The DEP has released it latest update to testing results from the Private Well Testing Act. Between 2002 and 2009 over 62,600 wells were tested across the state. Unfortunately one out of every eight wells was in violation of safe limits for arsenic, alpha, mercury, nitrates, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Some of these toxins are naturally occurring but the majority are a result of pollution and over development. Sprawl and over development create a serious groundwater pollution problem in New Jersey. A previous study found that one-third of wells are impacted by over development.
“New Jersey is failing when it comes to protecting families on individual wells from pollution. Not only do one-in-eight wells actually fail and are a risk to public health, but there are thousands of other wells that put people at risk. This is not only a serious health problem, but it shows that over development and the failure to clean up contaminated sites could be impacting people’s health,” said Jeff Tittel, Director, NJ Sierra Club.
New Jersey DEP groundwater standards are 2 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of nitrates in high quality watersheds and 5.6 mg/L everywhere else. However, the test is done to the Clean Water Act maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/L. 1689 wells in New Jersey exceeded this standard, roughly 1 in 37 wells. But more would be in violation if the New Jersey standards were used.
Wells across the state had levels over 100 mg/L: Hopatcong Borough’s maximum was 106 mg/L, Rockaway Township’s 153 mg/L, Upper Pittsgrove’s 109 mg/L and Mansfield Township (Burlington) had a well test at 480 mg/L. In two Cape May County towns the wells had over 60 mg/L. A well in Stafford Township tested at 72 mg/L, while Upper Deerfield Township reached 87.2 mg/L and Buena Vista reached 63.1 mg/L. Water coming out of a septic system is only 40 mg/L and some septics with denitrafication can lower that by a third to a half. This is due to broken systems or high density development.
http://www.nj.com/warrenreporter/index.ssf/2012/06/water_well_quality_is_worsenin.html
“New Jersey is failing when it comes to protecting families on individual wells from pollution. Not only do one-in-eight wells actually fail and are a risk to public health, but there are thousands of other wells that put people at risk. This is not only a serious health problem, but it shows that over development and the failure to clean up contaminated sites could be impacting people’s health,” said Jeff Tittel, Director, NJ Sierra Club.
New Jersey DEP groundwater standards are 2 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of nitrates in high quality watersheds and 5.6 mg/L everywhere else. However, the test is done to the Clean Water Act maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/L. 1689 wells in New Jersey exceeded this standard, roughly 1 in 37 wells. But more would be in violation if the New Jersey standards were used.
Wells across the state had levels over 100 mg/L: Hopatcong Borough’s maximum was 106 mg/L, Rockaway Township’s 153 mg/L, Upper Pittsgrove’s 109 mg/L and Mansfield Township (Burlington) had a well test at 480 mg/L. In two Cape May County towns the wells had over 60 mg/L. A well in Stafford Township tested at 72 mg/L, while Upper Deerfield Township reached 87.2 mg/L and Buena Vista reached 63.1 mg/L. Water coming out of a septic system is only 40 mg/L and some septics with denitrafication can lower that by a third to a half. This is due to broken systems or high density development.
http://www.nj.com/warrenreporter/index.ssf/2012/06/water_well_quality_is_worsenin.html
