Agenda - 01-20-1998 - 10a - Laserfiche WebLink

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ivlargaret grown xeport, i-1l-ytf _ . Page 2 _ r` 3 The VOCs identified in other water well samples from the landfill perimeter and beyond are not inexplicable or unexpected in routine sampling. Generally, they are residual chemicals from the well drilling process, glues or their breakdown chemicals used in plumbing, or chlorination by-products. None of these VOCs were found to exceed EPA primary drinking water standards and are deemed safe for normal usage. More recently, concerns were expressed by some of the Rogers Road area citizens about the problems with the potential health effects of their well water.. The concerns I have heard both directly and indirectly centered mainly around bacteriological contamination and the nuisance and health effects of excessive iron in the groundwater. Specifically, the declared effects include staining of fixtures and clothing, sickness, and staining of teeth. Lead poisoning was asserted on at least one occasion, too, but there is no evidence that drinking groundwater has ever been the cause of or even implicated in an elevated blood lead level in Orange County. We have sampled some of those residents' wells for both bacteriological and inorganic chemical quality and, in addition, many of the wells in the Fox Meadow subdivision have been tested over the years. I have included spreadsheets showing the most recent results of all those samples we have on file. The Health Department has offered these analyses for many years as a service to the citizenry for a minimal charge. I have also compiled an assortment of sample results from across Orange County for your consideration. These results are compiled because of the controversy of whether iron in the well is coming from the landfill or is inherent to the groundwater. You already have at least one hydrogeological study delineating groundwater movement in the landfill area. I have attempted to map the location of wells which were sampled in the proximity of the landfill. IRON AND BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION IN GROUNDWATER Iron is present at some level in much of the groundwater in Orange County. It is a secondary contaminant by EPA standards, which means in most cases, its effects are aesthetic and not harmful to humans. At higher levels, iron can cause severe staining of plumbing fixtures and clothes as they are washed and can also cause water to be extremely bitter tasting. However, in my research of iron levels in groundwater through State consultants, the reference materials we have in the office, and the Internet, I have not found any source that documents adverse health effects at the highest levels found in the samples from the landfill area. Generally, the highest levels found in the landfill area are in the I.5-2.0 parts per million (PPM) range.. These levels do cause significant staining and taste problems, but are considered to pose minimal or no increased risk for health effects.. I also found no evidence or documentation that iron in groundwater is a cause of teeth staining. The only environmental condition attributable to groundwater I found that causes such staining is excessive fluoride, but. this is a rarity in Orange County. Bacteriological contamination in drinking water can be the cause of disease transmission in humans. Groundwater from individual wells, in particular, is a culprit because of many factors. First, well construction in geologic formations found in Orange County can be complicated because of the highly fractured nature of some of the consolidated rock Compounding this fact is the actual depth to consolidated bedrock varies greatly across the County and, sometimes, even in a localized area Wells just a few feet away from each other will marry times have completely different depths and characteristics. Finally, drinking water from individual wells is rarely disinfected before consumption as it is in community water supplies.