NHDES Private Well Initiatives

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NHDESPrivate Well Initiatives

• Paul Susca
• Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau
• N.H. Department of Environmental Services

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N.H. Domestic Water Supply Sources
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Private Wells in N.H.

• Serve 37 44 of residents
• Water quality not regulated by State
  (unsatisfactory water test disclosure)
• Rarely tested as recommended
• Exposure to natural contaminants a significant
  issue
• Est. 33 gt 4,000 pCi/L state rec. action level Rn
• Est. 95 gt 300 pCi/L proposed fed. MCL Rn
• Est. 20 gt 10 ppb MCL As
• Est. 7 gt 30 ppb MCL U
• Yield an issue for 3-9 of wells
• Impact of withdrawals a concern in some areas

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Issues with Well Yield

• Complaints regarding yield at new homes
• Water Well Board recommendation
• Minimum 600 gal/2 hours once/day (5 gpm)
• Optimum 960 gal/4 hours (4 gpm)
• Based on well completion reports
• 3 do not supply minimum
• 9 do not supply optimum

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NHDES Private Well Testing Recommendations

• When
• New well
• Buying a home
• Repeat every 3-5 yrs
• Annually (Basic Analysis)
• Noticeable changes

• What
• Basic Analysis (30)
• Bacteria (TC, E coli)
• Nitrate nitrite
• Chloride
• Standard Analysis (85)
• 14 parameters
• Radiological (80)
• Radon
• Analytical Gross Alpha
• VOCs (120)
• Others if indicated

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Private Well Working Group2007-2009

• Home Builders and Remodelers Assoc.
• Association of Realtors
• Water Well Board
• Well Drillers
• Plumbing Board
• Health Officer Assoc.
• Regional Planning Commissions

• NH DES
• NH DHHS
• US Geological Survey
• NH Geological Survey
• Code Enforcement, Building Inspector
• UNH Sea Grant Cooperative Extension

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PWWG White Paper

• Private wells serve large and growing portion of
  population
• High levels of natural contaminants affect
  significant percentage of private wells
• Yield of private wells is a health issue
• Existing state local programs do not ensure
  testing treatment
• Eight policy options described

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Existing State Programs

• DES Private Well Initiative (outreach since
  2000)
• Impact difficult to measure, appears short-lived
• NH Water Well Board
• Licenses drillers and pump installers
• Addresses well construction, etc.
• State Plumbing Code
• Requires potable water
• Standards not clear
• Real Estate Statute requires disclosure of known
  problems existing water test data
• Housing Standards requires adequate supply of
  water
• Voluntary certification of water treatment
  technicians

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Most Private Well Testing Does Not Include
Recommended Health-Based Parameters
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American Academy of PediatricsPolicy Statement
on Private Wells Children
Meanwhile . . .

• Recommendations to government (May 2009)
• States should require testing when a dwelling is
  sold, and results made available to buyer
• Local governments should provide access to
  information about local groundwater conditions
  and recommendations for testing
• Testing should be convenient and free or
  inexpensive
• Small community systems should not be routinely
  exempted from testing

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Minority Report

• N.H. Association of REALTORS
• Opposed to point-of-sale mandates due to cost and
  delay
• Notification of known problems already required
• Standard REALTORS PS form enables to buyer to
  opt into water testing, incl. Radon
• Concerned about potential fines for sellers
• Question benefit
• Home Builders Remodelers Assoc.
• Chilling effect on home sales
• Shift of responsibility to seller
• Both support overall goal no objection to new
  well testing

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HB 1685 (2010) The Basics

• New wells and deepening of existing wells
• Pump installer takes sample, sends to lab
• Lab sends results pump installed provides
  results to owner owner signs acknowledgement
• Home sale prior to executing Purchase Sale
• Seller takes sample, sends to lab
• Lab sends results seller provides results to
  buyer buyer signs acknowledgement
• OR buyer opts out of testing
• Nothing is sent to or filed with DES

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Whats Next for Private Wells at NHDES

• Model ordinance being finalized
• Work with NHAR on disclosure form?
• Continue mailings to new well owners
• National Unregulated Drinking Water Initiative
  (CDC)