GET WET! Ponaganset High School Well Testing Results 2014

Transcription

1 GET WET! Ponaganset High School Well Testing Results 2014

2 Today We ll Discuss: What we found Why we might have found it Next Steps: What to do if you re concerned-or even if you re not!

3 Thanks to Theresa Thornton and the University of Maine! To read more about the national GET WET! program, visit ducateengage/sustainability-education/k- 12/get-wet-3/about-get-wet/

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6 What We Found-And what it means

7 Nitrates

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9 12 Nitrate vs. Well Number Nitrate vs. Well Number

10 Nitrate mg/l Nitrate (mg/l) Bottle ID Number

11 High Nitrate Risks The maximum contaminant level is 10 mg/l Health risks Blue Baby Syndrome Potential carcinogen Get your well professionally tested!

12 Causes Nitrate is a nutrient Nitrate, like all of these contaminants, can be carried in stormwater If you live on a farm, check for: Feed lots Pens Animals Everyone should check for: Underground fuel tanks Compost near your wellhead Lawn and garden fertilizer Spider webs or dead rodents

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14 What to Do If You Have High Nitrates? Get It Tested! Coupons Fix Land Use Issues Protect your wellhead from: Animals Runoff Fertilizer Lawn, garden, and other chemicals Technical fixes Filters: distillation, reverse osmosis and ion exchange Last Resort: A New Well

15 Chlorides

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17 300 Chlorides vs. Well # Chlorides vs. Well #

18 ph

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21 9 ph vs. Well Number ph vs. Well Number

22 ph Problems? Potential Causes Aquifer geology-the rocks surrounding the water Substances from wellhead area Problems Low: corrodes pipes, sour taste, picks up metals High: bitter taste, plumbing deposits, water heater less effective Treatments: filters, water softeners

23 Hardness

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25 350 Hardness vs. Well Number Hardness vs. Well Number

26 350 Hardness vs. ph Hardness vs. ph Linear (Hardness vs. ph)

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28 Hard Water: What To Do?

29 Hard Water Fixes No set health standard Water softeners Ion Exchange Only if necessary Good maintenance essential

30 Iron

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32 0.6 Iron vs. Well Number Iron mg/l

33 Iron Issues? Bacteria Not usually a health risk Some pathogens need iron Treatment Not easily absorbed by body Stains Clogs Taste Food Effects Varied Treatment Options

34 Conductivity

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36 500 Conductivity us/cm Conductivity us/cm

37 500 Conductivity Versus Hardness Conductivity Versus Hardness

38 500 Conductivity Versus Hardness Conductivity Versus Hardness

39 mg/l Chloride-us/cm Conductivity Chlorides and Conductivity for Each Well

40 500 Conductivity versus Iron Conductivity versus Iron

41 Quality Control

42 Taking the Next Step: Test your Water Professionally

43 What Should You Test For?

44 Beryllium is a naturally occurring mineral found in bedrock Inhaling water vapor (i.e. humidifier) with Beryllium may cause lung disease If you have a bedrock well or live in Scituate, you may want to consider testing your well for Beryllium every 3-5 years Additional Testing

45 Arsenic If adjacent to current or former fruit orchard Treatments ARE available Additional Testing

46 Contact RI Department of Health if you have questions about your well: BAL and ESS Labs 185 Frances Ave Cranston, RI Northeast Environmental Testing Lab 472 Smith St Providence, RI New England Testing Lab, Inc Douglas Ave North Providence, RI RI Analytical Labs 41 Illinois Avenue Warwick, RI Certified Water Testing Labs

47 But, How Much Does it Cost? At the RI State Testing Laboratory: Annual Tests-$ Year Tests-An additional $185 Arsenic and Beryllium-$20 each According to URI Home-A-Syst, it s cheaper than town water! Peace of Mind

48 Questions?