How frequently are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) detected in groundwater?
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are widely used in the manufacture of many products including refrigerants, plastics, adhesives, paints, and petroleum products, have been detected in about one-third of the wells sampled by the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Chloroform and other trihalomethanes, the most commonly detected compounds, were found in about 9 percent of the sampled wells. Solvents, particularly chlorinated solvents, were found in about 8 percent of sampled wells. VOCs predominantly occur in urban areas, often in mixtures; specifically, 2 or more compounds were found in about one quarter of the sampled urban wells.
Related Content
Why does my drinking water look cloudy sometimes?
Where can I find information about my local drinking water supply?
What can cause our water to have an earthy odor or to smell like rotten eggs?
Where can I find information about bottled water?
What can be causing our drinking water to have a reddish color?
Where can I get my well water tested?
Where can I find detailed sampling methods for surface water and groundwater?
If the ground filters water, is groundwater always clean?
How important is groundwater?
Quality of Water from Domestic Wells in Principal Aquifers of the United States, 1991-2004: Overview of Major Findings
More than 43 million people - about 15 percent of the U.S. population - rely on domestic wells as their source of drinking water (Hutson and others, 2004). The quality and safety of water from domestic wells, also known as private wells, are not regulated by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act or, in most cases, by state laws. Rather, individual...
DeSimone, Leslie A.; Hamilton, Pixie A.; Gilliom, Robert J.
Volatile organic compounds in the nation's ground water and drinking-water supply wells - a summary
Moran, Michael J.; Hamilton, Pixie A.; Zogorski, John S.
Volatile organic compounds in the nation's ground water and drinking-water supply wells
This national assessment of 55 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ground water gives emphasis to the occurrence of VOCs in aquifers that are used as an important supply of drinking water. In contrast to the monitoring of VOC contamination of ground water at point-source release sites, such as landfills and leaking underground storage tanks (...
Zogorski, John S.; Carter, Janet M.; Ivahnenko, Tamara; Lapham, Wayne W.; Moran, Michael J.; Rowe, Barbara L.; Squillace, Paul J.; Toccalino, Patricia L.
The Quality of the Nation’s Groundwater: Progress on a National Survey
The U.S. Geological Survey is near the midpoint of a complex undertaking to survey the quality of the nation’s largest drinking-water resource.
Current website: https://www.usgs.gov/news/quality-nation-s-groundwater-progress-a-nation...
Study Estimates about 2.1 Million People using Wells High in Arsenic
Most Arsenic Presumed to be From Naturally Occurring Sources
High Levels of Radon Found in Some Wells Across Pennsylvania
A new U.S. Geological Survey study has discovered high levels of radon in wells across certain areas of Pennsylvania.
USGS Finds Elevated Levels of Arsenic, Radon, Methane in Some Private Wells in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Tests of 75 private drinking water wells in Lycoming County, in north-central Pennsylvania, found water from most of the sampled wells contained concentrations of radon that exceeded a proposed, nonbinding health standard for drinking water. Smaller percentages of the wells contained concentrations of arsenic or methane that exceed existing drinking water standards.
New Study Shows High Potential for Groundwater to be Corrosive in Half of U.S. States
An analysis of more than 20,000 wells nationwide shows 25 states have groundwater that has either high or very high potential to be corrosive...
USGS scientist sampling groundwater at recharge site 6
USGS scientist sampling groundwater at recharge site 6
USGS scientist collects groundwater samples to determine water quality
USGS scientist, Rick Arnold collects groundwater samples to determine water quality.
The USGS is near the midpoint of a complex undertaking to survey the quality of the nation’s largest drinking-water resource. From 2012 – 2023, the USGS is assessing groundwater throughout the country through extensive sampling. The latest results from five regional aquifers are
...
305(b) groundwater quality sampling
305(b) groundwater quality sampling
Quality of Our Nation's Groundwater
USGS will describe the occurrence of contaminants in groundwater, how natural features and human activities can affect groundwater quality, and how models are being used to predict contaminant concentrations in unmonitored areas and inform water-resource management decisions.
Groundwater sampling - Long Island
USGS staffer collecting groundwater sample on Long Island
Sampling groundwater
USGS Scientist Lisa Carper testing groundwater samples
Collecting Groundwater Samples - Long Island, New York in July 2017
Collecting Groundwater Samples from a Well on Long Island: The image above shows USGS scientists pumping a deep Lloyd aquifer observation well in Long Beach, NY. To ensure that water-quality samples represent the formation water, the well is pumped for an extended period of time or until at least three casing volumes are removed and measured field
...
USGS employee sampling surface water and groundwater photo
Claire Rose filling out paper work while conducting ground water/surface water sampling on the Steele Bayou River in MS Delta.
