The quality of our Nation’s waters: Quality of water from public-supply wells in the United States, 1993–2007: Overview of major findings

For more information on the USGS-the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment-visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprodTo order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner. ForewordThe United States has made major investments in assessing, managing, regulating, and conserving natural resources, such as water and a variety of ecosystems. Sustaining the quality of the Nation's water resources and the health of our diverse ecosystems depends on the availability of sound water-resources data and information to develop effective, science-based policies. Effective management of water resources also brings more certainty and efficiency to important economic sectors. Taken together, these actions lead to immediate and long-term economic, social, and environmental benefits that make a difference to the lives of millions of people (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/applications/).Two decades ago, Congress established the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program to meet this need. Since then NAWQA has served as a primary source of nationally consistent information on the quality of the Nation's streams and groundwater, on ways in which water quality changes over time, and on the natural features and human activities affecting the quality of streams and groundwater. Objective and reliable data, systematic scientific studies, and models are used to characterize where, when, and why the Nation's water quality is degraded-and what can be done to improve and protect the water for human and ecosystem needs. This information is critical to our future because the Nation faces an increasingly complex and growing need for clean water to support people, economic growth, and healthy ecosystems. For example, NAWQA findings for public-supply wells, which provide water to about 105 million people, showed that 22 percent of source-water samples contained at least one contaminant at levels of potential health concern. Similarly, 23 percent of samples from domestic (or privately owned) wells, which supply untreated water to an additional 43 million people, also had contaminant levels of potential concern.This report is one of a collection of publications that describe water-quality conditions in selected Principal Aquifers of the United States (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/studies/praq/). The collection is part of the series "The Quality of Our Nation's Waters," which describes major findings of the NAWQA Program on water-quality issues of...

Section: Volatile Organic Compounds Were Frequently Detected In Samplmentioning

confidence: 96%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The quality of our nation's waters: water quality in the Principal Aquifers of the Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Valley and Ridge regions, eastern United States, 1993-2009

Lindsey¹,

Zimmerman²,

Chapman³

et al. 2015

“…The occurrence of two or more pesticides in groundwater from surficial aquifers used for drinking is a potential health concern, even at concentrations below human-health benchmarks, because the potential health effects of such mixtures are not well understood. (50) The vulnerability of the surficial aquifers to pesticide contamination is a concern for households that use domestic wells as a source of drinking water and also is a concern because these aquifers provide recharge to the Upper Floridan aquifer.…”

Section: Chaptermentioning

confidence: 99%

The quality of our Nation's waters: water quality in the Upper Floridan aquifer and overlying surficial aquifers, southeastern United States, 1993-2010

Berndt¹,

Katz²,

Kingsbury³

et al. 2015

For more information on the USGS-the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment-visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS.For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http: //www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.Suggested citation: Berndt, M.P., Katz, B.G., Kingsbury, J.A., and Crandall, C.A., 2014, The quality of our Nation's waters-Water quality in the Upper Floridan aquifer and overlying surficial aquifers, southeastern United States, 1993: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1355. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataBerndt, Marian P.The quality of our nation's waters---water quality in the upper Floridan aquifer and overlying surficial aquifers, Southeastern United States, 1993States, --2010 ForewordThe United States has made major investments in assessing, managing, regulating, and conserving natural resources, such as water and a variety of ecosystems. Sustaining the quality of the Nation's water resources and the health of our diverse ecosystems depends on the availability of sound water-resources data and information to develop effective, science-based policies. Effective management of water resources also brings more certainty and efficiency to important economic sectors. Taken together, these actions lead to immediate and long-term economic, social, and environmental benefits that make a difference to the lives of millions of people (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/applications/).Two decades ago, Congress established the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program to meet this need. Since then, NAWQA has served as a primary source of nationally consistent information on the quality of the Nation's streams and groundwater, on ways in which water quality changes over time, and on the natural features and human activities affecting the quality of streams and groundwater. Objective and reliable data, systematic scientific studies, and models are used to characterize where, when, and why the Nation's water quality is degraded-and what can be done to improve and protect the water for human and ecosystem needs. This information is critical to our future because the Nation faces an increasingly complex and growing need for clean water to support people, economic growth, and healthy ecosystems. For example, NAWQA findings for public-supply wells, which provide water to about 105 million people, showed that 22 percent of source-water samples contained at least one contaminant at levels of potential health concern. Similarly, 23 perce...

“…(8) Nitrate was one of the most common chemicals detected at concentrations greater than the national MCL in groundwater from domestic (1 percent) and public (2 percent) sources of drinking water. (19,20) Concentrations greater than the MCL in drinking water can put infants under the age of 6 months at risk of serious illness. Elevated concentrations of nitrate result from leaching of excess nitrogen in fertilizers and manures applied to crops and in fertilizer applied to turf in urban areas as well as from septic-tank and sewage discharges.…”

Section: Dieldrin and Nitrate Were The Chemicals From Human Sources Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

The quality of our Nation's waters: water quality in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain surficial aquifer system, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia, 1988-2009

Denver¹,

Ator²,

Fischer³

et al. 2015

For more information on the USGS-the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment-visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http: //www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.Suggested citation: Denver, J.M., Ator, S.W., Fischer, J.M., Harned, D.C., Schubert, Christopher, and Szabo, Zoltan, 2014, The quality of our Nation's waters-Water quality in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain surficial aquifer system, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia, 1988-2009: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1353. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataDenver, J. M.The quality of our Nation's waters---water quality in the Northern Atlantic coastal plain surficial aquifer system, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia, 1988-2009 "USGS, through the NAWQA Program, has extensively studied the movement of nutrients through groundwater. We look forward to using this information as we work with state and local partners to implement practices on the land that have the greatest benefit to the quality of our local and Bay waters."Nick DiPasquale EPA Director of the Chesapeake Bay Program iv ForewordThe United States has made major investments in assessing, managing, regulating, and conserving natural resources, such as water and a variety of ecosystems. Sustaining the quality of the Nation's water resources and the health of our diverse ecosystems depends on the availability of sound water-resources data and information to develop effective, science-based policies. Effective management of water resources also brings more certainty and efficiency to important economic sectors. Taken together, these actions lead to immediate and long-term economic, social, and environmental benefits that make a difference to the lives of millions of people (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/applications/ ).Two decades ago, Congress established the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program to meet this need. Since then NAWQA has served as a primary source of nationally consistent information on the quality of the Nation's streams and groundwater, on ways in which water quality changes over time, and on the natural features and human activities affecting the quality of streams and groundwater. Objective and reliable data, systematic scientific studies, and models are used to characterize where, when, and why the Nation's water quality is degraded-and what can be done to improve and...