USGS Posts Study on Results on Public-Supply Well Vulnerabilities

The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water–Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program has released new information from a 10 year study of factors affecting public-supply-well vulnerability to contamination.  The report, “Factors Affecting Public-Supply-Well Vulnerability to Contamination: Understanding Observed Water Quality and Anticipating Future Water Quality”, describes why it is important to understand the sources of recharge water for a well, the geochemical conditions encountered by water drawn into a well, the mixture of waters of different ages that simultaneously enter a well, and whether direct pathways exists in an aquifer that allow water and contaminants to rapidly move toward a well. The USGS tracked the movement of contaminants in public-supply wells in Modesto, Calif., Woodbury, Conn., near Tampa, Fla., York, Nebr., near Carson City and Sparks, Nev., Glassboro, N. J., Albuquerque, N. Mex., Dayton, Ohio, San Antonio, Tex., and Salt Lake City, Utah.

You can learn more about public-supply well vulnerability from USGS fact sheets and video podcasts on our website: http://oh.water.usgs.gov/tanc/NAWQATANC.htm.  If you have any questions regarding this report, please contact Sandra Eberts, study team leader, at smeberts@usgs.gov or at 614-430-7740.