Contaminated
Water
No family should have to
live with contaminated water. It must be determined where the contaminates came
from. The contaminators should be held financially responsible. Between monies
received from contaminators and government grants, the families who have
contaminated water should not have to bear an unreasonable burden to have safe
water in their homes.
A
Resolution from the Cayuga County Board of Health regarding well water in
Cayuga County
In
Cayuga County, approximately 35% of the county's residents receive their
drinking water from private wells. Unfortunately, well owners cannot take the
safety of their wells for granted. In December 2000, residents and county
officials were surprised to learn that a number of private wells located
between the village of Union Springs and the city of Auburn were contaminated
with volatile organic chemicals. For this reason, the Cayuga County Board of
Health has passed a resolution establishing recommendations that homeowners
have their wells tested periodically.
The
top priority of the resolution is to educate well users on the importance of
initial testing and yearly testing thereafter of private wells to protect their
health. Contaminants in your well are often odorless and colorless, giving
users no sign that there is a problem with their water. Problems with wells can
occur because of being poorly maintained or improper construction that creates
a pathway for contaminants. It is also possible that the local groundwater was
previously contaminated. Some sources of groundwater contamination include
septic systems, active or inactive landfills, abandoned farm or municipal
dumps, underground petroleum storage tanks, improperly applied fertilizers or
pesticides, and household chemicals and industrial waste that have been
improperly disposed of to name a few. Even though you may think you are
not at risk for any of these contaminants, testing should still be done because
of the considerable distance these chemicals can travel. Once the water is contaminated
it is a difficult problem to fix. The options included treating your water
after pumping, drilling a new well, or getting your water from another source.
The
Cayuga County Board of Health is requesting that the Municipal Code Enforcement
Officers and well drillers provide to homeowners information regarding risks
associated with well water.
In
addition, make sure that the well driller that you hire is certified by the New
York State Department of Environmental Conservation to assure they are familiar
with proper construction standards.
If you are having a well drilled, it is important to choose a location away from any known sources of pollution. Once the well is installed, the Cayuga County Department of Health and Human Services recommends testing for coliform, nitrate, and volatile Organic chemicals at a New York State certified laboratory. Don't assume that a well is safe if no other contamination has been reported in your area. There is no guarantee that yours is safe and will continue to be into the future. Yearly testing is the best assurance of your family's health. For additional information on well installations, well water quality, or a list of certified laboratories, please call the Environmental Health Division of the Cayuga County Health and Human Services Department at 253-1405.
