scholarly journals Arsenic in private drinking water wells: an assessment of jurisdictional regulations and guidelines for risk remediation in North America

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 372-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather Chappells ◽  
Louise Parker ◽  
Conrad V. Fernandez ◽  
Cathy Conrad ◽  
John Drage ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Well Water ◽  
Water Supplies ◽  
Drinking Water Standard ◽  
Water Wells ◽  
Individual Capacity ◽  
Management Approaches

Arsenic is a known carcinogen found globally in groundwater supplies due to natural geological occurrence. Levels exceeding the internationally recognized safe drinking water standard of 10 μg/L have been found in private drinking water supplies in many parts of Canada and the United States. Emerging epidemiological evidence confirms groundwater arsenic to be a significant health concern, even at the low to moderate levels typically found in this region. These findings, coupled with survey data reporting limited public adherence to testing and treatment guidelines, have prompted calls for improved protective measures for private well users. The purpose of this review is to assess current jurisdictional provisions for private well water protection in areas where arsenic is known to naturally occur in groundwater at elevated levels. Significant limitations in risk management approaches are identified, including inconsistent and uncoordinated risk communication approaches, lack of support mechanisms for routine water testing and limited government resources to check that testing and treatment guidelines are followed. Key action areas are discussed that can help to build regulatory, community and individual capacity for improved protection of private well water supplies and enhancement of public health.

scholarly journals Occurrence of carcinogenic illudane glycosides in drinking water wells

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasa Skrbic ◽  
Vaidotas Kisielius ◽  
Ann-Katrin Pedersen ◽  
Sarah C. B. Christensen ◽  
Mathilde J. Hedegaard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Deep Groundwater ◽  
Hydrolysis Products ◽  
First Finding ◽  
Water Wells ◽  
Shallow Wells ◽  
Great Health ◽  
Groundwater Wells

Abstract Background Ptaquiloside (PTA), caudatoside (CAU) and ptesculentoside (PTE) are carcinogenic illudane glycosides found in bracken ferns (Pteridium spp.) world-wide. The environmentally mobile PTA entails both acute and chronic toxicity. A comparable risk might be associated with the structurally similar CAU and PTE. It is of great health concern if these compounds are present in drinking water, however, it is currently unknown if these compounds can detected in wells in bracken-dominated regions. This study investigates the presence of PTA, CAU, PTE, and their corresponding hydrolysis products pterosins B (PtB), A (PtA) and G (PtG) in water wells in Denmark, Sweden and Spain. Water samples from a total of 77 deep groundwater wells (40–100 m) and shallow water wells (8–40 m) were collected and preserved in the field, pre-concentrated in the laboratory and analysed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Results Deep groundwater wells contained neither illudane glycosides nor their pterosins. However, seven private shallow wells contained at least one of the illudane glycosides and/or pterosins at concentrations up to 0.27 µg L−1 (PTA), 0.75 µg L−1 (CAU), 0.05 µg L−1 (PtB), 0.03 µg L−1 (PtA) and 0.28 µg L−1 (PtG). This is the first finding of illudane glycosides and pterosins in drinking water wells. Conclusions Detected concentrations of illudane glycosides in some of investigated wells exceeded the suggested maximum tolerable concentrations of PTA, although they were used for drinking water purpose. Contaminated wells were shallow with neutral pH and lower electric conductivity compared to deep groundwater wells with no illudane glycosides nor pterosins.

scholarly journals Iron in Well Water: Case Study in Dulalowo and Heledulaa Districts

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 46-52
Author(s):  
Hendri Iyabu ◽  
Anita Muhammad ◽  
Jafar La Kilo ◽  
Akram La Kilo
Keyword(s):  
Water Samples ◽  
Iron Concentration ◽  
Well Water ◽  
Iron Level ◽  
Water Determination ◽  
Drinking Water Standard ◽  
Water Wells ◽  
Fe Content

This study aims to determine the iron content of water wells in Dulalowo and Heledulaa, Gorontalo City. Ten well water samples were taken randomly from five different wells in each district. Water samples at each well consist of top, middle, and bottom water. Determination of iron level using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) at a wavelength of 248.33 nm. The results showed that the iron concentration of well water in Dulalowo was 0.030 (D1), 0.265 (D2), 0.224 (D3), 0.158 (D4), 0.149 ppm (D5). Meanwhile, iron levels in Heledulaa were 0.100 (H1), 0.039 (H2), 0.159 (H3), 0.198 (H4), and 0.235 ppm (H5). These results prove that the Fe content in the well water in the two districts is still fulfil the drinking water standard which is a maximum of 0.3 mg/L iron.

scholarly journals Estimating the burden of acute gastrointestinal illness due toGiardia, Cryptosporidium, Campylobacter, E. coliO157 and norovirus associated with private wells and small water systems in Canada

2015 ◽  
Vol 144 (7) ◽  
pp. 1355-1370 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. M. MURPHY ◽  
M. K. THOMAS ◽  
P. J. SCHMIDT ◽  
D. T. MEDEIROS ◽  
S. McFADYEN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Water Systems ◽  
Gastrointestinal Illness ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Small Community ◽  
Water Supplies ◽  
Acute Gastrointestinal Illness ◽  
Small Water

SUMMARYWaterborne illness related to the consumption of contaminated or inadequately treated water is a global public health concern. Although the magnitude of drinking water-related illnesses in developed countries is lower than that observed in developing regions of the world, drinking water is still responsible for a proportion of all cases of acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) in Canada. The estimated burden of endemic AGI in Canada is 20·5 million cases annually – this estimate accounts for under-reporting and under-diagnosis. About 4 million of these cases are domestically acquired and foodborne, yet the proportion of waterborne cases is unknown. There is evidence that individuals served by private systems and small community systems may be more at risk of waterborne illness than those served by municipal drinking water systems in Canada. However, little is known regarding the contribution of these systems to the overall drinking water-related AGI burden in Canada. Private water supplies serve an estimated 12% of the Canadian population, or ~4·1 million people. An estimated 1·4 million (4·1%) people in Canada are served by small groundwater (2·6%) and surface water (1·5%) supplies. The objective of this research is to estimate the number of AGI cases attributable to water consumption from these supplies in Canada using a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) approach. This provides a framework for others to develop burden of waterborne illness estimates for small water supplies. A multi-pathogen QMRA ofGiardia, Cryptosporidium, Campylobacter, E. coliO157 and norovirus, chosen as index waterborne pathogens, for various source water and treatment combinations was performed. It is estimated that 103 230 AGI cases per year are due to the presence of these five pathogens in drinking water from private and small community water systems in Canada. In addition to providing a mechanism to assess the potential burden of AGI attributed to small systems and private well water in Canada, this research supports the use of QMRA as an effective source attribution tool when there is a lack of randomized controlled trial data to evaluate the public health risk of an exposure source. QMRA is also a powerful tool for identifying existing knowledge gaps on the national scale to inform future surveillance and research efforts.

scholarly journals Vulnerability of Drinking-Water Wells in La Crosse, Wisconsin, to Enteric-Virus Contamination from Surface Water Contributions

2004 ◽  
Vol 70 (10) ◽  
pp. 5937-5946 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark A. Borchardt ◽  
Nathaniel L. Haas ◽  
Randall J. Hunt
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
River Water ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Hepatitis A Virus ◽  
Enteric Viruses ◽  
Coliform Bacteria ◽  
Well Water ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Water Wells

ABSTRACT Human enteric viruses can contaminate municipal drinking-water wells, but few studies have examined the routes by which viruses enter these wells. In the present study, the objective was to monitor the municipal wells of La Crosse, Wisconsin, for enteric viruses and determine whether the amount of Mississippi River water infiltrating the wells was related to the frequency of virus detection. From March 2001 to February 2002, one river water site and four wells predicted by hydrogeological modeling to have variable degrees of surface water contributions were sampled monthly for enteric viruses, microbial indicators of sanitary quality, and oxygen and hydrogen isotopes. 18O/16O and 2H/1H ratios were used to determine the level of surface water contributions. All samples were collected prior to chlorination at the wellhead. By reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), 24 of 48 municipal well water samples (50%) were positive for enteric viruses, including enteroviruses, rotavirus, hepatitis A virus (HAV), and noroviruses. Of 12 river water samples, 10 (83%) were virus positive by RT-PCR. Viable enteroviruses were not detected by cell culture in the well samples, although three well samples were positive for culturable HAV. Enteroviruses detected in the wells by RT-PCR were identified as several serotypes of echoviruses and group A and group B coxsackieviruses. None of the well water samples was positive for indicators of sanitary quality, namely male-specific and somatic coliphages, total coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, and fecal enterococci. Contrary to expectations, viruses were found in all wells regardless of the level of surface water contributions. This result suggests that there were other unidentified sources, in addition to surface water, responsible for the contamination.

scholarly journals Comparison of potential drinking water source contamination across one hundred U.S. cities

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean W. D. Turner ◽  
Jennie S. Rice ◽  
Kristian D. Nelson ◽  
Chris R. Vernon ◽  
Ryan McManamay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Detailed Comparison ◽  
The United States ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Drinking Water Source ◽  
Water Supplies ◽  
Large Cities ◽  
Source Contamination

AbstractDrinking water supplies of cities are exposed to potential contamination arising from land use and other anthropogenic activities in local and distal source watersheds. Because water quality sampling surveys are often piecemeal, regionally inconsistent, and incomplete with respect to unregulated contaminants, the United States lacks a detailed comparison of potential source water contamination across all of its large cities. Here we combine national-scale geospatial datasets with hydrologic simulations to compute two metrics representing potential contamination of water supplies from point and nonpoint sources for over a hundred U.S. cities. We reveal enormous diversity in anthropogenic activities across watersheds with corresponding disparities in the potential contamination of drinking water supplies to cities. Approximately 5% of large cities rely on water that is composed primarily of runoff from non-pristine lands (e.g., agriculture, residential, industrial), while four-fifths of all large cities that withdraw surface water are exposed to treated wastewater in their supplies.

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