Mapping and Characterizing the Arsenic Hazard in Private Well Water Across the Nation
Study estimates about 2.1 million people using wells high in arsenic: USGS research directly supports federal agencies concerned with public health—specifically, understanding natural hazards in private domestic drinking water and the risk they pose to human health.
The USGS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are mapping and characterizing the arsenic hazard in private well water across the Nation. Together, we are developing models that span the Nation so that more complete data can be used to estimate burden of arsenic exposure for the private domestic well use population of the United States. The estimates can then be used to assess areas that are un-sampled as well as to link to human health outcome data (such as cancers and birth outcomes) so that ecological-level studies can be undertaken.
Specifically, this study’s objectives are to:
- Estimate the probability of having high arsenic in domestic wells across the Nation; and
- Estimate the population with high-arsenic well water
The findings of the study are highlighted here: https://www.usgs.gov/news/study-estimates-about-21-million-people-using-wells-high-arsenic.
The report for the study is here: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.7b02881.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Arsenic and Drinking Water
Below are publications associated with this project.
Estimating the high-arsenic domestic-well population in the conterminous United States
Study estimates about 2.1 million people using wells high in arsenic: USGS research directly supports federal agencies concerned with public health—specifically, understanding natural hazards in private domestic drinking water and the risk they pose to human health.
The USGS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are mapping and characterizing the arsenic hazard in private well water across the Nation. Together, we are developing models that span the Nation so that more complete data can be used to estimate burden of arsenic exposure for the private domestic well use population of the United States. The estimates can then be used to assess areas that are un-sampled as well as to link to human health outcome data (such as cancers and birth outcomes) so that ecological-level studies can be undertaken.
Specifically, this study’s objectives are to:
- Estimate the probability of having high arsenic in domestic wells across the Nation; and
- Estimate the population with high-arsenic well water
The findings of the study are highlighted here: https://www.usgs.gov/news/study-estimates-about-21-million-people-using-wells-high-arsenic.
The report for the study is here: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.7b02881.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Arsenic and Drinking Water
Below are publications associated with this project.