Well Water Testing Workshop COAL CREEK CANYON March 16, 2017 Roy Laws / Craig Sanders Jefferson County Public Health

Presentation Outline Water Quality, Quantity and Health Well Construction & Maintenance Q&A time

Resources - Brochures It’s Your Water Nitrate Removal Well Construction Advisory Septic System Maintenance Water Well Records Septic System Records

Resources - Websites Jefferson County Public Health Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Environmental Protection Agency EPA Private Wells Montana State University Extension Water Quality Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/MSUExtWaterQuality/videos

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Water Wells – Water Quality Water quality is tied to geology and hydrology Localized ‘taste and odor’ issues Hardness/acidity of the water Radioactivity in the water Water quality from private wells is unregulated You can drink whatever you can pump out Problems are not widespread, but do occur YOU are the ‘water plant’ operator!

WHY TEST? Wells are a PRIVATE water supply no one else will do it for you Need to know so you can treat the water, if necessary NO enforceable standards for private wells WHEN TO TEST? Property transactions Baseline testing for broad spectrum of contaminants Annual testing for bacteria (pick a date!)

WHAT TESTS TO RUN? ‘Potable’ is a misleading term There may be many contaminants in water Testing is specific, no ‘generic’ test Will depend on physical location City vs country Residential vs commercial area Deep vs shallow well May also depend on water users Children, elderly, immune compromised

RECOMMENDED BASIC TESTING BACTERIA Total coliform, with further tests if positive Can also indicate well construction issues NITRATES (baseline) FLUORIDES (baseline) Can cause dental issues in younger children (mottling)

Bacteria is the “Canary in the Coal Mine” There should be NO bacteria in well water Identifies pathway for other contaminants

ADDITIONAL TESTING MINING AREAS COMMERCIAL AREAS Additional minerals and heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic, lead, etc. COMMERCIAL AREAS Hydrocarbons, BTEX, herbicides, metals SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC AREAS Uranium, Radium, Radon in Water (if air levels are high) Hardness, pH

A LA CARTE or PACKAGE TEST? A la Carte for specific or limited testing Package tests can save money Real Estate/HUD (coliform bacteria, lead, nitrate and nitrite) Deluxe Colorado Package (alkalinity, arsenic, cadmium, calcium, coliform bacteria, chloride, conductivity, copper, corrosivity, fluoride, hardness, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, nitrate/nitrite, pH, sodium, sodium adsorption ratio, sulfate, total dissolved solids, uranium, zinc)

TESTING RESOURCES Private Laboratories State Health Department Lab Look for EPA certification Can often collect samples in the field State Health Department Lab Conducts a variety of tests Does not perform field collection Located at Lowry Transport available from JCPH offices ($10 fee)

Treatment Technologies Shock Chlorinate the Well Ultraviolet (UV) Cartridge Filters Reverse Osmosis Air Strippers

CHLORINATION UV UNIT

Cartridge Filters

REVERSE OSMOSIS UNIT

AIR STRIPPING UNITS

Water Well Construction – Hand Dug

Dug Wells Can Be HUGE and DEEP

Water Well Construction – BIG Rigs

ACCESS ISSUES for DRILLING?

Water Well Construction - Basics

Water Well Construction in Areas with True Aquifers

Water Well Construction in Fractured Rock Areas

Craig Sanders, REHS Roy Laws, PE Q & A Time! Environmental Health Services Division 645 Parfet Street, Lakewood CO 80215 303 271-5734 rlaws@jeffco.us