Water Quality from Private Wells in Georgia

Proceedings of the 1991 Georgia Water Resources Conference, March 19-20, 1991, Athens, Georgia.In the early 1980s the University of Georgia initiated a water testing program for the use of individual clientele in Georgia. This paper presents a summary of the water test results from 896 private wells throughout the state. Even though the water samples were not randomly collected, the information reveals much about the types of contamination problems commonly encountered and the regional variations which occur. The information contained herein reinforces the need for educational efforts to encourage private well owners to have their water tested to ensure a safe supply of drinking water. It also has implications for the water treatment industry, currently one of the fastest growing businesses in the United States. The well problems which show up most frequently are naturally occurring minerals such as iron and manganese. Fortunately, the majority of these are simply nuisance problems and are not considered health-threatening. On the other hand, some problems which are potential health threats have been identified. Examples include nitrates and lead, both of which usually result from man's activities.Sponsored by U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, and Georgia Institute of Technology.This book was published by the Institute of Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602 with partial funding provided by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Geological Survey, through the Georgia Water Research Institute as authorized by the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 (P.L. 98242). The views and statements advanced in this publication are solely those of the authors and do not represent official views or policies of The University of Georgia or the U.S. Geological Survey or the conference sponsors