NH Water Quality Facts

Arsenic

• Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) - 0.01 mg/l

General:
Five to ten percent of bedrock wells in southern and central parts of New Hampshire contain levels of arsenic that is slightly higher than the recommended MCL. Seasonal variations occur in arsenic concentration so multiple tests taken over a period of time are needed to obtain an accurate concentration. It appears that natural arsenic exists in nearly every town in the state so it is recommended that all bedrock wells be tested for arsenic.

Effects:
The effects of long term exposure are not clearly defined. They may include chronic gastro-intestinal upset and diarrhea. They may also include liver damage, nervous system changes, blood imbalance and skin changes.

Treatment:
The usual form of water treatment is by Reverse Osmosis (RO).

Bacteria

• Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)
  • Coliform - Less than one total coliform colony per 100 milliliters water.
  • Non - Coliform - Less than 200 per 100 milliliters water as long as total coliform count is acceptable.

General:
Almost all surface water contains some level of bacteria. Ground water is generally free of bacteria and should not need disinfection. If bacteria is present, it is usually directly contaminated by a waste source or surface water infiltrating the well due to poor construction. Surface water can enter through a leaky well cover, bad casing seal or through the side walls of dug wells.

Coliform bacteria are found in large numbers in the intestines and feces of warm blooded animals. Non-coliform bacteria are found everywhere on the face of the earth. None should be present in a properly constructed well.

Effects:
Coliform bacteria concentrations in excess of one colony per 100 ml water indicate a possible source of contamination from animal waste. The presence of disease-causing organisms is also likely. These organisms can cause intestinal infection, dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis. Contaminated water should not be used for drinking or cooking unless it is boiled for at least one minute or disinfected by other means.

Treatment:
This is best done by a professional. Chemical feed orUltraviolet light (UV) are the recommended ways of treating bacteria. The ultimate way to ensure a good water supply is to find the cause of the contamination and stop it.

Fluoride

• Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) - 4 mg/l

General:
Fluorides have been found at levels above the MCL in wells in the Mount Washington area and in other areas throughout the state.

Effects:
Excess fluorides in drinking water can cause fluorosis (mottling of teeth). Since the principle way the body removes fluoride is through the kidneys, those with reduced kidney function are more prone to develop the toxic effects.

Treatment:
The easiest way to remove fluorides is through Reverse Osmosis (RO)

Hardness

• Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) 150 mg/l

General:
The hardness minerals are Calcium and Magnesium. These minerals are picked up by acidic water and put into solution as dissolved solids. This is one of the most common water problems in the southern New Hampshire are and one of the easiest conditions to treat.

Effects:
The effects of hard water are numerous. The most common problem is with soap. Soap is made from animal and vegetable fats. These ingredients are hard to break down in water. If the water is high in dissolved solids, the soap will mix with the calcium and magnesium to form a gummy substance called soap curd or soap scum. This will cause everything from "bathtub ring" to the soap not being removed from your clothes in the washing machine. Hard water causes problems with appliances and equipment that use water by shortening the life of the product. Water heaters and boilers that heat water will cause massive primary scaling. This can cut the life and efficiency of the product in half.

Treatment:
Treating hard water requires ion exchange (softening)

Hydrogen Sulfide

• Minimum Detectable Taste 0.05 mg/l

General:
Hydrogen Sulfide, commonly known as sulfur, is a natural contaminant. It gives water a foul "rotten egg" odor and taste. The usual cause of this odor is the presence of some form of sulfite-reducing bacteria. The appearance is usually seasonal with the heaviest concentration in the spring and autumn seasons. It usually appears with high iron/manganese concentrations and low pH.

Effects:
There are no known health effects. However, it is corrosive to metals and will tarnish silver even in low concentrations. High concentrations affect the palatability of water.

Treatment
Chlorination,aeration and oxidation - filtration are all effective methods of removing hydrogen sulfide. The concentrations and the presence of other contaminants are the factors involved in deciding the proper method of treatment.

Iron

• Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) 0.3 mg/l

General
Ferrous iron is colorless when dissolved. When it comes in contact with air, it oxidizes readily creating reddish brown solid particles. If water is reddish brown when first drawn, it probably contains ferric iron. Iron can be put in solution when corrosion of iron or steel occurs. The more corrosive the water (low pH), the greater will be the amount of iron and other dissolved minerals with which the water comes in contact.Iron bacteria are living organisms that feed on iron in the water and on iron in pumps, well casings, tanks and fixtures.

Effects:
Presence of iron is not a health problem. Small concentrations are essential to human health. However, high concentrations interfere with the appearance and use of the water. Iron bacteria produce a slime in toilet tanks, water heaters and can clog pumps and pipes.

Treatment:
The determination of which treatment method should be used has to be made after a chemical analysis of the water to determine the type of iron present. Ferrous iron is best removed by ion exchange (softening)or aeration/filtration. Ferric (precipitate) iron is best removed by fine filtration. Iron bacteria is killed by super chlorination-dechlorination. Because of the nature of iron bacteria contamination, a case by case basis is the approach to solving this problem.

Lead

• Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) 0.05 mg/l (adults)

General:
Lead exposure can come from a variety of sources. Natural lead content in New Hampshire's ground and surface water is negligible. Most lead in household water supplies comes from the plumbing system. Acidic (low pH) water can dissolve lead from the solder of older plumbing systems and introduce it to the water system.

Effects:
Lead has no known beneficial effects to the human body. It slows or stops essential physiological reactions by reacting with enzymes in the body. Lead is accumulated and stored in bone. When concentration is so high that storage in the bone is saturated, blood lead levels begin to affect nerve tissue.

Excessive levels in the blood contribute to a variety of problems. Mental retardation, kidney and neurological function, and hearing loss in children are amongst the most common problems. The central nervous system (CNS) in children is immature and more sensitive to elevated lead levels. The MCL of 0.05 mg/l applies to adults. Children absorb 40 - 50 percent of ingested lead as opposed to 5 - 10 percent in adults. Water intake per pound of body weight is higher in children. Contaminated water is of much greater risk to children.

Treatment:
Water should be tested when the water has had a chance to sit for a period of time, such as overnight. A second sample should be taken after the water has run for three to five minutes to see if flushing decreases the level substantially. Treatment for removing persistent lead is Reverse Osmosis (RO).Often, high lead can be removed by treating the acidity (pH) of the water.

Manganese

• Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) 0.05 mg/l

General:
Manganese is generally found with iron.

Effects:
Manganese acts in a similar manner as iron, but forms a brownish - black precipitate. This is usually found on the interior of dishwashers and causes noticable staining on white clothes. Manganese is rarely found alone.

Treatment:
Manganese is best removed by ion exchange (softening) but can generally be removed by any treatment method used for iron.

Nitrates

• Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) 45mg/l

General:
Nitrate is one of the most common contaminants found in heavily farmed areas. It is not a common problem in New Hampshire unless the water supply is in the path of runoff after fertilizing or it is receiving discharge from a a municipal or waste water treatment system. A water test is the only means to detect nitrates and if a constant increase of levels over years is apparent, the cause should be found and eliminated.

Effects:
Nitrate is not considered harmful to adults and older children. It can, however, cause "blue baby" syndrome in infants. The ingested nitrate is broken down into the more dangerous "nitrite" in the gastro-intestinal system. Nitrates also indicate the possibility of pesticides and bacteria in the water.

Treatment:
Nitrate is easily dissolved into water and very hard to remove. The usual form of treatment is Reverse Osmosis (RO).

Pesticides

• No set standards

General:
Contamination of ground water by organics has become one of the most widely recognized problems today. Some of the major contributors to the problem are industrial disposal, leaching from waste dumps and landfills, and pesticides from farm runoff.

Effects:
for the most part, we know very little about low dose or chronic exposure to organics. Most of the research has been done on animals and deals with high-dose or acute exposure. Acute exposure to humans and animals has caused disorders of blood and blood producing organs, kidney and liver damage, cancer, irritation to eyes, nose, throat and skin.

Treatment:
Activated carbon filtering has been shown to be the most effective way to remove organics.

pH

• Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) 6.5 - 8.5 units

General:
Ph values range from 0 - 14. Seven indicates the neutral point. Values less than 7 indicate acidity while values grater than 7 indicate alkalinity. Acidity is caused by natural conditions at the site compounded by acid rain.

Effects:
Well water in New hampshire is rarely acidic enough to be considered a health risk. However the acidity of the water can cause metals to leach from pumps, piping and fixtures. These can reach dangerous levels. Some of the metals are copper, lead, cadmium, and zinc.

Bluish - green stains on fixtures can be an indication of low pH. This staining is dissolved copper oxidizing after contacting oxygen in the air.

Treatment:
Depending on the levels of pH, water can be neutralized with the use of a neutralizing filter or through chemical feed.

Sediment

• No set standards

General:
There are many causes of sediment in drinking water. Suspended particles of mica and sand are the most common.

Effects:
Suspended particles will clog the inside waterways of the entire plumbing system. They will also impact the efficiency and operation of plumbing fixtures, water heaters and boilers.

Treatment:
Depending on the amount and type of sediment, treatment can be as easy as a cartridge filter or may require the use of a whole house filter.

Sodium Chloride

• Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) 250 mg/l

General:
Sodium chloride is a natural element, found virtually everywhere. It can enter drinking water from both natural and artificial sources. These include the leaching of underground salt deposits, spray from the ocean and from salt used on roads in winter. Road salt contamination has been reported and verified in New Hampshire.

Effects:
Sodium is not considered a health issue except for those on salt - restricted diets. Only about one percent of sodium is taken in from water. Ninety - nine percent is ingested from table salt. High chloride levels can shorten the life of plumbing systems, pumps and water heaters.

Treatment:
If elevated levels are detected, tests should be made overt a period of time to determine if the levels are increasing. If they are, the source of the contamination should be found and stopped. Reverse Osmosis (RO) is the usual method of treatment.