Contaminants

What is it?

Iron Bacteria is a name for a large diverse group of bacteria found mainly in private well water.

How can I tell if I have it in my water?

Common effects of excess iron in water are a reddish-brown color, stained laundry and poor tasting coffee.

Does it cause adverse health effects?

At high levels, iron bacteria may cause stomach discomfort and diarrhea.

What problems may occur?

Iron bacteria plugs groundwater extraction as well as the clogging of well parts including screens, casing, inlets etc.

What is it?

Bacteria that are always present in the digestive tracts of animals, including humans, and are found in their wastes.

Does it cause adverse health effects?

Most coliform are not harmful, but high levels suggest unclean water and possible E Coli, which is harmful.

What is E Coli?

E Coli is a type of fecal coliform bacteria commonly found in the intestines of animals and humans. Infection of E coli often causes severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps.

What are they?

Nitrates are naturally occurring compounds and are also found in fertilizers, wastewater, animal feed, and septic systems.

What is the difference between Nitrates and Nitrites?

Microorganisms in the soil, water, sewage, and the human body change nitrates to nitrites.

Does it cause adverse health effects?

Excessive levels of nitrate in drinking water have caused serious illness such as brain cancers, stomach cancers, and sometimes death in adults and children. The primary health concern for newborn babies is a disease called methemoglobinemia.

What is methemoglobinemia?

Methemoglobinemia, also known as blue baby syndrome, is a disease that affects the oxygen carrying capacity of infant's blood, usually resulting from the consumption of high levels of NO3 turning the baby blue.

What is it?

VOC's are organic chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals that are "readily vaporizable at a relatively low temperature".

What are some examples of VOC's?

Paints, varnishes, and wax all contain organic solvents, as do many cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing, and hobby products and fuel.. All of these products can release organic compounds while you are using them, and, to some degree, when they are stored.

Do they cause adverse health effects?

Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system are most common. More severe health effects include leukemia, respiratory problems, and birth defects.

Is it harmful if I am not drinking my tap water?

Yes, certain VOC's can be inhaled in the shower or absorbed in skin.

What is it?

Vinyl Chloride is a colorless, flammable gas that has a mild sweet odor used in PVC products.

Can I detect it?

Your water may have a sweet smell and taste.

Are there adverse health effects?

Breathing very high levels of vinyl chloride over several years may cause immune disorders and damage to the liver, kidneys and nerves. Also higher miscarriage rates for pregnant women.

What if I don't drink my tap water?

If your water supply is contaminated, showering, bathing, cooking or laundering with the water can release vinyl chloride into the air where you can breathe it.

What are they?

The expression, "total dissolved solids" (TDS), refers to the total amount of all inorganic and organic substances - including minerals, salts, metals, cations or anions - that are dispersed within a volume of water.

What Problems may occur if I have high TDS levels?

The concentration of the dissolved ions may cause the water to be corrosive, salty or brackish taste, result in scale formation, and interfere and decrease efficiency of hot water heaters.

What is it?

pH stands for "potential hydrogen," referring to the amount of hydrogen mixed with the water. The pH level of your drinking water reflects how acidic it is.

How is it measured?

pH is measured on a scale that runs from 0-14. Seven is neutral, indicating there is no acid or alkalinity present. A measurement below 7 indicates acid is present and a measurement above 7 indicates alkalinity.

What pH is a good level for my water?

The EPA recommends that public water systems maintain pH levels of between 6.5 and 8.5, a good guide for individual well owners.

What if my pH is too high or low?

Water with a pH value less than 7 indicates acidity and tends to be corrosive, while water with a value greater than 7 indicates alkalinity and tends to affect the taste of the water.

What is it?

The alkalinity of water may be defined as its capacity to neutralize acid. Alkali substances in water include hydroxides or bases.

How can it be detected?

They can be detected by their acrid taste and by the fact that they cause red litmus paper to turn blue.

Does it have any adverse health effects?

No, It is classified as a secondary drinking water contaminant whose impact is considered aesthetic.

What is hard water?

As water moves through soil and rock, it dissolves small amounts of naturally occurring minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, and carries them into the ground water supply making water hard.

What problems may occur?

Though hard water poses no adverse health effects, soap solutions form a white precipitate (scum) instead of producing lather as well as leaving deposits in your fixtures causing it to clog and/or corrode.

What is it?

Rainwater as it infiltrates the soil and underlying geologic formations dissolves iron, causing it to seep into aquifers that serve as sources of groundwater for wells.

What forms is it present in water?

Iron is mainly present in water in two forms: either the soluble ferrous iron or the insoluble ferric iron. Water containing ferrous iron is clear and colorless because the iron is completely dissolved. When exposed to air in the pressure tank or atmosphere, the water turns cloudy and a reddish brown substance begins to form. This sediment is the oxidized or ferric form of iron that will not dissolve in water.

Can I detect it?

Concentrations of iron as low as 0.3 mg/L will leave reddish brown stains on fixtures, tableware and laundry that are very hard to remove. When these deposits break loose from water piping, rusty water will flow through the faucet.

What problems may occur?

Though iron does not pose any adverse health risks, dissolved ferrous iron gives water a disagreeable metallic taste. When the iron combines with tea, coffee and other beverages, it produces an inky, black appearance and a harsh, unacceptable taste. Vegetables cooked in water containing excessive iron turn dark and look unappealing.

What is it?

Chemically it can be considered a close relative of iron since it occurs in much the same forms as iron. Iron is the more frequent of the two contaminants in water supplies, but manganese is typically found in iron-bearing water.

Can I detect it?

In low concentrations it produces extremely objectionable stains on everything with which it comes in contact. Deposits collect in pipelines, and tap water may contain black sediment and turbidity due to precipitated manganese.

Does it cause adverse health effects?

Manganese may affect neurological and muscle function in humans.

What is it?

Phosphorus is a component of fertilizer and manure, and a common pollutant in municipal wastewater discharges.

What problems may occur?

Excessive nutrients from phosphorus can promote the growth of algal blooms, which can contribute to a wide range of water quality problems by affecting the portability, taste, odor, and color of the water.

Are there adverse health effects?

Phosphorus does not pose a direct threat to human health; it is an essential component of all cells and is present in bones and teeth.

What is it?

Chlorine has been the most widely used disinfectant in the U.S. for over 60 years and is the primary disinfectant for drinking water in the world.

Are there any adverse health effects?

Some people who use drinking water containing chlorine well in excess of EPA's standard could experience irritating effects to their eyes and nose and also may experience stomach discomfort.

Isn't chlorine good for water treatment?

Not always. Health officials are concerned with the chlorinating by-products, also known as "chlorinated hydrocarbons" or trihalomethanes (THM's). Most THM's are formed in drinking water when chlorine reacts with naturally occurring substances such as decomposing plant and animal materials.

What are they?

Trihalomethanes are a group of four chemicals-chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform-formed, along with other disinfection by-products, when chlorine or other disinfectants used to control microbial contaminants in drinking water react with naturally occurring organic and inorganic matter in water.

Which THM is the most common?

Chloroform-the trihalomethane often found in the highest concentration-is formed by a reaction of chlorine with certain compounds in water. Formation occurs during chlorination and can continue to occur as long as chlorine is available.

Are there any adverse health effects?

Pregnant women appear to be at the greatest risk, as some studies have linked trihalomethanes to reproductive problems, including miscarriage. Studies have found that chlorination by-products may be linked to heart, lung, kidney, liver, and central nervous system damage as well as a small increase in the risk of bladder and colorectal cancers.

What are they?

Pesticides consist of a large group of chemicals that are used in agriculture and residential settings to control plant and animal infestation. Pesticides can range from herbicides (to control weeds), insecticides (insects), nematocides (worms) and fungicides (molds, mildews, rusts).

What are the most common places pesticides are found in groundwater?

Pesticides are commonly applied on farms, fruit orchards, golf courses and residential laws and gardens.

Are there adverse health effects?

Acute pesticide poisoning symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, stomach and intestinal upset. At higher levels, pesticides can lead to numbness of extremities, spasms, convulsions and heart attacks.

What is it?

Sulfates are a combination of sulfur and oxygen and are a part of naturally occurring minerals in some soil and rock formations that contain groundwater.

What problems occur?

At high levels, sulfate can give water a bitter or astringent taste, rotten egg smell, and can have laxative effects.

Are there adverse health effects?

Laxative effects with both humans and animals.

What is it?

Metal that enters tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder. However, new homes are also at risk: even legally "lead-free" plumbing may contain up to 8 percent lead.

Are there adverse health effects?

Infants and children show physical and mental development problems, and adults with long-term exposure show kidney problems and high blood pressure.

What is it?

Copper is a reddish metal that occurs naturally in rock, soil, water, sediment, and air. It is also widely used in household plumbing materials.

Can I detect it?

You may find that there is a metallic taste in your drinking water before copper levels are high enough to cause adverse health effects. You may also notice blue or blue/green stains around sinks and plumbing fixtures.

What is a common place copper is found in groundwater?

Copper compounds are also used as an agricultural pesticide, and to control algae in lakes and reservoirs.

Are there adverse health effects?

Vomiting, diarrhea, stomach, cramps, nausea, liver damage

What is it?

A metal-like substance found in small amounts in nature.

Are there adverse health effects?

Numbness in hands and feet, thickening and discoloration of skin that can lead to cancer, and stomach problems.

What if I don't drink out of my tap water?

Can be harmful if consumed or eating food that was boiled in the water.

What is it?

Silica is a hard, glassy mineral substance, which occurs in a variety of forms such as sand, quartz, sandstone, and granite. It also is found in the skeletal parts of various animals and plants.

Are there adverse health effects?

It is classified as a secondary drinking water contaminant whose impact is considered aesthetic. High levels of It is classified as a secondary drinking water contaminant whose impact is considered aesthetic.

What is it?

Barium is a lustrous, machinable metal, which exists in nature only in ores containing mixtures of elements. It is used in making a wide variety of electronic components, in metal alloys, bleaches, dyes, fireworks, ceramics and glass.

Are there adverse health effects?

Gastrointestinal disturbances, high blood pressure, and muscular weakness.

What is it?

Radium (Ra) is a naturally occurring radioactive element that is present in varying amounts in rocks and soil within the earth's crust.

Is radium different then radon?

When radium decays, the resultant product is the radioactive chemically inert gas radon.

Are there adverse health effects of radon?

The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, you're at high risk for developing lung cancer. Some scientific studies of radon exposure indicate that children may be more sensitive to radon. This may be due to their higher respiration rate and their rapidly dividing cells, which may be more vulnerable to radiation damage.

Are there adverse health effects of radium?

Absorbed radium behaves similarly to calcium and is deposited in the tissues of the body, especially bone that can cause bone cancers.

What is it?

Introduced in the Hollywood hit Erin Brochovich with Julia Roberts, Chromium 6 is used in production of stainless steel, textile dyes, wood preservation, leather tanning, and as anti-corrosion and conversion coatings.

Are there adverse health effects?

Harmful when inhaled, causes lung cancers as well as liver and kidney damage and stomach cancers when ingested .