DEFINITION OF ABBREVIATIONS
MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level. The level that cannot be exceeded by
public water systems.
SMCL: Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level. Threshold levels for
aesthetic
concerns; taste,
odor, and staining.
mg/L: milligrams per liter, which is approximately equal to parts per
million (ppm).
pCi/L: picoCuries per liter.
AL: Action Level. 90 percent of samples must fall below this level,
pertains mainly to public water supplies.
TOTAL COLIFORM and E. COLI Present is Unacceptable
Total coliform are a group of bacteria with common characteristics
used
to indicated
unacceptable water quality. Within the total coliform group, the E.coli
bacteria are
specifically used to indicate fecal contamination. High non-coliform
counts are usually
from the drilling of the well or an indication of surface water
intrusion.
When
non-coliform are greater than (>) 200cts/100ml, then can obscure the
growth of
coliform and are unacceptable..
If total coliform, especially E.coli and/or high non-coliform counts
are present in a well,
it needs to be checked for construction problems. It is very common
for new or
modified wells to have unacceptable bacteria counts, and often it is
necessary to
disinfect with bleach or chlorine tablets more than once. If you have
a positive total
coliform, E.coli, or high non-coliform count, you should have received
an
"Unacceptable Bacteria Notification" which includes disinfection
instructions.
pH Recommended 6.5 - 8.5
pH is a measure of the acidity of a sample. The scale is 0 - 14. A
reading
of 0 - 7 is acidic;
7 - 14 is basic (or alkaline), and 7 is
neutral.
Acidic water along with low hardness (soft water)
tends to be corrosive
to your water pipes, potentially dissolving lead and copper . Basic
water
itself is not a problem, but may have a bitter taste. Alkalinity, which
is a separate measurement,
is your water's buffering capacity against
drastic
pH changes.
HARDNESS
SOFT:
0-75 mg/L
MODERATE
76-150 mg/L
HARD
151-250 mg/L
VERY
HARD
250+ mg/L
The contributors to hardness are calcium and magnesium. The
presence
of these
elements in general is not a health hazard, but hardness elements
tend to plate out on
water pipes and heating coils in hot water tanks, and reduce
the effectiveness of
detergents. Water treatment companies often express hardness
in grains per gallon. 1
gpg equals 17.1 mg/L
IRON SMCL = 0.30 mg/L
Over 0.30 mg/L, iron becomes a nuisance element. It will show its
presence
as rust
stains on water fixtures and if chlorine bleach is used in the laundry,
rust spots will
appear on clothes. If this happens, use a non-chlorine bleach with
your clothes.
Common iron removal methods include deionization, oxidation, and
filtration.
MANGANESE
SMCL = 0.05 mg/L
Over 0.05 mg/L manganese becomes a nuisance element and its presence
is
detected by purplish black staining of kitchen and bathroom fixtures.
The SMCL is the
threshold for small and taste for most humans. Above this level your
drinking water
would have an oily vinyl or metallic taste. A "rotten egg" smell due
to the presence of
hydrogen sulfide is often associated with a high iron and manganese
level, which
tends to disappear when the iron and manganese are removed. Manganese
is also an
essential nutrient for humans at approximately 5 mg per day.
SODIUM SMCL = 250 mg/L
Some sodium is found in all natural water supplies, but more so in
areas
where
seawater and road salt seep into the ground. Sodium has no set hazard
level, but
those individuals on a low sodium diet should take into account the
amount of sodium
in their water when determining overall sodium intake.
CHLORIDE SMCL = 250 mg/L
Although chloride is not considered a health hazard, the standard
has
been set because
of the level at which the average person notices a
salty
taste. Chloride is associated with
infiltration of road salt,
fertilizer,
backwash from a water softener and even seawater.
NITRATE-NITROGEN MCL = 10 mg/L
NITRITE-NITROGEN MCL = 1 mg/L
The presence of nitrate and nitrite generally indicates
contamination
from a pasture, manure pile,
decomposed vegetation or fertilized
agricultural
land. Nitrates change to
nitrites in the body, which reduces oxygen uptake by the hemoglobin.
Boiling the water
will not help, it will only concentrate the nitrates.
FLUORIDE MCL = 4.0 mg/L
Fluoride has been widely used to prevent tooth decay, but in excess
it can cause spotted or
even pitted teeth, called fluorosis.
Recommended
adult intake of fluoride is 1.0 - 2.5 mg per day.
Children are often
given
a supplement if their home drinking water is not sufficient.
COPPER AL = 1.3 mg/L SMCL = 1.0 mg/L
The high copper concentrations in New Hampshire are almost always a
result of corrosive
water picking up copper from plumbing lines. The
acceptable
limit was set because
above 1.0 mg/L the water may have an unpleasant
taste
and cause blue or green staining on water use fixtures.
LEAD AL = 0.015 mg/L
Chronic ingestion of lead has been associated with a large number of
harmful health effects,
and therefore water with excessive lead levels
should not be consumed. Most
of the high levels are attributed to old lead piping and even lead
solder used on copper
piping. In most cases lead in your drinking water can be reduced by
running the water
before filling a glass to drink. Water neutralization will reduce
corrosion
damage.
ARSENIC MCL = 0.050 mg/L 12/06 is 0.010mg/L
The U.S. EPA has set the health standard at 0.050 mg/L, which is
proposed
to be
significantly lowered over the next few years. Some of these health
effects are bladder
cancer, skin irritation, skin cancer, liver and central nervous system
damage. Its
origins in New Hampshire drinking waters has not been defined, yet
natural bedrock
sources and manmade arsenic compounds are primary suspects.
GROSS ALPHA RADIONUCLIDES MCL = 15 pCi/L
There are several elements which are radioactive and may occur in
groundwater
in
New Hampshire. They emit alpha particles, (ionized radiation), and
are believed to be
carcinogenic. The Gross alpha test is a "total"
measurement
of alpha emitting
particles including Radium and Uranium.
There is a unique protocol for interpreting the above MCL of the gross
alpha test. One
must subtract the Uranium alpha particle result from the Gross alpha
test to see if the
MCL has been met. Therefore if the Gross alpha exceeds 15 pCi/L
further analysis is
required.
Because there is also a seperate MCL for the element Radium,
if
your Gross alpha
result exceeds 5 pCi/L, further analysis should be
done
to identify the presence of Radium.
URANIUM MCL = 30 ug/L
A naturally occurring radioactive contaminant that occurs in both
ground
water and surface
water. It has been found to cause bone cancer in
humans
at high exposure levels, and is
believed to be toxic to kidneys.
RADIUM 226 MCL = 5pCi/L
A naturally occurring radioactive contaminant that occurs primarily
in ground water. It has
been found to cause bone cancer in humans at
high
exposure levels, and possibly other cancers as well.
RADON No MCL yet was 300pCi/L (maybe 80 or 4000)
A naturally occurring radioactive contaminant that is a decay
product
of Radium. It is a
gas that is released into the air during water use. Radon has been
found to cause lung
cancer in humans at high exposure levels. A radon concentration of
10,000 pCi/L
potentially could add 1 pCi/L of radon to one's home air level. EPA's
recommended
airborne action level is 4 pCi/L.
VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
No volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are normally detected in a
well.
The presence
of VOCs may be indicative of a well contaminated by petroleum products,
industrial
solvents or by-products from the process of disinfecting a well. The
presence of any of
these compounds is potentially a health risk.