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LOCAL
<br /> Saturday, May 5, 2001 PAGE 2 33
<br /> FatX% r getS g0AM
<br /> But report notes high munity systems. The highest con.
<br /> radon levels in wells To learn more ' centrations of housing units served
<br /> f
<br /> in two areas by wells were in the northern third To get a copy of the Water Resources of the county, west of Chapel Hill-
<br /> Committee report, contact the Orange Carrboro and between Chapel Hill-
<br /> By ROB SRAPARD County Environment and Resource Carrboro and Hillsborough, part of
<br /> chh@herald-sun.com; 732-6397 Conservation Department at 245
<br /> 25970 the rural buffer.
<br /> HILLSBOROUGH — A recently For a copy of the U . S . Geological The researchers concluded in
<br /> released study gives good marks to Survey report, call 571AO39 or write Part that information in the study
<br /> groundwater quality and quantity in to the U . S. Geological Survey, could be used "to develop policies in
<br /> Orange County. Publications Division , 3916 Sunset the county to protect and manage
<br /> " Overall water-quality data in Ridge Road , Raleigh , NC 276074 groundwater used by rural resi-
<br /> Oran rail Orange County Environmental Health dents and to begin plans to integrate
<br /> g y indicate few drink- Services has kits for testing water
<br /> mg-water concerns," two U.S. Geo- and air for radon , as surface-water and groundwater
<br /> well as a list of protection measures. "
<br /> logical Survey scientists state in distributors who sell the kits . Call
<br /> their report. "No organic contami- 245-2360. "This information will become
<br /> nants or excessive nutrient concen- even more important as the county's
<br /> trations were observed, and few rural population increases and sur-
<br /> exceedances of North Carolina face-water resources used by incor-
<br /> drinking-water standards were In samples from 51 porated areas become fully allocat-
<br /> fo to wells throughoot ed, " they wrote.
<br /> Turning groundwater availabil- The county's Water Resources
<br /> ity, the study reported two areas in Orange County Committee worked with the U.S.
<br /> the county that seem more favor- Geological Survey on the report, In
<br /> able for high-yield wells: northwest about 67 percent its own report in March, the com-
<br /> of Hillsborough roughly in and mittee, which has been in place for
<br /> around Cedar Grove and west of showed radon levels 10 years, made recommendations
<br /> Chapel Hill-Carrboro toward Bing- above a standard that for how such groundwater data
<br /> ham Township, could be used.
<br /> The report did express concern federal agencies have The committee said county offi-
<br /> about elevated levels of radon in cials should:
<br /> some of the wells sampled, primari. proposed as the point ® Conduct further research into
<br /> ly to the west and southwest of Car- the levels of water-borne radon in
<br /> rboro extending into Chatham at which homeowners south-central Orange County and
<br /> County.
<br /> As reported in The Chapel Hill should do further possibly talk to Chatham County
<br /> Herald this week, the county's Envi- about partnering in that research,
<br /> ronmental Health Services Division testing ibly
<br /> and poss s Consider zoning changes in
<br /> offers information about radon and several watersheds as part of the
<br /> radon testing kits, take steps like county 's update of its comprehen-
<br /> Radon is an invisible, odorless mstallingfilters and sive plan. The committee con-
<br /> gas that occurs naturally from the tended that " there are five water-
<br /> decay of uranium in rocks and soil, vents, sheds in the county that may not
<br /> Environmental Health Services be able to sustain the density of
<br /> Director Ron Holdway said the mmmmm development that current zoning
<br /> key concern with radon is the level will permit" — including the Haw
<br /> that is present in the air inside nants. River, Back Creek, Haw Creek,
<br /> buildings, rather than in well Three of the samples exceeded Hyco Creek and portions of the
<br /> water. But because well water is the standard for iron . Twelve tested Upper and Lower Eno River
<br /> used in household chores, radon in above the standard for manganese watersheds ,
<br /> tale water can be released into the and four above that for zinc. Orange Planning Director Craig
<br /> Lead, arsenic, bromide, alu- Benedict suggested the Flat River
<br /> The study, which includes the minum and selenium were detected watershed should be on that list as
<br /> radon results, is called "Investiga- in 13 to 26 percent of the analyses. well.
<br /> tion of groundwater availability and Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, B Consider requiring that well
<br /> quality in Orange County, North and xylene � or atrazine compounds sites be found for residential lots
<br /> - were not detected in any of the sam- before a subdivision is approved.
<br /> Carolina. " The U. S. Geological Sur
<br /> vey conducted the research in con- pies. a Create a program for monitor-
<br /> junction with the county.One of the scientists The 51 sampled wells were among ing groundwater, using wells to
<br /> , hydrologist a total of 649 throughout the county evaluate changes in water yield and
<br /> and Orange County resident Charles Daniel that Daniel and William Cunning- quality in parts of the county with
<br /> , said Thursday that ham inventoried in the study. They significant growth.
<br /> the elevated radon levels likely are reported that the typical well in a Study using a "water budget'
<br /> associated with a granite formation Orange County has an average approach to tie together land-use
<br /> counties.
<br /> of Orange and Chath am depth of 208 feet.counties. planning and the use of the county's
<br /> In samples from 51 wells " In Orange County, wells in groundwater and surface water
<br /> throughout Orange County, about hills and ridges have the highest resources.
<br /> 67 percent showed radon levels average yields, and wells in the e Educate the public about con-
<br /> above a standard that federal valleys and draws have the low- serving water drawn from wells,
<br /> agencies have proposed as the est; however, differences among not just from surface sources,
<br /> settings were not statistically sig-
<br /> point at which homeowners should
<br /> do further testing and possibly nificant , " Daniel and Cunning-
<br /> take steps like installing filters and The ham stated . 4
<br /> f�� ;
<br /> vents , y reported that about 40 per- t S S : , Y � r 6
<br /> The report says that a few sam- cent of the county's residents et
<br /> ples from the 51 wells exceeded drinking water from individualPV
<br /> state standards for other contami- wells or groundwater-based com- �� F ' { ; �; 5 ° ' ' '
<br />
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