Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
April 27, 2009
4. Water Quality –
20% of private water wells contaminated, research shows
The
By Alex Breitler
Private wells that typically provide water for homes in rural areas are not regulated as strictly as public water systems, leaving the responsibility for clean water to the property owner.
The far-reaching study, which included sampling of 2,100 wells over a period of 13 years, shows that "a large number of people may be unknowingly affected" by contamination, said Matt Larsen, USGS associate director for water.
"Certainly, if you have a private well, ... you should be concerned about the quality of the water from your well, and you should have it tested," added Leslie DeSimone, who headed the study. "Contaminants can occur even if your well is in an area that doesn't seem vulnerable" to pollution.
Most of the contaminants in wells come from natural geologic sources, with the exception of nitrate, a nutrient prevalent in agricultural areas.
Of the 57
Fertilizer, livestock and septic systems all can increase the amount of nitrate found in groundwater.
Laurie Kotulla, assistant director of the county's Environmental Health Department, said local officials are "fairly confident" that water quality in private wells is good. The county issues permits for new wells and well replacements; about 3,500 such permits have been issued since 1993, she said.
In areas where nitrate is known to be a problem, the county requires wells be drilled deeper, Kotulla said. However, there may be decades-old wells that are shallow and as a result have higher levels of contamination.
"Our current ordinance doesn't require private well owners to sample," she said. "We certainly do recommend it."
Mel Lytle, water resources coordinator for the county, said officials hope to fund additional studies to remedy the nitrate problem.
Other common contaminants in the area include trace elements arsenic, boron and uranium, which can pose a range of health issues such as increased risk of cancer, problems with the circulatory system or reproductive and developmental effects.
The study also showed that the Central Valley wells were more likely than other areas to see a mixture of multiple contaminants; these mixtures are sometimes more toxic, according to the USGS research.
Of course, how dangerous these contaminants really are depends also on the length of time that one is exposed to them.
The exact locations of the wells checked by USGS were not disclosed. DeSimone said 27 wells were in the
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