Contaminants –– including potentially disease-causing bacteria –– are present in water wells across the region, revealed in water testing completed over the last several years.
But Jim Clark, who is a water resources educator for Penn State Extension, said he isn’t surprised by the results. No statewide private water well construction standards exist, and he said he has seen some poorly built wells throughout northcentral Pennsylvania.
Water well testing completed throughout Pennsylvania from 2007 to 2015 at the Agricultural Analytical Services Lab shows that in McKean County, 328 water well samples tested for total coliform bacteria and E.coli bacteria, and 60.7 percent and 14.9 percent, respectively, failed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s drinking water standard.
Penn State Extension officials said coliform bacteria are often considered indicator organisms since they could point to the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria in water. But most types of coliform bacteria –– common in soil and surface water –– are harmless to human beings.
“These EPA drinking water standards are only enforceable on public water systems and not private water systems, but we can use these standards as a guide for our private water systems,” Clark said on Wednesday. “Now look at aluminum, 85.7 percent failed the standard in McKean County, but there were only seven samples tested for aluminum.”
Meanwhile, in Cameron County, 63 samples tested for total coliform and 73 percent failed EPA standards; in Potter County, 95 samples tested for total coliform, and 61.1 percent failed EPA standards; and in Elk County, 25 samples tested for total coliform, and 64 percent failed EPA standards.
Further testing was also completed in Elk County in an effort to increase water test numbers, backed by a grant received by Penn State Extension.
“The water testing participants are required to attend a Penn State Extension water workshop to receive their water test results,” Clark said. “Penn State Extension explains what the water test results mean and shares the aggregate results data for the county.”
Thus far, officials have completed the project in Elk County on July 26. A workshop in Venango County took place earlier this week, and one is being planned in Jefferson County at the end of September.
“All of this data will help to build the numbers for these county water summaries,” he said.
All things considered, these water quality summary results can be used by real estate agents, homeowners, and others to assist in identifying parameters that should be tested to analyze a private water supply in a particular county, Clark said.
“If you are buying a house and are concerned about the quality of water in the private water supply that delivers water to the house, you can now see what other people in the county are finding in their drinking water and can then decide to test for that water parameter,” he said.
The figures should be used a guide, and several variables must be considered, Clark said.
For instance, water samples can be from private water wells or private water springs, the latter being noted for harboring bacteria, he said. Another variable is that samples are taken by individual homeowners, so the sample quality is varied, he said.
“These averages are important to look at, but every individual private water supply is unique and the individual water test done on that individual water supply is what is most important in identifying and solving problems,” Clark said. “The majority of health-related contaminants in water have no obvious systems, like lead and arsenic, and that is why it is so important to periodically test these private water supplies.”
In fact, testing is the first step in pinpointing the presence of water quality issues in a private water supply, he said. Clark recommends people test their water supply every 14 months.
“Proper construction is also important and anyone looking at drilling a new well should interact with the Penn State Extension water team or the Penn State Extension Master Well Owner Volunteer Network before they proceed,” Clark said. “A sanitary well cap on top of the well is important. Having the ground slope away from the well casing on all sides is important. Knowing that the ground area around the well casing out to 100 feet is, in general, where the water will come from for the next year for your well.”
Therefore, what takes place on the ground is vital, he said. Imagine someone putting gasoline in a lawn mower in a 100-foot area surrounding the well casing, and a spill occurs, Clark initiated. That means benzene has just been added to one’s drinking water, he said.
“So this area needs to be protected,” Clark said.
For more information about managing water supply, visit the website extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/drinking-water.
