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RESTORATION OF MUNICIPAL DRINKING WATER SUPPLY WELLS IMPACTED BY NATURALLY OCCURRING ARSENIC
Citation:
Puls*, R W. RESTORATION OF MUNICIPAL DRINKING WATER SUPPLY WELLS IMPACTED BY NATURALLY OCCURRING ARSENIC. Presented at Oklahoma Conf. of Mayors, Ada, OK, June 18, 2004.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
Studies have indicated that arsenic concentrations greater than the newly proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 micrograms per liter (ug/L) occur in specific parts of numerous aquifers around the United States. One such aquifer is the Central Oklahoma aquifer. Concentrations as high as 230 ug/L have been reported in some drinking water supply wells from this aquifer. Arsenic-bearing sandstones appear to be the source of the arsenic. It may be possible to isolate these arsenic-bearing zones from water supply wells, enabling production of water that complies with drinking water standards. More data and methods to assess the specific distribution of arsenic in aquifers are needed to improve our predictions for arsenic occurrence in water supply aquifers. Research is also needed to assess whether we can retrofit existing water supply wells to isolate arsenic-bearing strata in these aquifers.