NC: Gaston to test wells' arsenic levels

[Guest guest]

> Gaston to test wells' arsenic levels

> 1/14/2004 1:59 PM

> By: News 14 Carolina

>

> GASTONIA, N.C. -- The Gaston County Health Department is offering residents

the opportunity to get their well water tested to check for high levels of

arsenic after samples taken showed more than a third of wells exceed acceptable

arsenic levels.

>

> The tests are part of a regular service to Gaston County residents now. The

program was expanded after a test of 146 wells in a 4 square-mile area detected

arsenic contamination.

>

> Gaston Health Director Colleen Bridger said that 59 out of the 146 sampled

wells had levels that ranged from very low to some that exceeded the standard of

the state health department's Occupational, Environmental and Epidemiology

division.

>

> Toxicologists recommended that well owners reduce their intake of water if

their wells have arsenic levels between 1 and 10 parts per billion.

> Water with levels exceeding 10 ppb should not be consumed, officials say. But

using that same water for showering, bathing and other non-consumption uses is

still safe.

> Bridger said the presence of arsenic in area wells is not surprising given the

geology of the area.

>

> “Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in rock and soil throughout

North Carolina and the United States, " she said. " Because individual results

might vary throughout Gaston County, residents on private wells may want to

consider having their water tested. "

>

> Residents who are customers of the county’s 149 community water systems are

not affected. Those systems are required to perform water tests for arsenic once

every three years. Residents on community water should contact the system owner

for further information.

>

> “Now that the health department will provide this service on a regular basis,

we want to make it as efficient and cost-effective as possible, " Bridger said.

> Once a resident takes a sample and returns the bottle, the health department

can forward samples to the state lab for testing.

>

> " Based on the results, we will work with individual residents to determine the

best course of action to reduce their exposure to arsenic,” Bridger said.

> Solutions can range from the purchase of bottled water for drinking and

cooking to the installation of a water filtration system.

>

> Use of a special collection bottle and sampling instructions are required and

are available through the Health Department’s Environmental Health Division,

located at 991 West Hudson Blvd in Gastonia.

>

> Environmental Health is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents will be charged a

$10 fee to cover lab and administrative costs.

>

> All water samples will be individually reviewed by the state toxicologist. It

takes about 30 days to get results.

>

> Arsenic can affect human health if there is long-term exposure, officials

said. Drinking two liters (almost a half gallon) of water containing arsenic

everyday for 30 years can increase a person’s risk of developing cancer,

especially lung or bladder cancer.

>

> Prolonged arsenic exposure can also result in several different kinds of

serious illness such as nerve damage, blood vessel damage, high blood pressure,

diabetes and changes in the skin.

>

> http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/local_news/?ArID=51765 & SecID=2

>

> Deborah Elaine Barrie

> 4 Street

> s Falls, On

> Canada

> K7A 3Z8

> (613)284-8259

> deborahbarrie@...

> http://www.noccawood.ca

The material in this post is distributed without profit to those

who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included

information for research and educational purposes.

For more information go to:

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html

http://oregon.uoregon.edu/~csundt/documents.htm

If you wish to use copyrighted material from this email for

purposes that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission

from the copyright owner.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for that tip! I am in GAstonia!

I am calling my water company tomorrow!

Sherry

> > Gaston to test wells' arsenic levels

> > 1/14/2004 1:59 PM

> > By: News 14 Carolina

> >

> > GASTONIA, N.C. -- The Gaston County Health Department is offering

residents the opportunity to get their well water tested to check for

high levels of arsenic after samples taken showed more than a third

of wells exceed acceptable arsenic levels.

> >

> > The tests are part of a regular service to Gaston County

residents now. The program was expanded after a test of 146 wells in

a 4 square-mile area detected arsenic contamination.

> >

> > Gaston Health Director Colleen Bridger said that 59 out of the

146 sampled wells had levels that ranged from very low to some that

exceeded the standard of the state health department's Occupational,

Environmental and Epidemiology division.

> >

> > Toxicologists recommended that well owners reduce their intake of

water if their wells have arsenic levels between 1 and 10 parts per

billion.

> > Water with levels exceeding 10 ppb should not be consumed,

officials say. But using that same water for showering, bathing and

other non-consumption uses is still safe.

> > Bridger said the presence of arsenic in area wells is not

surprising given the geology of the area.

> >

> > " Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in rock and soil

throughout North Carolina and the United States, " she said. " Because

individual results might vary throughout Gaston County, residents on

private wells may want to consider having their water tested. "

> >

> > Residents who are customers of the county's 149 community water

systems are not affected. Those systems are required to perform water

tests for arsenic once every three years. Residents on community

water should contact the system owner for further information.

> >

> > " Now that the health department will provide this service on a

regular basis, we want to make it as efficient and cost-effective as

possible, " Bridger said.

> > Once a resident takes a sample and returns the bottle, the health

department can forward samples to the state lab for testing.

> >

> > " Based on the results, we will work with individual residents to

determine the best course of action to reduce their exposure to

arsenic, " Bridger said.

> > Solutions can range from the purchase of bottled water for

drinking and cooking to the installation of a water filtration system.

> >

> > Use of a special collection bottle and sampling instructions are

required and are available through the Health Department's

Environmental Health Division, located at 991 West Hudson Blvd in

Gastonia.

> >

> > Environmental Health is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents will

be charged a $10 fee to cover lab and administrative costs.

> >

> > All water samples will be individually reviewed by the state

toxicologist. It takes about 30 days to get results.

> >

> > Arsenic can affect human health if there is long-term exposure,

officials said. Drinking two liters (almost a half gallon) of water

containing arsenic everyday for 30 years can increase a person's risk

of developing cancer, especially lung or bladder cancer.

> >

> > Prolonged arsenic exposure can also result in several different

kinds of serious illness such as nerve damage, blood vessel damage,

high blood pressure, diabetes and changes in the skin.

> >

> > http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/local_news/?

ArID=51765 & SecID=2

> >

> > Deborah Elaine Barrie

> > 4 Street

> > s Falls, On

> > Canada

> > K7A 3Z8

> > (613)284-8259

> > deborahbarrie@h...

> > http://www.noccawood.ca

>

> The material in this post is distributed without profit to those

> who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included

> information for research and educational purposes.

> For more information go to:

> http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html

> http://oregon.uoregon.edu/~csundt/documents.htm

> If you wish to use copyrighted material from this email for

> purposes that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission

> from the copyright owner.

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

- are you in NC?

Sherry

> > Gaston to test wells' arsenic levels

> > 1/14/2004 1:59 PM

> > By: News 14 Carolina

> >

> > GASTONIA, N.C. -- The Gaston County Health Department is offering

residents the opportunity to get their well water tested to check for

high levels of arsenic after samples taken showed more than a third

of wells exceed acceptable arsenic levels.

> >

> > The tests are part of a regular service to Gaston County

residents now. The program was expanded after a test of 146 wells in

a 4 square-mile area detected arsenic contamination.

> >

> > Gaston Health Director Colleen Bridger said that 59 out of the

146 sampled wells had levels that ranged from very low to some that

exceeded the standard of the state health department's Occupational,

Environmental and Epidemiology division.

> >

> > Toxicologists recommended that well owners reduce their intake of

water if their wells have arsenic levels between 1 and 10 parts per

billion.

> > Water with levels exceeding 10 ppb should not be consumed,

officials say. But using that same water for showering, bathing and

other non-consumption uses is still safe.

> > Bridger said the presence of arsenic in area wells is not

surprising given the geology of the area.

> >

> > " Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in rock and soil

throughout North Carolina and the United States, " she said. " Because

individual results might vary throughout Gaston County, residents on

private wells may want to consider having their water tested. "

> >

> > Residents who are customers of the county's 149 community water

systems are not affected. Those systems are required to perform water

tests for arsenic once every three years. Residents on community

water should contact the system owner for further information.

> >

> > " Now that the health department will provide this service on a

regular basis, we want to make it as efficient and cost-effective as

possible, " Bridger said.

> > Once a resident takes a sample and returns the bottle, the health

department can forward samples to the state lab for testing.

> >

> > " Based on the results, we will work with individual residents to

determine the best course of action to reduce their exposure to

arsenic, " Bridger said.

> > Solutions can range from the purchase of bottled water for

drinking and cooking to the installation of a water filtration system.

> >

> > Use of a special collection bottle and sampling instructions are

required and are available through the Health Department's

Environmental Health Division, located at 991 West Hudson Blvd in

Gastonia.

> >

> > Environmental Health is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents will

be charged a $10 fee to cover lab and administrative costs.

> >

> > All water samples will be individually reviewed by the state

toxicologist. It takes about 30 days to get results.

> >

> > Arsenic can affect human health if there is long-term exposure,

officials said. Drinking two liters (almost a half gallon) of water

containing arsenic everyday for 30 years can increase a person's risk

of developing cancer, especially lung or bladder cancer.

> >

> > Prolonged arsenic exposure can also result in several different

kinds of serious illness such as nerve damage, blood vessel damage,

high blood pressure, diabetes and changes in the skin.

> >

> > http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/local_news/?

ArID=51765 & SecID=2

> >

> > Deborah Elaine Barrie

> > 4 Street

> > s Falls, On

> > Canada

> > K7A 3Z8

> > (613)284-8259

> > deborahbarrie@h...

> > http://www.noccawood.ca

>

> The material in this post is distributed without profit to those

> who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included

> information for research and educational purposes.

> For more information go to:

> http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html

> http://oregon.uoregon.edu/~csundt/documents.htm

> If you wish to use copyrighted material from this email for

> purposes that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission

> from the copyright owner.

>

>

>

>