Orange County NC Website
Manganese is an element that dissolves in water from natural rock formations. Manganese levels 28 <br /> above 0.05 mg/1 can turn well water black or brown and stains plumbing fixtures and clothes. The <br /> levels found can cause nuisance problems, but do not pose any health risk. <br /> Remedial action - Remedies for wells with high manganese levels include installing a liner in the <br /> well or installing a iron filter treatment unit. The liner repair may be an option in limited cases, <br /> depending on the well structure and water bearing aquifers. <br /> �- <br /> Of the 11 wells sampled, four wells fell below the recommended drinking water limit of 6.5 <br /> units. <br /> pH is a measure of the acidity of the water. With a pH below 6.5, the water is considered acidic and <br /> there could be concerns about corrosion of plumbing components and lead leaching into the water <br /> from soldered joints. Water with a low pH can also react with copper pipes to cause blue-green <br /> stains and a metallic taste. <br /> Health effects - There are no adverse health effects at the pH levels found although it can contribute <br /> to increased levels of lead and copper in severe cases. <br /> Remedial action —Low pH can be remedied by installing a neutralizing treatment system that will <br /> adjust the pH to a neutral level of 7 or higher. <br /> Lead — <br /> Of the 11 wells sampled, one well exceeded the recommended drinking water limit of 0.015 <br /> mg/1 of lead. <br /> Lead in well water usually is a result of the water being in contact with plumbing components, lead <br /> soldered joints or valves, pumps and fixtures that may contain lead in the alloys. <br /> Health effects —Lead in drinking water can cause a variety of adverse health effects. In babies and <br /> children, exposure to lead in drinking water above the action level can result in delays in physical <br /> and mental development, along with slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. In adults, <br /> it can cause increases in blood pressure and kidney problems. <br /> Remedial action—With elevated lead levels in water, it is recommended that children under the age <br /> of six not drink the water unless a treatment system is installed. Treatment systems are available that <br /> reduce the corrosive properties of the water and remove lead. <br /> Turbidity— <br /> Of the 11 wells sampled, 10 wells had turbidity levels higher than standards set for public <br /> water utilities of 0.3 NTUs. <br /> Turbidity is a measurement of the cloudiness or haziness of water. Well water commonly has higher <br /> turbidity levels than public utility water which is highly treated. The higher levels of turbidity in the <br /> survey area were attributed to high mineral content, specifically iron and manganese. Treatment or <br /> removal of the minerals with a treatment system will bring turbidity down to acceptable levels. <br /> Organic Compounds <br /> Pesticides — <br /> Of the 11 wells two of the wells had low, but detectable levels of pesticide compounds. <br /> • One well showed a measurable amount of Chlordane (0.4ug/l) <br /> • One well had a measurable amount of Dieldrin (3.lug/l). <br /> Page 7 of 11 <br />