Workshop 1 Monitoring Our Environment. Hosted by: Luzerne County Conservation District

Transcription

1 Workshop 1 Monitoring Our Environment Hosted by: Luzerne County Conservation District Sponsored by: Carbon County Groundwater Guardians and B.F Environmental Consultants Inc. 7/28/2013 1

2 Project Sponsors (Providing In-kind Support to This Effort) Carbon County Groundwater Guardians BF. Environmental Consultants Inc Greg Sorber Well Drilling 7/28/2013 2

3 Carbon County Groundwater Guardians The Carbon County Groundwater Guardians (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 Not an Advocacy Group 1. Education 2. Fact Based Approach 3. Scientific Method 4. Target Education of Kids and Families 5. Delivery Statewide Please Support 7/28/2013 3

4 B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc. Professional Consulting Services in the areas of water quality, soils, stormwater, geology, aquifer analysis, and land-development. Baseline Chain-of-Custody Expert Testimony Water Treatment Process/ Product Development 7/28/2013 4

5 Water-Research Center Education and Outreach Program funded by B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc. Outreach Programs Environmental and Professional Education and Training for Citizens and Local Municipalities Water Quality Help Guides Information Library Community and Business Outreach Programs Low Cost Informational Water Testing Program with National Laboratory Citizen Monitoring Programs- Developing Low Cost Water Quality Sensors Website: 7/28/2013 5

6 Current Programs Free Assistance in Reviewing Baseline Data for Private Well Owners Free Website with Information on Water Quality Problems with Case Studies Educational Materials and Educational Presentations Training Program for Baseline Samplers Go to 7/28/2013 6

7 With any luck your well looks like this at the surface 7/28/2013 7

8 This is Drinking Water in PA? 50% Other 50% Iron / Manganese Sediment / Gases Corrosion Salt, Barium, Trace Metals Bacteria 7/28/2013 8

9 What Sensors or Test Kits Should We Purchase? Just Wait We are Pretty Sensitive Sensors Smell Appearance Taste Visual Operational Issues or Problems Systematic or Event Based More Importantly What Are the Warning Signs 7/28/2013 9

10 Percent Exceeded bis(2 ethylhexylphthaltes) What? Plasticizers? Well Inflenced by Saline Water 0 Total Coliform ph < 6.5 Lead Manganese Iron e. coli Phthaltes Arsenic TDS Sodium (> 200 mg/l) Chloride Gross Alpha 7/28/ Percent Exceeded

11 Types of Clues Visual Clues Operation Problems Smelly Water Taste Test These work well with hardness, iron, manganese, sulfur, some gases, sediment, sodium, chloride but this does not help with trace metals, organics, or bacteria 7/28/

12 Most Contamination appears to be associated with Total Coliform Bacteria Insects, Larvae and Nests / Egg Masses Mouse Colonies Snakes Beehives Mud - when casing to close to ground Therefore In some cases - the Private Wells are Facilitating Groundwater Contamination. 7/28/

13 Casing Failure Two Main Bacterial Pathways 1. Direct entry because of the use of a standard well cap, well is located in a pit, or well gets inundated. 2. In adequate casing or grout to seal off the aquifer. 3. Other wells 4. Failure of an Older Steel Casing 7/28/

14 Some Private Well Photos 7/28/

15 What are the Most Common Contaminants- Surface Path Bacteria Signs maybe visual or odor and feel (slime coating in tank). Salts Sodium and chloride create taste issues, but typically at high concentrations Sediment discolored water (eyes) or Insect Parts, Large Rust Fragments Organics or biological secretions (taste and odor issues) Corrosion leaking pipes, metallic taste, discolored water, blue green staining This Well has a Particle Filter Full of Rust (NO kidding look at that Casing) 7/28/

16 How Contaminants Can Up into a Shallow Aquifer- The Subsurface Path Fresh Water Brine or Salty Water 7/28/

17 Signs You Have This Issue Intermittent Discolored Water Intermittent Positive Bacteria Hits Dirty, Smelly Water After it Rains. House with a Particle Filter. 7/28/

18 Things You Can Do No Major Clues Well Go for a Look? After it rains check the well pit! Look under the well cap- do you see signs of life! Do you hear sounds of casing water? If the well cap is buried you have a problem. - Do you have a slimy coating in the toilet tank? - Are your faucet screens full of sediment? 7/28/

19 Do YOU SEE Grass? 7/28/

20 How Contaminants Can Get In to the Aquifer (Surface) Ungrouted Well Pit Surface Spills Sanitary Well Shallow Releases Leaky Tanks Fractured Rock 7/28/

21 What Low Cost Sensors Or Tools Can Help? 7/28/

22 Laboratory Needed to Identify Trace Metals Lead, Copper Arsenic Organics BTEX, MTBE Bacteria Other Parameters Barium Strontium Radiological Confirm Your Findings or Confirm the Problem has been Fixed. 7/28/

23 Low Cost Screening Bacteria Test Even a Presence / Absence Test Nitrate Dip Test ph Conductivity Visual Clues Odors and Taste Problems Problems with System 7/28/

24 Educating the Community Electronic Copy (pdf) or Link to a copy at Also: 1. New Portal 2. New Web-portal on Methane Gas Migration And Mitigation Help Promote the Citizens Groundwater Surfacewater Database to Your Community Partners. Link to: or Pennsylvania Groundwater Forum (facebook) 7/28/

25 Certificate of Completion Training Event Your Water: The Contaminants You Can t See 7/28/ hour PDH or 0.1 CEUS Presented by Mr. Brian Oram, PG B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc 15 Hillcrest Drive Dallas, PA More Online 7/28/

26 Workshop 2 Protecting Your Water: Taking the First Steps Hosted by: Lackawanna County Conservation District Sponsored by: Carbon County Groundwater Guardians and B.F Environmental Consultants Inc. 7/28/

27 Disclaimer and Copyright Our company, B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc., accepts no liability for the content of this document, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This document is being provided as an educational and informational tool, but before you take action you should seek advice from a professional. Questions Please Call Mr. Brian Oram, , bfenviro@ptd.net 2013 by B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc., but the document with approval may be reproduced in whole, without modification, for an educational purposes. B.F. Environmental Consultant Inc. retains the rights and privileges to this document that we created without funding support. 7/28/