When is the last time you tested your household water?
At the Clean Water Center, your family’s water safety is our #1 Priority. There are many elements to water that people take for granted, or simply do not know anything about. A few of the most important “health related” items that should be tested every year are Arsenic, Radon & Bacteria. Below is some information pertaining to these items. Please don’t assume that your water is “SAFE” and have it tested TODAY!
Arsenic (Limit = 0.010 mg/l)
Arsenic occurs naturally in New Hampshire and other areas of New England. In fact,
arsenic was mined commercially in New Hampshire during the 1800s. Arsenic also
occurs as a result of human activities. Activities that could have left arsenic residuals
include apple orchard spraying and coal ash disposal. Generally is not possible to
predict if a well will have elevated arsenic. Arsenic has no smell, taste or coloration
when dissolved in water, even at high concentrations. Only water quality testing can
determine its presence and concentration in well water. Arsenic has been classified by
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a human carcinogen (cancer
causing agent.) Long term exposure to arsenic has been linked to cancer,
cardiovascular disease, immunological disorders, diabetes and other medical issues.
On February 22, 2002 a new EPA rule for arsenic in drinking water became effective.
This new Limit is 0.010 mg/l, the old limit was 0.050 mg/l. This new rule is final, and
became fully enforced on all public water systems in January of 2006. New
Hampshire DES recommends that at least two tests be processed before concluding the
well’s arsenic concentration, as well water quality can change due to many factors.
Radon (No regulated limit)
Radon gas is normally found in all well water. Bedrock wells typically have much
higher levels then dug or point wells. The most significant concern is the inhalation of
Radon from the air. Radon typically enters air via two common pathways:
1. Migration (up from the soil) into the house air through cracks and/or other
openings in the foundation.
2. Release of dissolved radon gas into the air from water usage in the home.
The migration of radon up from the soil contributes the largest percent of radon found
in the average home. Radon from a groundwater type water supply source, particularly
a bedrock (artesian, drilled) well, contributes the next largest percentage of radon in the
home. The US EPA has set an advisory “action level” of 4 pCi/L for radon gas in
indoor air. While not a mandated health standard, this level is a guideline for people
to use in assessing the seriousness of their exposure to airborne radon. Studies show
that high levels of radon gas in the air increase the risk of developing lung cancer. At
present there is no federal or state regulated standard for radon in drinking
water. In 1991, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES)
and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) jointly
recommended a maximum level for radon gas in PUBLIC drinking water at 2,000 pCi/
L. Although this recommendation was never acted upon by any regulatory agency, it
is commonly referred to in New Hampshire. The EPA is currently proposing a limit of
4000 pCi/L. Massachusetts recommends 10,000, Vermont 5000, and Maine 4,000 pCi/
L. A useful equation developed by the EPA to determine the seriousness of Radon in
water is that 1 pCi/L of Radon will develop in the air for every 10,000 pCi/L in the
water. This is especially useful for adding the total radon found in both air & water.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Radon levels may test significantly different when
collected from a well that is not in a normal pattern of use, compared to Radon
levels from the same well when in normal daily use.
Total Coliform & E.coli Bacteria (Limit = “ABSENT” per 100ml)
The organisms in the total coliform group are called indicator organisms. That is, if
present, they indicate that there is a possibility, but not a certainty, that disease
organisms may also be present in the water. When absent there is a very low
probability of disease organisms being present in the water. The ability of the total
coliform test to reliably predict the bacterial safety of water relative to the hundreds of
possible diseases that might be present is critical since it is impossible, in a practical
sense, to check separately for every disease organism directly on a monthly or
quarterly basis. The presence of only Total Coliform generally does not imply an
imminent health risk but does require an analysis of all water systems facilities and
their operation to determine how these organisms entered the water system.
Escherichia Coli (e-coli). This is a specific species (subgroup) within the coliform
family. They originate only in the intestines of animals and humans. They have a
relatively short life span compared to more general Total Coliform. Their presence
indicates a strong likelihood that human or animal wastes are entering the water
system, and have a much higher likelihood of causing illness.
