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What is the Problem With Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. Water?

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




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