Generally, the groundwater pumped from wells is safe to drink. As water moves through layers of soil to reach the underground aquifer, disease-causing organisms such as bacteria and viruses are filtered out or eaten
by tiny soil animals. Many harmful chemicals also are broken down in the soil before they...
Harney County contains defining characteristics of regions containing arsenic within the groundwater such as its location in the western United States, unique closed basin geography, complex geology, and seasonal groundwater level fluctuations. Confirmation of arsenic concentrations above the Maximum Contaminant Level Drinking Water Standard of 10 μg/L has been observed...
The Safe Drinking Water Act ensures that public systems provide water that meets health standards. However, no such protection exists for millions of Americans who obtain water from private wells. Concern for safety is warranted as most wells draw from underground aquifers, and studies demonstrate that groundwater is affected by...
Por lo general, el agua subterránea extraída de los pozos de agua es buena para beber. A medida que el agua pasa por las diferentes capas del suelo se va purificando poco a poco. Los organismos que causan enfermedades, como bacteria y viruses, van siendo filtrados y digeridos por animalitos...
Groundwater is an important resource in
Oregon. As more people depend on groundwater,
some water tables around the State are dropping,
threatening their water supplies. State law
requires that groundwater be managed as a
renewable resource, and that water tables do not
drop permanently.
The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector of international development works to increase access to sustainable, safe water and improved sanitation. Currently, at least 780 million people live without clean drinking water and 2.5 billion without access to improved sanitation (UNICEF & World Health Organization, 2012). Lack of access to...
The purpose of this study was to; (1) determine the extent of well water contamination with nitrate and pesticides, and to understand the relationships among nitrate, pesticide, dissolved chloride, dissolved sulfate, well age, and well depth in the southern Willamette Valley, Oregon; and, (2) to investigate local residents' perceptions and...
Excessive nitrates in drinking water pose a human health threat, especially to infants. Methemoglobinemia, or blue-baby syndrome, is a potentially fatal condition that inhibits the ability of red blood cells to bind and transport oxygen. Nitrates/nitrites have also been linked to such conditions as cancer, birth defects, and behavioral and...