Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- September 21, 2004

Well water at risk for flood contamination (:49)

[Click here to listen, or right-click to download and save MP3 audio file]

Suggested Intro:

IF YOU'RE ONE OF THE ESTIMATED THREE MILLION PENNSYLVANIANS WHO RELY ON A PRIVATE WELL FOR YOUR DRINKING WATER, RECENT FLOODING MAY POSE A RISK TO YOUR HEALTH. THAT, FROM A WATER RESOURCES SPECIALIST IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES. CHUCK GILL REPORTS:

Story:

(:09) THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IVAN DID MORE THAN CLOSE ROADS AND FLOOD BASEMENTS IN PENNSYLVANIA. THE FLOODING ALSO INUNDATED SOME OF THE STATE'S ESTIMATED ONE MILLION PRIVATE WATER WELLS.

(:08) PENN STATE EXTENSION WATER RESOURCES SPECIALIST BRYAN SWISTOCK SAYS WHERE THERE'S FLOODING, THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY OF WELL WATER CONTAMINATION:

Swistock Actuality:
(:18) "FLOOD WATER'S NOTORIOUSLY BAD BECAUSE IT'LL HAVE VARIOUS ANIMAL WASTES, HUMAN WASTE FROM SEWER OVERFLOWS OR SEPTIC SYSTEMS. AND ANY SURFACE WATER CAN HAVE A LOT OF DISEASE-CAUSING MICROORGANISMS -- NOT JUST BACTERIA, BUT VIRUSES AND THINGS LIKE GIARDIA, CRYPTOSPORIDIUM CAN ALL BE IN FLOOD WATER."

(:14) SWISTOCK SAYS WELL OWNERS IN FLOODED AREAS SHOULD HAVE THEIR WELL'S ELECTRICAL PARTS CHECKED BY AN ELECTRICIAN OR WELL CONTRACTOR, DISINFECT THE WATER AND HAVE IT TESTED FOR BACTERIA. TO LEARN HOW, CONTACT YOUR COUNTY PENN STATE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OFFICE. I'M CHUCK GILL.

# # #

To learn more, follow these links:

Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Flood Resources Page

Private Drinking Water Wells: What to do After the Flood (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fact sheet)

Shock Chlorination of Wells and Springs (Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences fact sheet -- Adobe Acrobat Reader required)

[AIRWAVES] [STORY INDEX] [NEWS RELEASES] [RELATED LINKS] [HOME]