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.
Waterdrop was founded in 2015 with the wish to provide trustworthy water purification solutions. The brand is dedicated to providing people around the world with the high-quality products to truly purify their drinking water. The name Waterdrop comes from the desire to deliver clean, safe, and healthy drinking water from the first sip to the last satisfying drop.
Now Waterdrop is one of the world-leading manufacturers of water filtration appliances. They always adhere to the brand concept of technology leadership with intelligent water filtration, focusing on the R&D, design and production of water filtration core technologies and professional equipment. They keep it in mind how important pure water is to everyone, and are willing to provide users with better water wherever they need it.
Their Brand Promise – “Unveil The New Stage Of Better Life With Water “
“We provide customized water purification solutions for families around the world, keep drinking water safe and healthy to make your life comfortable and warm. “
They are part of the Water4Smile Program
Where does the Water4Smile program initiative come from?
“Taking a shower in the morning or enjoying a relaxing bath at night is something many of us take for granted, mostly because it is a basic human right to access safe water. Yet, I’ve read a data report by the World Health Organization that 61% of people in this world lack access to safely managed sanitation, and 28% lack access to a secure water supply. A more astonishing fact is that millions of people die from diseases caused by unreliable water supply and sanitation. Among those people who suffer, kids make up a large portion. Based on a 2018 UNICEF report, 31% of schools lack access to clean drinking water. My heart was aching when I read about those statistics, and I deeply felt the responsibility to take action and make a difference.”
Why did they choose to partner with The Water Project?
“After we decided to take action, we did our research and recognized sub-Saharan Africa has the greatest need, Uganda in particular. The nation of Uganda struggles to provide even the most basic of human needs to many of its citizens. A history of war, AIDS, a lack of clean water, poor nutrition and a struggling economy present a population where the majority is under the age of 18. There are a great number of nonprofit organizations that are doing similar works every day, so transparency is our first concern. It is vital to know how the money you donate is being used on real, specific projects. We’d learned that The Water Project has years of experience in providing reliable water projects to communities in sub-Saharan Africa, and they offer a high level of transparency to all their projects with daily reports, which we believe as a very good fit for our company.”
This WaterdropRO system is tested and certified by NSF International against NSF/ANSI standard 58 & 372. Products with NSF certification are considered to have better quality. NSF/ANSI 58 &372 Certified -94% TDS reduction – Waterdrop RO system has passed 400+ chemical lab tests.
We’ve teamed up with a variety of select partners to help support the KnowYourH2O Path to Clean Water mission in regards to Testing, Treatment and Training. Click on the link below to learn more about Waterdrop and the products and services they offer.
Healthy Drinking Water and Healthy Homes – Communicating to the Public What is a Drinking Water Advisory?
DO NOT PANIC ! What are Drinking Water Advisories and What Should You Do ?
Drinking water advisories let customers know that their tap water or drinking water could be contaminated and make them sick. There are no advisories for private well owners or drinking water systems that are NOT regulated. Advisories are used to send a message to users, customers, individuals, business, schools and other institutions that there is a potential problem with the water and how to act without getting into the details that are part of a Community Water Supply System or a regulated Non-Community System like a school, gasoline station that serves food, etc. One thing we learned from Flint, Michigan and other case studies is that the citizens and most users do not really know what a “Drinking Water Advisory Means” and most Authorities or Water Companies DO NOT Know How to Explain the Situation.
The drinking water advisories typically fall into one of these 3 categories: “Boil Water Advisory”, “Do Not Drink Advisory”, and “Do Not Use Advisory”. Just to confuse you a little more, there is also something called a Health Advisories that are published by EPA and we will deal with these separately.
Boil Water Advisory
If your local health officials, water company, water provider, or Authority issues a boil water advisory, you should take the immediate action of not using your drinking water for consumption (DO NOT DRINK !).
The boil water advisory means that the water may or does contain a pathogen, i.e., a disease-causing agent. The primary actions would include establishing another temporary water source, such as bottled or bulk water, or boiling the water prior to use and consumption. (Please Note: I did not say filter the water or Microwave the water and I did not say drink hot water. I said BOIL!)
Boil water advisories the details.
Use bottled water, bulk drinking water, or boiled water for drinking, and to prepare and cooking food, feeding the pets, brushing your teeth, and making baby formula.
If bottled water is not available, bring your tap water to a full rolling boil for 1 minute for elevations below 6,500 feet and if you live at an elevation of over 6,500 feet a 3 minute rolling boil is needed. After boiling, allow the water to cool before use and while it is cooling give a good shake to try and “re-aerate” the water, it will taste better.
Do not use ICE comes from your automatic ice maker even if the unit has a filter or inline UV unit, the water must be cooled and then cooled and then you can make ice.
Breastfeeding is the better choice. If you formula feed your child, provide ready-to-use formula, if possible, or the water must be boiled (not Microwavedor heated) and cooled. The boiled water should be used within 72 hours (Source: Allinahealth.org)
In many cases, you can use tap water and soap to wash hands during a boil water advisory. DO NOT wash your hands in boiling water or hot water. Follow the guidance from your local public health officials.
Be sure to scrub your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Then, rinse them well under running water, but make sure to dry your hands.
Be careful not to swallow any water when bathing or showering.
Use caution when bathing babies and young children. Consider giving them a sponge bath to reduce the chance of them swallowing water. You do not need to use bottled water, but you can if you wish.
Brushing teeth
Brush teeth with boiled water that has cooled or bottled water. Do not use tap water that you have not boiled. You may want to then store your toothbrush in some saline or salt water to prevent bacterial regrowth.
Washing dishes
If possible, use disposable plates, cups, and utensils during a boil water advisory.
Household dishwashers generally are safe to use if:
The water reaches a final rinse temperature of at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit (66°Celsius), or
The dishwater has a sanitizing cycle.
At the end of the boil water advisory, we recommend running a sanitizing cycle and using a dishwasher cleaner tablet approved by the manufacturer.
Wash and rinse the dishes as you normally would using hot water.
In a separate basin, add 1 teaspoon of unscented household liquid bleach for each gallon of warm water.
Soak the rinsed dishes in the water for at least one minute.
Let the dishes air dry completely before using again.
Laundry
Washing Clothes (Assuming the drinking water is not discolored or turbid)
Assuming the water is not discolored or turbid, it is likely safe to wash clothes as usual, but I would clean the unit by using chlorine or a citric acid cleaner or a clothes washer cleaner tablet approved by the manufacturer.
Do Not Drink Water Advisory
Local health authorities issue a do not drink water advisory when your community’s water is, or could be, contaminated with harmful chemicals and toxins, and when boiling water will not make it safe.
Authorities may recommend limited use of tap water for some tasks, depending on the harmful chemical or toxin contaminating the water. Follow health officials’ advice carefully to protect your health and your family’s health.
During a do not drink water advisory, use bottled water for: drinking and cooking, brushing teeth, washing fruits and vegetables, preparing food, mixing baby formula, making ice, and drinking water to pets and livestock.
In some instances, it will be safe to wash hands, flush toilets and shower; in other instances, it will not. You should be cautious when bathing a baby and young children; they might swallow water.
Do not drink or use water from any appliance connected to your water supply lines. This includes the water and ice dispensers in your refrigerator, freezer and dishwasher.
Do Not Use Water Advisory
Local health authorities issue a do not use water advisory when your community’s water is, or could be, contaminated with germs, harmful chemicals, toxins, or radioactive materials. Under this advisory any contact, even with the skin, lungs, or eyes, can be dangerous. Do not drink or use tap water from the impacted system for any purpose as long as the advisory is in effect, including for bathing. These types of advisories are rare.
EPA Health Advisory (HAs)
HAs primarily serve as information to drinking water systems and officials responsible for protecting public health when emergency spills or other contamination situations occur. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) authorizes EPA to issue HAs for contaminants that are not subject to a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) (Source: 42 U.S.C. §300g-1(b)(1)(F)). HA documents provide technical information on chemical and microbial contaminants that can cause human health effects and are known or anticipated to occur in drinking water. HA values/levels identify the concentration of a contaminant in drinking water at which adverse health effects and/or aesthetic effects are not anticipated to occur over specific exposure duration (e.g., 1 day, 10 days, a lifetime).
HA: Health Advisory- An estimate of acceptable drinking water levels for a chemical substance based on health effects information; a Health Advisory is not a legally enforceable Federal standard, but serves as technical guidance to assist Federal, state, and local officials.
“One-day HA: The concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse noncarcinogenic effects for up to one day of exposure
Ten-day HA: The concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse noncarcinogenic effects for up to ten days of exposure.
Lifetime HA: The concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse noncarcinogenic effects for a lifetime of exposure.”
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.
3M Agrees to EPA Order to Sample and Provide Treatment for PFAS Contamination in Drinking Water near Cordova, IL Facility
EPA Enforcement Part of Agency Strategy to Characterize and Address PFAS Releases from Major Manufacturers
WASHINGTON (November 3, 2022) – Today, the 3M Company agreed to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) order to sample and provide treatment to address contamination from per- and polyfluoroakyl substances (PFAS) found in drinking water in the vicinity of 3M’s Cordova, IL facility. Recent sampling results provided by 3M indicate the widespread presence of a mixture of at least 19 different PFAS chemicals in drinking water within a 3-mile radius of the Cordova facility. Given the unique circumstances affecting this community, including more than five decades of PFAS discharges and the many types of PFAS chemicals found, EPA has concluded that the situation constitutes an imminent and substantial endangerment under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
“I have directed EPA staff to use every enforcement tool at our disposal to require manufacturers of PFAS to address potential endangerment to the public and to compel them to characterize, control, and clean up ongoing and past PFAS contamination,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Communities have suffered far too long from exposure to these chemicals. This settlement is a critical step forward in our work to protect communities from pollution and hold polluters accountable for their actions.”
As part of this settlement, 3M is required to offer treatment to all private well owners within 3 miles of the facility and to the Camanche Water Supply in Iowa, in an effort to remove PFAS from the drinking water. 3M is also required to offer drinking water sampling out to 4 miles from the facility for private well owners and out to 10 miles from the facility for public water systems as well as to the Quad Cities’ public water systems, using EPA protocols and conducted under EPA oversight.
3M’s sampling of the drinking water in private wells near the facility detected a range of concentrations including: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) of non-detect to 25 ppt, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) of non-detect to 30 ppt, hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), or “GenX” of non-detect to 59 ppt, and perfluorobutane sulfunate (PFBS) of non-detect to 51 ppt. 3M did not use EPA test methods for this sampling. As a result, the order issued today requires 3M to sample these wells again following EPA test methods.
3M was one of the original companies developing and producing PFAS within the United States, and their Cordova facility operations and discharges containing PFAS chemicals date back to the 1970s. 3M’s agreement to the terms of the Order including completing the work required under EPA’s oversight is an important step to begin addressing the problem created by decades of contamination. This settlement is part of EPA’s ongoing efforts to compel major PFAS manufacturers to characterize and control ongoing releases from their facilities.
Background
Last year, EPA launched the PFAS Strategic Roadmap, a whole-of-agency approach for addressing PFAS. The Roadmap sets timelines by which EPA plans to take specific actions and commit to new policies to safeguard public health, protect the environment, and hold polluters accountable. In the national PFAS Roadmap, EPA commits to investigate releases of PFAS and where needed require manufacturers to characterize and control their PFAS releases. In the Roadmap, EPA also commits to take swift action to address potential endangerments to public health. EPA is actively working with its state partners on this effort, which will build upon valuable work led by a number of states.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, collectively called “PFAS,” are a group of man-made chemicals that have been manufactured and used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. There are thousands of different PFAS chemicals, some of which have been more widely used and studied than others.
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.
FracTracker Alliance created the Community Sentinel Award for Environmental Stewardship to celebrate individuals whose noble actions exemplify the transformative power of committed and engaged people. This year, in collaboration with our sponsors and partners, the award will be presented to multiple recipients at a virtual reception on Thursday, December 8, 2022. Tickets for the virtual ceremony are available now!
2022 Sentinel Award – Nomination Form
FracTracker Alliance created the Community Sentinel Award for Environmental Stewardship to celebrate individuals whose noble actions exemplify the transformative power of committed and engaged activists and advocates. In collaboration with our sponsors and partners, the Sentinel Awards are presented to multiple recipients at a virtual reception before fellow activists, allies and conspirators, all of whom are working towards a healthier and more just future.
Each awardee receives $1,000 and is recognized at the 8th annual Community Sentinel Awards ceremony, to be held virtually on Thursday, December 8th, 2022. We also welcome our partners and community members to submit the names of activists who have passed away over the last year, so that we may honor their lives and their work during the Legacy of Heroes presentation during the awards ceremony.
Environmental Blog – Interesting Articles / Looking for Authors
Submit Your Environmental Organization to the Global Database Dimock Pennsylvania – Well by Well Review – Natural, Natural Gas Developing, Fracking or something else. Forever Chemicals – Frac Fluid, but many other sources (PFOA)
Interesting Online Training Course
Modern Shale Gas Development –The course provides an overview of modern shale gas development, as well as a summary of federal, state, and local regulations applicable to the natural gas production industry, and describes environmental considerations related to shale gas development.
Pipelines – Public Awareness – Gas pipeline safety is critical – not just for your employees but for public safety as well. Therefore, it is imperative that gas operators have an effective awareness program to inform the public; public officials; emergency responders; as well as excavators as to the location and safe work practices around gas pipelines and what to do in an emergency.
For some reason, this year we received a lot of questions from individuals looking to purchase or install a reverse osmosis treatment system. The first question they all ask was about the features, models, and other details, but none answer the question why? What was the problem or purpose? They assumed they needed this system.
So my questions went as follows:
Question 1: Why? What is the Problem – their answer in all cases was they thought it would be better.
Answer 1: They all thought they needed to install a reverse osmosis unit on their drinking water to protect their family. They did not identify a problem such as salty water, metallic taste, etc. When this happens, my first assumption is something went wrong somewhere or there is a new water treatment ad on TV pushing citizens to drink “Pure Water”, i.e., H20 or dihydrogen monoxide, only. First – Drinking absolutely pure water for the long-term is not wise.
Question 2: Where does your water originate? Well water, City or Public water, or shared spring.
Answer 2: 80% said city or public water, 10 % said private well, and 10% said a local spring.
For the city and public water users, I said it was unlikely you needed a reverse osmosis unit because your source is regulated and must meet the state and federal drinking water standards, but after Flint and other cases this may not be true 100 % of the time. I ask them if they look at the Consumer Confidence Report for their system and they had no idea what I was describing. I pointed them in the direction of the EPA Consumer Confidence Report (NOTE: If there is no report online, you will need to call your water supplier) and in every instance the water source was meeting drinking water standards, but they had some occasional problems with trihalomethanes, i.e., chlorine by-products, bacteria, and a few with copper, arsenic, fluoride, and lead or corrosion issues. For these individuals, I recommended the following:
b. Based on the initial information and assuming the primary issue was trihalomethanes and chlorine by-products, the primary need most individuals was an under the counter “Point-of-Use” Carbon Filtration System for the Sink, Refrigerator, and/or Shower and in some cases for older homes I suggested a first flush test for lead and copper and then have a plumbing contractor inspect the service lines and plumbing in the home. In one case, the homeowner found a slimy bacterial growth in the toilet tank reservoir, so we suggested they flush the system and suggested the installation of a water filter canister so they could flush and shock disinfect the water lines in the home. For a small office, I might suggest a water cooler model. I do not recommend a Whole House Reverse Osmosis unit.
c. Reverse Osmosis Treatment was not needed in ALL cases.
For the well water users (POE Systems- UV disinfection), I asked them when was the last time they tested their water and if the water had any aesthetic problems. One complained of a salty taste, one was just concerned because of health issues, and the rest reported aesthetic problems ranging from odors to discoloration to staining. If they did not have a recent water test, we recommended the appropriate water testing based on their description of the problem and surrounding land-use activities.
Homeowners that reported a chemical odor or metallic sheen and located in an area surrounded by agricultural activities or petrochemicals we recommended a test that included bacteria, metals, Volatile Organics, herbicides, and pesticides. If they reported slimy coatings or films, we added a nuisance bacteria test.
We also directed a few of these users to our Phone App and Diagnose It for a self Diagnose.
At this point, NOT one of these individuals has installed a reverse osmosis unit, but it looks like the guy with the salty water may need a system. We did find out that about 90% of the well owners needed to shock disinfect their well, 50% needed to install a UV disinfection System, 30% had a corrosion related problem, and 20% had to treat the water for an iron, manganese, or sulfur problem.
For the “Spring User” – we recommend the water be tested for total coliform and E. coli. and general water quality. If the samples come back positive and there was a concern iron and manganese content we recommended a water test that included bacteria (including standard plate count and nuisance bacteria, iron, manganese, and total dissolved solids). Some of the users complained about getting diarrhea, so we recommend the equivalent of a Pathogenic Screen Test for Your Drinking Water.
Guess What ! – the diarrhea case was positive for 1 pathogenic organism. Our recommendation was to not use that spring and if possible have the spring properly abandon. If you want to use a local spring source, plan on boiling the water at a minimum and use a water pitcher filter (test regularly at least quarterly).
For the guy that needed a reverse osmosis system, he also needed a pretreatment system to deal with the bacteria, hardness, and prepare the water for the R/O unit. For individuals on city water that want a point of use R/O, we have found that is is typically necessary to prefilter the water to remove particles, add a carbon unit to remove chlorine, and is some cases reduce the hardness of the water. Please keep in mind both applications are for Point-of-Use and not – Wholehouse RO treatment.
How much water will be “wasted” per day and where will this water go? Some R/O units process 2 to 4 units of water to make 1 unit. Therefore, you may waste 1 to 3 gallons of water to make 1 gallon.
Do I need to install a booster pump- Do I have the proper pressure in my system?
Do you need to re-mineralize the water for taste or to increase the pH?
Finally -You may want to be looking for an NSF/ANSI 58 approved systems – You can try this product search. “NSF/ANSI 58 establishes the minimum requirements for the certification of point-of-use (POU) reverse osmosis systems designed to reduce contaminants that may be present in public or private drinking water. The scope of NSF/ANSI 58 includes material safety, structural integrity, total dissolved solids (TDS) reduction and other optional contaminant reduction claims. The most common optional claims addressed by NSF/ANSI 58 include cyst reduction, hexavalent and trivalent chromium reduction, arsenic reduction, nitrate/nitrite reduction, and cadmium and lead reduction.” and you most likely want to hire a local trained professional to assist with product selection and install. If your looking for a treatment system to remove Pfas/Pfos (meets NSF P473)
Welcome to Pennsylvania and Welcome to Managing Your Own Small Water Company
In Pennsylvania, there are generally no specific construction standards for private wells and there is only some general guidance with respect to well placement and construction. Further, private well water is not regulated by the EPA or PADEP and therefore it is up to YOU to check your water to ensure that the well produces good clean and adequate water. This is only a short summary of the information. If you are interested we offer a Private Well Owner Training Course that can be offered as a Workshop for Your Community, Association, or other Organization (Some of our community project pages).
There are a number of steps to this process and well will break them down as follows:
Well Placement
Well Construction
Well Testing (Yield and Quality)
Well Maintenance
Annual Water Testing
Well Placement
In general, the primary guidance with to water well placement in Pennsylvania is that a water well should be 100 feet from a septic system (regulated), 50 feet from a septic tank (regulated), 10 feet from a sewer line under pressure (regulated), 300 + feet from petrochemical storage, and 10 feet from a property line. To be honest, these isolation distance do not consider impacts from other natural conditions or activities. In general, we would recommend the following:
1. If possible, the private well owner should control all activities within a 50 to 100 foot radius of the wellhead, i.e.., top of the water well. These activities should include: use of pesticides and herbicides, storage of toxic or hazardous chemicals, storage or management of manure and other waste, diversion of surface water and runoff, overuse of the area by grazing animals, location of burrow pits, burn pipes, rubbish storage, or storage of used cars or other items that may contain antifreeze, oils, and greases.
2. Well casing should extend at least 18 inches above grade.
3. Well should be fitted with a sanitary well cap that has some form of venting.
4. The well should be located at least 10 feet from a property line.
5. It might be wise to install a Well Seal.
Other suggested isolation distances
Delineated wetlands or floodplains (25 feet)- with top of casing 3 feet above flood elevation.
Surface waters (25 feet) Storm water Systems (25 feet)
BioInfiltration Stormwater Systems (100 feet +)
Spray Irrigation/ Septage Disposal (100 feet+)
Sinkholes and Closed Depressions (100 feet +)
Farm silos / manure storage (200 feet) Septic Systems (100 feet)
Septic Tanks/Holding Tanks (50 feet)
Chemical Storage/Preparation Area (300 feet)
Well Construction
1. Prefer the use of steel casing that extends at least 15 feet to 20 feet into firm bedrock or 60 feet below ground, whichever is greater.
2. Casing should be of adequate wall thickness to deal with corrosion and stress – 19lb casing+ (Steel).
3. The base of the casing should contain a harden driveshoe on the bottom of the casing and casing centralized in the borehole.
4. Wells drilled by a licensed well driller using only potable water as the drilling fluid.
5. Casing should be double circumferential welded or threaded casing.
6. Well caps should be sanitary well caps that are properly vented.
7. Annular space should have a neat cement grout layer that is at least 1.5 inches thick.
8. Pitless adapters should be used over well pits and if possible an NSF 61 pitless adapter used.
Well Testing (Yield and Quality)
After the well is drilled, the well should be developed using surging, air-lift, or pumping the well. This is done to clean out the well cuttings and improve yield. In some cases, this needs to be done to improve the efficiency of the borehole. If the well yield is low, some well drillers will hydrofrac the well. If you are going to hydrofrac a water well, we recommend zone hydraulic fracturing to isolate the deeper potential water-bearing zones. After the well development has been completed, a shock wellbore disinfection should be conducted. The well should be allowed to fully recover and a minimum 2-hour yield test is recommend. After the yield testing, the well should be shock disinfected. For information on shock disinfection – we recommend visiting Water-Research Center (Know Your H20) . The well yield data should include the static water level (water level before pumping), maximum dynamic water level (maximum depth to water during pumping), pumping rate, and length of the pumping test. This data should be included on the well log and the specific capacity of the well should be reported. The specific capacity is the rate of yield or gallons per minute per foot of drawdown. The drawdown is the difference between the static and dynamic water level measurement.
Before the end of the yield testing, it is recommended that a general water quality analysis of the well be conducted. This testing should include bacterial quality, general water quality, and specific parameters that are known problems for your region. Do not rely on a free water analysis or a basic water quality screening down by the well driller. This should be either information or certified testing conducted by a laboratory. For information on this type of testing, please contact the Keystone Clean Water Team or the Water-Research Center. The initial water quality testing data should be reviewed and evaluated. The first well or city water quality test should be a comprehensive water quality check. If you are want informational water testing, we would recommend either the Well Water Check or the City Water Check Option. This evaluation should include the need for any further action to improve the well security, continue with well development, or add equipment to improve well water quality. In some cases, water treatment systems are installed as an additional barrier or layer of protection. In many cases, the only type of additional treatment that is needed is a whole-house particle filter and a sanitary well cap. For information on Do-it-Yourself Water Treatment Systems (US Water Systems,FilterWater.com, or Crystal Quest) .
Well and System Maintenance
At a minimum, the well water system should go through an annual inspection. This inspection could be associated with the annual water quality test or inspection of any water treatment systems. During this evaluation, the aesthetic quality of the water should be evaluated and some basic field water quality screening should be conducted. For the field water screening, it is possible this can be done using a number of low-cost meters or an informational water quality screening test.
Annual Water Testing
Depending on the results of the initial evaluation, the results should be evaluated to determine what are the water quality parameters that should be monitored to help track the general water quality of the well. If a water treatment system was installed, the annual water quality evaluation should include the performance of the water treatment system. If you need help with determining what you need, WE can Help – We first recommend our Self-Diagnostic Tool and then maybe the DIY Water Testing or Informational Water Testing Program. The Keystone Clean Water Team can provide guidance on the selection of water quality parameters, review water quality data, and make recommendations on the water quality parameters. If you are interested, you may want to obtain a copy of our Educational Booklet and Brochure.
We have offered “Free” Assistance to this effort, but if you are a private well owner that needs assistance we are happy to help.
We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot. Get YOUR WATER Tested – Discounted Screening Tests !
For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us. Follow us on Twitter
Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Unsolicited donations are appreciated (Helps us complete our mission and we have a current Go Fund Me Campaign. If your interested, please contact us.
Penn State Extension and MWON Promote National Protect Your Groundwater Day—September 10, 2013
Penn State Extension and the Master Well Owner Network are excited to announce a variety of educational efforts in recognition of the National Ground Water Association’s Protect Your Groundwater Day on September 10, 2013.
A live webinar will be broadcast from 12:00 to 1:00 PM entitled Strategies to Protect Private Wells and Springs in Pennsylvania to highlight basic management strategies that homeowners can use to protect their drinking water. The webinar will also highlight numerous Penn State publications and web tools that are available to private water well and spring owners. The live webinar can be viewed at
< https://meeting.psu.edu/water1 >
During the evening of September 10, Penn State water resources educators will present a Safe Drinking Water Clinic in Ebensburg, PA for water well and spring owners. This will be the first in a series of Safe Drinking Water Clinics which will be offered around the state in the next 12 months.
More information about this online course can be found at:
< http://extension.psu.edu/water/mwon >
The Penn State Extension Water Resources team along with Master Well Owners provide education and assistance for thousands of private water well and spring owners across Pennsylvania each year. Tune in on September 10 to learn more about our resources and how to protect your groundwater!
To learn more about the National Ground Water Association and Protect Your Groundwater Day, visit their website at:
To celebrate National Protect Groundwater Day – The Carbon County Groundwater Guardians will be participating in the PA Energy Games in Hughesville, PA on September 7, 2013. We will have information on private wells, groundwater, alternative energy, conservation and Biomass. Stop by and Say Hello !
For information about Carbon County’s Groundwater Guardian activities, contact the Us.
Volunteer
We seek new people at all skill levels for a variety of programs. One thing that everyone can do is attend meetings to share ideas on improving CCGG, enabling us to better understand and address the concerns of well owners.
Everything we do began with an idea.
We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot.
For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us.
Carbon County Groundwater Guardians is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.. Unsolicited donations are appreciated.
