, demand use, built-in flow equalization (surge control) and filtration
- Low electrical usage
- Simple to install and maintain
- No large replacement expenses
- Environmentally safe – no harmful product to replace
Norweco systems are available state-wide through our network of dedicated, hard-working local distributors. For additional information on design applications or where you can purchase Singulair® systems, give Paul Cannon a call at (419)668-4471 or email him at pcannon@norweco.com. We will be exhibiting at the WWETT Show, the Precast Show and the PASEO Show. Please visit us!
Please mention to Paul you save this Announcement on the Keystone Clean Water Team Portal – It appears this is suitable for flows up to 800 gpd or two single family homes or a house with 7 bedrooms (3 bedroom house – 400 gpd; each additional bedroom – 100 gpd).
http://www.carbonwaters.org
http://www.pacleanwater.org
It is important to Know Your H20? and get your well water tested.
More on sewage options in Pennsylvania.
Lead Drinking Water Crisis in Flint Michigan KDF
Lead- Metals- Corrosive Water
Water Quality Association Addresses Drinking Water Crisis in Flint, Michigan
Offers facts and tips about treating for lead contamination
Lisle, Illinois -The Water Quality Association (WQA), an Illinois-based not-for-profit organization, is offering informational resources to help with the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Flint residents are expected to receive federal aid to help ensure their access to safe drinking water. On January 16, 2016, President Obama signed an Emergency Declaration for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate all disaster- relief efforts. The declaration states that, “This emergency assistance is to provide water, water filters, water filter cartridges, water test kits, and other necessary related items for a period of no more than 90 days.”
Lead (Pb) has been identified as the waterborne contaminant of primary concern for Flint’s residents. To minimize the presence of contaminants such as lead, which may enter the water after it has left a municipal treatment facility, WQA recommends water treatment equipment that has been certified by an ANSI (American National Standards Institute)-accredited certification body. Such accredited entities include WQA’s Gold Seal Product Certification Program, NSF International and Underwriters Laboratory. Flint residents are encouraged to visit Lead in Water to search for the names of products certified by WQA for lead reduction. Click here to download a technical fact sheet about Lead (Pb).
[amazon_link asins=’B006OA0OWO’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’webdespro-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’5e428232-b746-11e7-8e49-413f215b89c7′]
It is important consumers follow the manufacturer’s instructions for maintenance. WQA also lists of water treatment professionals across the U.S. on its website at Lead in Water.
Additional notes
1. Recommend that we concentrate on the following – get kids and adults blood tested.
2. Get first flush testing completed for lead and alternative water source for drinking.
3. Install point of use treatment in the interim.
4. Develop a plan to remove the lead service lines.
5. Develop a plan to install corrosion control.
6. Lawsuits should wait until the problem is addressed.
More on lead in drinking water- Corrosion
Check out the Keystone Clean Water Team App
Water Treatment Systems – Must Likely need a neutralizing filter and a filter that has KDF 85 or KDF 55 media.
More – 2/4/2016
Water Quality Association Addresses Frequently Asked Questions about Lead in Water
Lisle, Illinois -The Water Quality Association (WQA), an Illinois-based not-for-profit organization, is offering informational resources to help differentiate fact from fiction regarding the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan. The Association has compiled answers to several of the most common questions, while addressing some widespread misconceptions Flint residents may have about lead (Pb) in drinking water.
What are potential health effects from lead?
Lead poisoning often displays no outward symptoms; however, irritability, weight loss, vomiting, constipation, and stomach pain are possible signs to look for. Young children and pregnant women are at the greatest risk, even from short-term exposure. Reduced cognitive development and neurobehavioral deficits are associated with blood levels less than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood in children.[1] Therefore, there is no safe level for lead to be present in the blood of children.[2] Individuals will adsorb more lead if they have poor nutrition than those with better diets.
Can a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter be used to detect lead in drinking water?
No. There have been some misconceptions around TDS Meters. These meters cannot measure lead specifically; they detect the conductivity directly related to the concentration of combined total dissolved solids such as minerals, salts and metals. The typical sample of tap water in the U.S. contains approximately 350 parts per million (ppm) of TDS[3], which, as a whole does not on its own indicate a health concern and in many cases is used as a means to enhance taste of water. Lead concentration is found 1000 times lower at the parts per billion (ppb) level, and is too small to be detected without sophisticated instrumentation. Moreover, because TDS meters don’t measure individual ions, lead cannot be detected on its own.
Where can I go to get my water tested?
Water testing should be done be a certified testing laboratory.[4] WQA strongly recommends water testing be conducted at each point of use in accordance with appropriate sampling procedures. The water should be checked after a period of disuse before a specific water treatment product is selected. Water conditions can change, so the water should be tested both before a treatment product has been installed and at regular intervals following installation. Studies have shown the reported levels of lead found in some Flint, MI water results are higher than conditions under which the manufacturer set the replacement recommendations for filters in published manuals.
How do I maintain a filter once it is installed?
Always follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions and contact the manufacturer to confirm usage and capacity. To ensure the manufacturer can provide the most accurate recommendations, have test results for lead and iron on hand for review.
Where do I find a product certified for lead reduction?
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited entities offering product certification include: WQA’s Product Certification Program, NSF International, International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, and Underwriters Laboratory. To find products certified by WQA for lead reduction. Contact information for local professionals and manufacturers of certified products can also be found wqa.org.
Planting the SEEDS in Wayne County, Pennsylvania
SEEDS would like to invite you to attend our annual membership meeting on Tues night Sept 15 at The Cooperage, and to continue to support us by being there as we welcome all from the community to learn more about SEEDS and the work we do.
Doors open at 6 pm, and the Cooperage Café will be open to purchase dinner. Come and enjoy a casual dinner gathering with friends old and new. BYOB. (The Cooperage is located at 1030 Main Street in downtown Honesdale.)
Our annual meeting will start at 7 pm and will feature highlights from the past year, and special guests Cheryl and Stu Badner, of Corporate Waste Consultants. They will speak about their sustainability initiative at Honesdale’s Roots and Rhythm festival. Learn how much progress has been made! Their success makes it easier to imagine successfully changing behavior and attitudes that will save our environment.
This meeting is open to all SEEDS members as well as anyone from the community who is interested in learning more about SEEDS. It is expected to last approximately one hour. We encourage our members to bring along a friend who may be interested in joining!
A $20 donation will get you one of our new beautiful green SEEDS T-shirts! First come, first serve!
If you have any questions, please email jocelyn@seedsgroup.net.
You may review our annual minutes from last year’s meeting here: http://seedsgroup.net/about/seeds-most-recent-annual-general-membership-meeting-minutes/
Kindly RSVP. Indicate if you are coming early to purchase dinner so I can give the Cafe a headcount for food preparation.
Thank you! Hope to see you there!
-Jocelyn
Jocelyn Cramer
Executive Director of SEEDS
Sustainable Energy Education and Development Support
www.seedsgroup.net
Interesting Training Options
Energy Audit Training
Fracking and Oil and Gas Development (15 hours)
Fracking Consequences (2 hr)
Building a Sustainable Future (1 hr)
Susquehanna Greenway Partnership River Towns Planner Position
Susquehanna Greenway Partnership is seeking a candidate for the position of River Towns Planner (RTP) to develop and implement programs that build the capacity of local partners to envision, plan, construct and sustain riverfront parks, walking and biking trails, river accesses, green infrastructure, and greenway signs. A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture or Community Design is required. Relevant experience in community engagement strategies, community assessments, conceptual renderings, landscape design, historic preservation, graphic design, and project management is needed.
The full position description is attached. Please share with anyone you think might be interested.
To submit an application, please email tcarothers@susquehannagreenway.org your cover letter, resume, and short writing samples. PLEASE PUT “River Towns Planner” IN THE SUBJECT OF YOUR MESSAGE.
Application Deadline: September 14, 2015
About the Susquehanna Greenway
The Susquehanna Greenway is a connected landscape of walking and biking trails, river access points, unique river towns, working farms and conserved land that stretches over 500-miles along the Susquehanna River. The Susquehanna Greenway improves the quality of life for the people who live near it, enhances the economic vitality of the communities that foster it, and preserves our natural and cultural resources. It provides opportunities to exercise outdoors, experience nature and explore historic river towns. The Greenway protects our water quality and inspires stewardship and civic pride in places where people love to live, work, play and visit.
Visit www.SusquehannaGreenway.org to learn more.
Online Training Courses
Stream Restoration – Course 1 of 6.
Wetland Science Course
Sustainability
Stormwater Harvesting
Regenerative Landscape Design
Natural Approach to Stormwater Management