| Northern Virginia is growing in population | | | | subject to the same ground water |
| rapidly and as more people move into the | | | | contaminants, chemical discharge waste and |
| area, a question that is asked more and more | | | | organic waste as tap water but is not subject |
| frequently is - what is the quality of my | | | | to any regulation whatsoever. |
| drinking water? | | | | |
| | | | In addition to emitting foul sulphur odors |
| Individuals and families are naturally | | | | and sediment from the water Northern Virginia |
| concerned with their health and drinking | | | | well water contains significant amounts of |
| water is an important element of maintaining | | | | iron in the rock in some areas, particularly |
| good health. | | | | the Piedmont and Blue Ridge, resulting in |
| | | | iron "staining." Sulfide in ground water is |
| Unfortunately, the quality of the water in | | | | also found in parts of the Valley and Ridge |
| Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. is | | | | where coal or natural gas is present produces |
| very poor and is getting worse. Contaminants, | | | | an obnoxious odor. |
| bacteria, minerals and chemicals in tap water | | | | |
| are masked with heavy doses of chlorine and | | | | Ground water that is a source of well water |
| tap water, in addition to being unhealthy, | | | | also can be contaminated by human activities. |
| tastes and smells terrible. | | | | Bacteria from septic systems, and nitrate |
| | | | from both septic systems and fertilizer |
| Regulation from the Environmental Protection | | | | applications, are among the most common |
| Agency (EPA) does not eliminate contamination | | | | contaminants. Since well water is not subject |
| but merely sets maximum levels of | | | | to regulation, the potability and suitability |
| contaminants that can enter the human body. | | | | for drinking, of a private well is the |
| and cause long term damage. | | | | responsibility of the homeowner and many |
| | | | private wells are contaminated. |
| What is the Story With Tap Water? | | | | |
| | | | Treating Drinking Water From Wells |
| Tap water is municipal water that is usually | | | | |
| pumped from a nearby river and then processed | | | | The Sate of Virginia strongly recommends |
| to meet EPA guidelines. The processing is | | | | treatment of well water with chlorine to kill |
| usually done through a waster treatment plant | | | | bacteria in well water and, in an effort to |
| with heavy amounts of chlorine added to kill | | | | overcome the obnoxious smell and taste of |
| remaining bacteria that processing does not | | | | chlorine, de chlorination. Again, this |
| catch. It is important to note that EPA | | | | process is not controlled by any state or |
| guidelines are just that - they establish | | | | Federal agency. |
| minimum amounts of allowed contamination that | | | | |
| may eventually be harmful to both adults and | | | | Two general kinds of water treatment are |
| children. | | | | disinfecting and conditioning. To ensure that |
| | | | the supply is free of harmful bacteria, water |
| In Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. the | | | | is disinfected. Objectionable tastes, odors, |
| drinking water is pumped mainly out of the | | | | and matter are removed by conditioning. |
| Potomac River and at least one waste | | | | |
| treatment plant. | | | | Well Water Disinfection Methods |
| | | | |
| Contaminants that may be present in this | | | | Drinking water is most commonly tested for |
| source water include: | | | | coliform bacteria, which live in the |
| | | | intestines of warm-blooded animals. Coliform |
| Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and | | | | bacteria in a well are usually the result of |
| bacteria, which may come from sewage | | | | a faulty septic system or contaminated |
| treatment plants, septic systems, | | | | surface water entering the well or water |
| agricultural livestock operations, and | | | | delivery system. |
| wildlife. | | | | |
| | | | Materials and tools used in well construction |
| Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and | | | | are frequently contaminated withbacteria that |
| metals, which can be naturally-occurring or | | | | live in the soil and these can be introduced |
| result from urban storm water runoff, | | | | into the water system while constructing the |
| industrial or domestic waste water | | | | well, installing components of the piping |
| discharges, oil and gas production, mining, | | | | system, or servicing any part of the water |
| or farming. | | | | supply system. The State of Virginia strongly |
| | | | recommends that the water system be |
| Contaminants also include pesticides and | | | | disinfected following construction and after |
| herbicides, which may come from a variety of | | | | all repairs. |
| sources such as agriculture, urban storm | | | | |
| water runoff, and residential uses. | | | | Chlorination is used to disinfect private |
| | | | supplies because it destroys bacteria within |
| In addition contaminants may include organic | | | | a reasonable contact time and provides |
| chemical contaminants, including synthetic | | | | residual protection. However,ordinary levels |
| and volatile organic chemicals, which are | | | | of chlorination are not always effective in |
| by-products of industrial processes and | | | | destroying Giardia cysts, which cause a |
| petroleum production, and can also come from | | | | severe gastrointestinal illness. Super-high |
| gas stations, urban storm water runoff and | | | | levels of chlorination,boiling and filtering |
| septic systems. | | | | are the only effective methods to destroy or |
| | | | remove these cysts. |
| Radioactive contaminants, which can be | | | | |
| naturally occurring or be the result of oil | | | | High chlorine concentrations can have |
| and gas production and mining activities also | | | | objectionable tastes and odors, and even low |
| affect local tap water. | | | | chlorine concentrations react with some |
| | | | organic compounds to produce strong, |
| What is the source of water in Washington | | | | unpleasant tastes and odors. |
| D.C.? | | | | |
| | | | To eliminate these offensive tastes and to |
| The water in the Potomac River, Anacostia | | | | remove excessive amounts of chlorine, the |
| River, and Rock Creek flows into the District | | | | water is then dechlorinated. Activated carbon |
| from outside jurisdictions. For example, the | | | | filters are the most common devices used to |
| Potomac River begins in West Virginia, while | | | | dechlorinate water, remove objectionable |
| the Anacostia River begins in Maryland. The | | | | chlorine tastes, and reduce corrosion of |
| quality of water in the District is thus | | | | plumbing systems. |
| affected by activities throughout the | | | | |
| watershed. | | | | In addition to removing taste and odor |
| | | | problems, reports have shown that granular |
| Storm water runoff from commercial, | | | | activated carbon absorption is the best |
| industrial, residential and agricultural | | | | method currently available to remove specific |
| sites, point source pollutants from | | | | organic chemicals (including some pesticide |
| wastewater treatment plants and industrial | | | | residues), and as a method for radon removal. |
| discharges, and combined sewer overflows from | | | | |
| as far away as West Virginia and Pennsylvania | | | | How Safe is Tap and Well Water for Drinking? |
| all contribute to the quality of water in the | | | | |
| District and Northern Virginia. | | | | Municipalities, well owners and even the EPA |
| | | | claim that tap and well water in Northern |
| What About Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO's) | | | | Virginia and Washington D.C. is perfectly |
| | | | safe for drinking but one must wonder. |
| CSO's frequently occur when natural events | | | | Consider the source of tap water in light of |
| like flooding overcome the capacity of waste | | | | sewage treatment, heavy chlorine additive and |
| treatment plants and raw sewage is pumped | | | | waste discharge in the Potomac River and one |
| back into the water source like the Potomac | | | | starts to wonder. Also consider that well |
| River. | | | | water is subject to most of the contaminants |
| | | | of tap water but is unregulated as well. |
| During periods of significant rainfall, the | | | | |
| capacity of a combined sewer may be exceeded. | | | | Is Drinking Bottled Water an Alternative to |
| When this occurs, regulators are designed to | | | | Tap or Well? |
| let the excess flow, which is a mixture of | | | | |
| storm water and sanitary wastes, to be | | | | The popularity of bottled water has grown |
| discharged directly to the Anacostia River, | | | | tremendously as Americans seek healthy |
| Rock Creek, the Potomac River, or tributary | | | | lifestyles and better tasting water. But not |
| waters. This excess flow is called Combined | | | | all bottled water is healthier than the tap |
| Sewer Overflow (CSO). Release of this excess | | | | or well alternative. |
| flow is necessary to prevent flooding in | | | | |
| homes, basements, businesses, and streets but | | | | Up to 25% of all bottled water on the market |
| it adds bacteria and contaminants as | | | | is tap water repacked in plastic bottles and |
| potential threats to tap water. | | | | bottled water that is not purified often |
| | | | contains minerals and other contaminants that |
| Since a portion of the tap water comes from | | | | may be harmful to your health. These |
| sewerage treatment plants CSO's can adversely | | | | contaminants are not only unhealthy and |
| affect the quality of our receiving waters in | | | | affect the taste of the water but limit |
| a number of ways: | | | | storage life for emergency supplies of |
| | | | drinking water. |
| CSO's contain material which contributes to | | | | |
| high bacteria levels in the receiving waters. | | | | Purified water however, using a distillation |
| Organic material in CSO's can contribute to | | | | and oxygenation process, provides the water |
| low dissolved oxygen levels, which can | | | | drinker the safest and best tasting |
| contribute to a potential for fish stress or | | | | alternative to contaminated tap and well |
| fish kills, especially in summer months; and, | | | | water in Northern Virginia and Washington |
| debris in CSO's such as plastic bottles, | | | | D.C. Distillation removes the water from the |
| Styrofoam cups (otherwise known as | | | | contaminants in a process that insures purity |
| "floatables") contribute to poor aesthetics. | | | | and oxygenation adds a light refreshing taste |
| | | | to the remaining purified water. |
| How Safe For Drinking is Well Water? | | | | |
| | | | Consider the long term health of you and your |
| Well water, a popular alternative to tap | | | | family and build a healthy lifestyle on pure |
| water particularly in Northern Virginia is | | | | drinking water. |