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Nitrate is a naturally occurring form of nitrogen that has no color, smell or taste.  Although nitrate can occur naturally in groundwater, high levels are often associated with human activities. Nitrate is not harmful at low levels and has an MCL of 10mg/L. Between 11 and 40mg/L, it's no longer considered safe for consumption of babies and pregnant women. Above 40mg/L it is no longer considered safe for consumption. High levels of Nitrate can cause a variety of long and short-term effects. Infants are at a particularly strong risk for blue baby syndrome.

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High levels of nitrates in our ground water

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High levels of nitrates in our ground water

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Nitrogen is the most leachable chemical and is also one of the more applied in the agriculture, this are being one of the biggest contaminants to our water sources because the unmeasured applications that some of the growers have been doing for many years.
Raul Coronado.

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What are Micro-Plastics? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) state Micro-Plastics are small plastic particles less than 0.2 inches (5 millimeters) long. And only until Micro-Plastics have been found in Fractures Limestone Aquifers. Limestone Aquifers are a type of groundwater source that makes up 25% of the Global Drinking Supply.

An example of how Micro-Plastics get in our water are Surface-Run-Off (like Air-Pollutens after it rains) that can their way into water channels, to Synthetic Clothing that sheds Micro-Plastics that gets discharged into sewers, Car Tires that discard fragments of plastic, & more.

Micro-Plastics consist of BPA which may impact hormones, child development, Testoterone, & fertility. Pregnant woman have been found with Micro-Plastics inside their womb to babies being born with Micro-Plastics, and they are being called, " Cyborgs." At the rate of Micro-Plastics make their way into our oceans, rain, drinking water, animals, food & everyday life it may lead toward our inability to reproduce as a species in the near future.

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Here is a photographic of Iron Bacteria in a pipe. Also known as Irion Oxidizing bacteria, but the proper name is “Gallionella”. Iron bacteria are small living organisms that naturally occur in soil, shallow groundwater, and surface waters. These bacteria combine iron (or manganese). This bacterium is very easy to see it because is a yellow slime. The particles of iron can host bacteria but the Iron bacteria are not harmful to humans, it will cause troublesome, persistent, and expensive well and related plumbing problems, including: Unpleasant taste and odors resembling fuel, sewage, or rotten vegetation. This bacterium does have an odor like; musty, rotten, oily and other different types. The causes of Iron bacteria are usually associated with acidic soils, or can be enhanced by iron in surface runoff. But there is a way to remove the bacteria from the well water but the most common is disinfectants chemicals to remove.

https://wrswater.com/index.php/common-water-well-problems/

Julio.

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PFA's are a class of over 12,000 chemicals known as "forever chemicals" because they are extremely difficult to break down. These chemicals easily contaminate water sources because they are so ubiquitous, they are found in EVERYTHING. The chemicals are commonly used to make non-stick coatings as well as stain fighting properties for materials (hence the picture above). PFA's can be found in non stick pans and cookware, fire retardants, clothing, backpacks, paper plates, carpets, wet suits, the list goes on and on. When these products are made, used, or discarded, the PFA's will leech into runoff, and can easily make their way into groundwater. PFA's are found very commonly in most humans and have been linked to many diseases, especially cancer.

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Manganese like other minerals are found to be concentrated in groundwater. In the past years manganese was only thought to be a secondary contaminant. Just recently however there has been a push for manganese to be changed from a secondary contaminant to a primary one. Manganese causes health defects for both young and aged people. Infants will have their brain development affected which negatively impacts their learning and behavior. Manganese in aged people also affects the brain, and can cause brain disease similar to dementia and Parkinson’s disease. The current secondary MCL for manganese is 0.05 mg/L, but this will be changed soon.

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Perchlorate is one chlorine and four oxygen atoms can either be found natural or man-made. Perchloratre can be affective by high expsoure. High exspoure can affect iodine uptake. This iodine usually works with the thyroid gland. Which for adults it usually an important role when regulating metabolism. For infants, it is used for normal growth and development of the central nervous system. But when perchlorate is introduced it can interupt the development of normal function for the thyroid gland. Meaning, it can lead to the reduction of the production of the thyroid hormone.

One source of the contaminant is food. Between the years of 2008-2012 the FDA "collected and tested a total of 5,464 food samples for perchlorate and found no overall change in perchlorate levels across foods compared to 937 samples collected between 2005 and 2006. A further analysis of perchlorate levels per year between 2008 and 2012 also found no consistent change in perchlorate levels across foods from year to year.The 2008 – 2012 dataset contained higher average levels of perchlorate in some foods such as bologna, salami, and collard greens, and lower average levels of perchlorate in other foods such as plain bagels, boxed macaroni and cheese, and milk chocolate, when compared to the 2005 – 2006 dataset." (FDA.org)

FDA site used for refernce:
https://www.fda.gov/food/chemical-contaminants-food/perchlorate-questions-and-answers

-Jake Withers

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Arsenic is a natural element that can be found in rocks and soil, water, air, and in plants and animals. People can also be exposed to arsenic in the environment from some agricultural and industrial sources. The effects that Arsenic have on human is that it can cause lung and skin cancers and may cause other cancers.

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Copper is a soft metal used to create a variety of appliances. This water contaminant primarily stems from the pipes that transport water. The symptoms and effects of consuming copper contaminated water include diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea.

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Microorganisms in well water and how they affect us and what to do. 

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Microorganisms in well water and how they affect us and what to do. 

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Microorganisms of all kinds, including bacteria, protozoa, and viruses; some algae and helminths (worms) are typically found in wells, causing potential harm. These contaminants commonly cause numerous amounts of symptoms, a few examples being: diarrhea, cramps, nausea, possible jaundice, and associated headaches and fatigue. They're generally found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals and transmit through feces. Contaminated water with pathogens is always boiled with a rolling boil for a minute to drink safely.

Locating disease-ridden contaminants in the water is an extensive and expensive ordeal. More often than not, we must measure the chosen indicated organism to determine the existence of pathogenic microorganisms. Coliform bacteria's harmful qualities determine it to be an indicated organism. You must test well water yearly to measure its contaminant levels safely. You can do this by contacting a state's certified laboratory by the Department of Health Services.  ~ Anthony DuPont

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Nitrates come from many sources and can eventually find their way into our source water. Run off or saturation from agriculture is a main source or from natural bacteria in soil converting into nitrates. Nitrates can cause health risk in humans mostly in infants and elderly. Nitrates can cause what is known as blue baby syndrome, birth defects, thyroid disease, and some forms of cancer.

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PFAS or Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a class of synthetic chemicals used in the manufacture of consumer products. They are frequently referred to as "forever chemicals" because they linger permanently in the air, water and soil, due to the fact that they do not break down easily in the water cycle. The main sources of PFAS contamination in drinking water, groundwater, soils, and air include: Fire training/fire response sites (found in flame retardants), landfills, nonstick coating on cookware, stain resistant coatings, some personal care products, and industrial sites.  PFAS have numerous detrimental effects on human health such as changes to liver function, higher cholesterol, high blood pressure, pregnancy complications, reduced immune response, thyroid disease, and, in the case of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), kidney and 🤬 cancer. - Kayla Zeppeiro

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Water wells can become contaminated with microbes from fecal material from livestock through water runoff