Bacteriological quality of groundwater used for household supply Completed
In fractured bedrock aquifers used for domestic supply conditions can exist where contaminants such as bacteria are not filtered out by the soil. Once in the fracture system, little additional filtration takes place.
The results of a synotic sampling of domestic wells in the Lower Susquehanna River basin, Pennsylvania and Maryland, showed that bacteria concentrations were higher in areas with high levels of agricultural activity, likely due to the application of manure on farm fields.
Highlights
- 146 domestic supply wells sampled for bacteria
- Bacteria were found in 80% of the wells sampled
- 70% of the samples were positive for total coliform
- 25% of the samples were positive for fecal coliform
- 65% of the samples were positive for fecal streptococcus
- E. coli were found in water from 30% of the 88 wells
- Bacteria were more likely in water from wells in agricultural areas
- Bacteria were more likely in water from wells in the Ridge and Valley Province
- E. coli concentrations were higher in areas underlain by carbonate bedrock
- Correlations between bacteria concentrations and well characteristics and water-quality constituents are small
Microbiological Monitoring Of Groundwater Used As A Source Of Drinking Water (NAWQA Cycle 3)
Below are publications associated with this project, or related to domestic well water quality.
Bacteriological quality of ground water used for household supply, Lower Susquehanna River basin, Pennsylvania and Maryland
Mapping areas of groundwater susceptible to transient contamination events from rapid infiltration into shallow fractured-rock aquifers in agricultural regions of the conterminous United States
Microbiological quality of water from noncommunity supply wells in carbonate and crystalline aquifers of Pennsylvania
- Overview
In fractured bedrock aquifers used for domestic supply conditions can exist where contaminants such as bacteria are not filtered out by the soil. Once in the fracture system, little additional filtration takes place.
The results of a synotic sampling of domestic wells in the Lower Susquehanna River basin, Pennsylvania and Maryland, showed that bacteria concentrations were higher in areas with high levels of agricultural activity, likely due to the application of manure on farm fields.
Highlights
- 146 domestic supply wells sampled for bacteria
- Bacteria were found in 80% of the wells sampled
- 70% of the samples were positive for total coliform
- 25% of the samples were positive for fecal coliform
- 65% of the samples were positive for fecal streptococcus
- E. coli were found in water from 30% of the 88 wells
- Bacteria were more likely in water from wells in agricultural areas
- Bacteria were more likely in water from wells in the Ridge and Valley Province
- E. coli concentrations were higher in areas underlain by carbonate bedrock
- Correlations between bacteria concentrations and well characteristics and water-quality constituents are small
- Science
Microbiological Monitoring Of Groundwater Used As A Source Of Drinking Water (NAWQA Cycle 3)
The National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) has been sampling public supply wells and domestic wells across the U.S. since 2013 for a broad suite of microbiological indicators including total coliform s , E. coli, enterococci, F-specific coliphage , somatic coliphage, and aerobic endospores. USGS scientists in Ohio and Massachusetts are collaborating on the analysis of microbiological... - Publications
Below are publications associated with this project, or related to domestic well water quality.
Bacteriological quality of ground water used for household supply, Lower Susquehanna River basin, Pennsylvania and Maryland
This report describes the bacteriological results of a ground-water study conducted from 1993 to 1995 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program in the Lower Susquehanna River Basin study unit. Water samples collected from 146 household supply wells were analyzed for fecal-indicator organisms including total coliform, fecal coliform, Escherichia coli (E. coliAuthorsTammy M. Bickford, Bruce D. Lindsey, M.R. BeaverMapping areas of groundwater susceptible to transient contamination events from rapid infiltration into shallow fractured-rock aquifers in agricultural regions of the conterminous United States
Current time-invariant groundwater vulnerability assessments may not capture intermittent contamination events in landscape areas that experience rapid infiltration following precipitation or snowmelt. Occurrences of rapid infiltration and intermittent degradation of groundwater quality are frequently reported in fractured-rock aquifers. This investigation identifies landscape areas underlain by fAuthorsAllen M. Shapiro, James A. FalconeMicrobiological quality of water from noncommunity supply wells in carbonate and crystalline aquifers of Pennsylvania
Samples were collected from 59 noncommunity water supplies in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from September 2000 to January 2001 and analyzed for pathogens and microbiological indicator organisms. The pathogens sampled were culturable viruses and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). The indicator organisms sampled were total coliform, Escherichia coli (E. coli), Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringeAuthorsBruce D. Lindsey, Jennifer S. Rasberry, Tammy M. Zimmerman