4.1.

3 TESTING THE WATERS

HEALTH CONCERNS FOR CONTAMINANTS
 WATER CONTAMINATION

• CONTAMINATION IS CAUSED BY POLLUTION FRO FOREIGN MATTER

SUCH AS MICROORGANISMS, CHEMICALS, INDUSTRIAL OR OTHER
WASTES, OR SEWAGE.
• MANY FORMS OF WATER CONTAMINATION CAN BE HARMFUL TO
HUMAN HEALTH.
• CONTAMINATION CAN OCCUR NATURALLY, BUT IT IS MOSTLY DUE
TO HUMAN ACTIVITY.
COMMON CAUSES OF CONTAMINATION

• HUMAN AND ANIMAL SEWAGE

• LEAKAGE FROM UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS
• URBAN RUN-OFF
• MINES
• LANDFILLS AND WASTE DUMPS
• INDUSTRIAL EMISSIONS AND WASTE DISPOSAL
• PESTICIDES
• AGRICULTURAL RUN-OFF FROM CROPS
 TYPES OF CONTAMINANTS

• WATER CONTAMINANTS CAN BE BROKEN INTO THE FOLLOWING

CATEGORIES:
• MICROORGANISMS
• DISINFECTANTS
• DISINFECTION BYPRODUCTS
• INORGANIC CHEMICALS
• ORGANIC CHEMICALS
• RADIONUCLIDES
 EXAMPLE CONTAMINANTS

• MICROBIAL CONTAMINANTS INCLUDE BACTERIA, VIRUSES, AND

PARASITES SUCH AS:
• CYTOSPORIDIUM
• GIARDIA LAMBIA
• LEGIONELLA
• E. COLI
• ENTEROVIRUSES
 EXAMPLE CONTAMINANTS
DISINFECTANTS AND
DISINFDECTION
BYPRODUCTS INORGANIC CHEMICALS
• EXAMPLES INCLUDE: • EXAMPLES INCLUDE:
- CHLORINE - ARSENIC - BARIUM
- BROMATE - CADMIUM - CHROMIUM
- CHLORITE - COPPER - CYANIDE
- MERCURY -
NITRATES/NITRITES
 EXAMPLE CONTAMINANTS

ORGANIC CHEMICALS INORGANIC CHEMICALS

• EXAMPLES INCLUDE: • EXAMPLES INCLUDE:
- ACRYLAMIDE - - RADIUM
BENZENE
- RADON
- CARBON TETRACHLORIDE - PCBS
- URANIUM
- STYRENE
- VINYL CHLORIDE
 DRINKING WATER STANDARDS

• PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO MEET

NATIONAL STANDARDS MEANT TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH BY
LIMITING THE LEVELS OF CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER.
• PRIVATE WATER SUPPLIES FROM WELLS ARE NOT REGULATED. IT IS
UP TO WELL OWNERS TO HAVE THEIR WATER TESTED.
 DRINKING WATER TESTING
DRINKING WATER IS OFTEN TESTED FOR THE
FOLLOWING:
• TOTAL COLIFORMS • PHOSPHATES
• FECAL COLIFORMS • SILICA
• AMMONIUM • SULFATES
• PH • NITRATES
• CHLORINE • NITRITES
• CHROMIUM • RADON
• COPPER • LEAD
• CYANIDE • MERCURY
• IRON • TURBIDITY
• MANGANESE • HARDNESS
CONDITIONS REQUIRING TESTING
 WATER TEST
• YOU WILL TEST BOTH THE WILLIAMS’ WELL WATER AS WELL AS
THE WATER YOU COLLECTED FROM A LOCAL SOURCE FOR THE
FOLLOWING CONTAMINANTS:
- MERCURY - COPPER
- LEAD - CYANIDE
- RADON - IRON
- AMMONIUM NITROGEN - NITRATES
- PH - PHOSPHATES
- CHLORINE - SILICA
- CHROMIUM - SULFIDE
 MERCURY
• MERCURY IS A NATURALLY OCCURRING ELEMENT FOUND IN MANY ROCKS
INCLUDING COAL. WHEN COAL IS BURNED, MERCURY IS RELEASED INTO THE
ENVIRONMENT.
• MERCURY IN THE AIR EVENTUALLY SETTLES INTO WATER OR ONTO LAND
WHERE IT CAN BE WASHED INTO WATER.
• ONCE DEPOSITED, CERTAIN MICROORGANISMS CAN CHANGE MERCURY INTO
METHYLMERCURY, A HIGHLY TOXIC FORM THAT BUILDS UP IN FISH, SHELLFISH,
AND ANIMALS THAT EAT FISH.
• THE NERVOUS SYSTEM IS VERY SENSITIVE TO ALL FORMS OF MERCURY
• SHORT TERM EXPOSURE EFFECTS:
• LUNG DAMAGE, NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIARRHEA, INCREASES IN BLOOD PRESSURE OR
HEART RATE, SKIN RASHES, AND EYE IRRITATION

• LONG TERM EXPOSURE EFFECTS:

• CAN PERMANENTLY DAMAGE THE BRAIN, KIDNEYS, AND DEVELOPING FETUS.
 LEAD
• WATER PIPES IN SOME OLDER HOMES MAY CONTAIN LEAD SOLDER. LEAD CAN
LEACH OUT INTO THE WATER.
• THE MAIN TARGET FOR LEAD TOXICITY IS THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
• SHORT TERM
• IRRITABILITY, ATTENTION DEFICITS, TREMORS

• LONG TERM
• DECREASED PERFORMANCE IN SOME TESTS THAT MEASURE FUNCTIONS OF THE
NERVOUS SYSTEM
• MAY ALSO CAUSE WEAKNESS IN FINGERS, WRISTS, OR ANKLES
• SMALL INCREASES IN BLOOD PRESSURE, PARTICULARLY IN MIDDLE-AGED AND
OLDER PEOPLE AND CAN CAUSE ANEMIA
• EXPOSURE TO HIGH LEAD LEVELS CAN SEVERELY DAMAGE THE BRAIN AND KIDNEYS
 RADON
• RADON IS A CANCER CAUSING, RADIOACTIVE GAS.
• RADON COMES FROM THE NATURAL BREAKDOWN OF URANIUM IN SOIL, ROCK,
AND WATER AND GETS INTO THE AIR.
• RADON CAN GET INTO ANY TYPE OF BUILDING AND WILL RESULT IN A HIGH
INDOOR RADON LEVEL.
• RADON IN WATER CAN BECOME AIRBORNE ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WATER IS
USED FOR COOKING OR SHOWERING.
• SHORT TERM
• NONE

• LONG TERM
• AN INCREASE RISK OF CANCER, ESPECIALLY LUNG CANCER.
 AMMONIUM
• AMMONIUM IS PRODUCED WHEN MICROORGANISMS BREAK DOWN ORGANIC
PRODUCTS SUCH AS UREA AND PROTEINS IN MANURE.
• AMMONIA CAN LED TO EUTROPHICATION, OR NUTRIENT OVER-ENRICHMENT, OF
SURFACE WATERS.
• SHORT TERM EFFECTS
• AEROSOLIZED FORM IS MOST DANGEROUS
• MAY BE IRRITATING TO YOUR SKIN, EYES, THROAT, AND LUNGS AND CAUSE
COUGHING AND BURNS. LUNG DAMAGE AND DEATH MAY OCCUR AFTER EXPOSURE TO
VERY HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF AMMONIA. SOME PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA MAY BE
MORE SENSITIVE TO BREATHING AMMONIA THAN OTHERS.

• NO KNOWN LONG TERM EFFECTS

 PH
• PH IS AN EXPRESSION OF HYDROGEN ION CONCENTRATION IN
WATER.
• PH INDICATES THE DEGREE OF BASICITY OR ACIDITY OF A
SOLUTION RANKED ON A SCALE OF 0 TO 14, WITH A PH OF 7 BEING
NEUTRAL.
• LOW PH INDICATES ACIDITY AND HIGH PH INDICATES BASICITY
• WATER SHOULD BE NEUTRAL WITH A PH CLOSE TO 7.
• CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION TENDS TO MAKE WATER ACIDIC OR
BASIC.
 CHLORINE
• THE GASEOUS OR LIQUID FORM OF CHLORINE IS A WATER ADDITIVE USED BY
MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEMS AS A DISINFECTANT TO CONTROL MICROBES
(USUALLY AS SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE)
• DRINKING HYPOCHLORITE SOLUTIONS CAN CAUSE SEVERE BURNS IN THE UPPER GI
TRACT

• LITTLE HEALTH IMPACT IN DILUTE SOLUTION

• VERY TOXIC IN ITS GASEOUS FORM
• EXPOSURE TO LOW LEVELS OF CHLORINE GAS CAN RESULT IN NOSE, THROAT, AND
EYE IRRITATION. AT HIGHER LEVELS, BREATHING CHLORINE GAS MAY RESULT IN
CHANGES IN BREATHING RATE AND COUGHING, DAMAGE TO THE LUNGS, AND DEATH
 CHROMIUM
• CHROMIUM, A METALLIC ELEMENT, IS FOUND IN ROCKS, SOIL, PLANTS, AND
ANIMALS. IT IS ALSO USED IN STEEL MAKING, METAL PLATING, LEATHER
TANNING, PAINTS, DYES, AND WOOD PRESERVATIVES.
• SHORT TERM EFFECTS
• THE MAIN HEALTH PROBLEMS SEEN IN ANIMALS FOLLOWING INGESTION OF
CHROMIUM(VI) COMPOUNDS ARE IRRITATION AND ULCERS IN THE STOMACH AND
SMALL INTESTINE AND ANEMIA.

• LONG TERM EFFECTS

• CHROMIUM(VI) COMPOUNDS ARE KNOWN HUMAN CARCINOGENS
• AN INCREASE IN STOMACH TUMORS WAS OBSERVED IN HUMANS AND ANIMALS
EXPOSED TO CHROMIUM(VI) IN DRINKING WATER
 COPPER
• DRINKING WATER MAY HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF COPPER IF YOUR HOUSE HAS
COPPER PIPES AND ACIDIC WATER.
• EVERYONE MUST ABSORB SMALL AMOUNTS OF COPPER EVERY DAY BECAUSE
COPPER IS A MICRONUTRIENT ESSENTIAL FOR GOOD HEALTH
• COPPER MAY CAUSE HEALTH PROBLEMS IF PRESENT IN PUBLIC OR PRIVATE
WATER SUPPLIES IN AMOUNTS GREATER THAN THE DRINKING WATER
STANDARDS SET BY EPA.
• SHORT TERM HEALTH EFFECTS:
• INGESTING HIGH LEVELS OF COPPER CAN CAUSE NAUSEA, VOMITING, AND
DIARRHEA.

• LONG TERM HEALTH EFFECTS:

• VERY-HIGH DOSES OF COPPER CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR LIVER AND KIDNEYS,
AND CAN EVEN CAUSE DEATH.
 CYANIDE
• CYANIDE IS A CARBON-NITROGEN CHEMICAL UNIT.
• YOU ARE NOT LIKELY TO BE EXPOSED TO LARGE ENOUGH AMOUNTS OF
CYANIDE IN THE ENVIRONMENT TO CAUSE ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS.
• THE SEVERITY OF THE HARMFUL EFFECTS FOLLOWING CYANIDE EXPOSURE
DEPENDS IN PART ON THE FORM OF CYANIDE, SUCH AS HYDROGEN CYANIDE GAS
OR CYANIDE SALTS
• SHORT TERM HEALTH EFFECTS:
• HARMS THE BRAIN AND HEART AND CAN EVEN CAUSE COMA AND DEATH.

• LONG TERM HEALTH EFFECTS:

• WORKERS WHO INHALED LOW LEVELS OF HYDROGEN CYANIDE OVER A PERIOD OF
YEARS HAD BREATHING DIFFICULTIES, CHEST PAIN, VOMITING, BLOOD CHANGES,
HEADACHES, AND ENLARGEMENT OF THE THYROID GLAND
 IRON
• IRON IS A TRACE ELEMENT NEEDED BY PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN
SMALL AMOUNTS
• IRON IS DERIVED FROM MINERALS IN THE SOIL AND UNDERLYING
ROCKS.
• PRESENCE OF IRON IN WATER RESULTS IN “HARD” WATER AND
CREATES AN UNPLEASANT ODOR AND TASTE.
• IRON IS NOT CONSIDERED TO PRESENT A RISK TO HUMAN HEALTH.
 NITRATES AND NITRITES
• NITRATES AND NITRITES ARE NITROGEN-OXYGEN CHEMICAL UNITS WHICH
COMBINE WITH VARIOUS ORGANIC AND INORGANIC COMPOUNDS.
• YOU CAN BE EXPOSED BY DRINKING WATER FROM WELLS CONTAINING NITRATE
FROM SOURCES SUCH AS ANIMAL WASTE AND/OR FERTILIZER RUNOFF.
• ONCE TAKEN INTO THE BODY, NITRATES ARE CONVERTED TO NITRITES.
• SHORT TERM
• METHEMOGLOBINEMIA (DECREASED ABILITY OF THE BLOOD TO CARRY OXYGEN TO
TISSUES) AND RELATED SYMPTOMS SUCH AS DECREASES IN BLOOD PRESSURE,
INCREASED HEART RATE, HEADACHES, ABDOMINAL CRAMPS, AND VOMITING

• LONGER TERM
• DEATH
 PHOSPHATES
• PHOSPHATE IS A DIETARY REQUIREMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE A PART OF
DNA AND THEY TAKE PART IN ENERGY DISTRIBUTION (ATP)
• PHOSPHATES IN HIGH AMOUNTS ARE OFTEN DUE TO USE OF FERTILIZERS
AND ORGANIC PESTICIDES.
• PHOSPHATES DO NOT AFFECT HUMAN HEALTH UNLESS PRESENT IN VERY
HIGH AMOUNTS
• SHORT TERM HEALTH EFFECTS
• SLIGHT GI DISTRESS

• LONG TERM HEALTH EFFECTS

• KIDNEY DAMAGE AND OSTEOPOROSIS
 SILICA
• SILICON CONCENTRATES IN NO PARTICULAR ORGAN OF THE BODY
• SILICON IS NON-TOXIC IN ITS ELEMENT FORM AND IN ALL ITS NATURAL FORMS
(SILICA AND SILICATES) WHICH ARE THE MOST ABUNDANT THROUGHOUT THE
WORLD.
• SHORT TERM
• SKIN AND EYE IRRITATION ON CONTACT AT HIGH LEVELS.
• INHALATION OF AEROSOLIZED SILICA WILL CAUSE IRRITATION TO THE LUNGS AND
MUCUS MEMBRANE. IRRITATION TO THE EYES WILL CAUSE WATERING AND REDNESS.

• LONG TERM
• NONE KNOWN
 SULFIDE
• SULFATES ARE ONE FORM OF SULFUR SPECIES FOUND IN WATER.
• PESTICIDE RESIDUALS AND MANUFACTURING WASTES ARE
SOURCES OF POLLUTANT SULFUR SPECIES.
• SULFATES ARE REDUCED BY A STRAIN OF BACTERIA TO HYDROGEN
SULFIDE, WHICH GIVE THE WATER A ROTTEN EGG SMELL.
• SULFATES IN LARGE AMOUNTS MAY CAUSE NEGATIVE HEALTH
EFFECTS.