Authors:

Lillian Grace Maldia

Date Created:

Not specified

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About Paper:

The United States Government does not regulate private domestic wells; therefore, owners are responsible for their drinking water safety. While testing water quality is important, it is commonly neglected due to cost and time, and especially little is known about the microbial water quality outside of fecal pathogen risks following flooding. This study employed citizen-science to examine water quality and determine the impact of seasons on well water quality. Over the last year, 37 private well owners in Indiana provided 121 samples sourced from kitchen sinks and outdoor spigots. Six wells, previously sampled in April 2023, November 2023, and February 2024, will be resampled from kitchen sinks (hot and cold water samples) and outdoor spigots in July 2024. Continued sampling from these wells is expected to detect seasonal water quality deviations. All samples were measured for cell count, pH, dissolved oxygen, coliform, metals, nutrients, and extracted DNA. Most samples will be sequenced to quantify microbial communities. The DNA samples will be used to quantify bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Legionella pneumophila, and Mycobacterium with qPCR (quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction) analysis. The results from April and November sampling events were returned to the well- owners to enhance their understanding of quality risks and treatment efficacy. The July 2024 results are expected to reinforce the well water safety but may show seasonal deviations in water quality. While most samples were safe to drink based on EPA water quality standards, microbial data provides a first of its kind baseline for rural Indiana water. Keywords: Drinking Water; Pathogens; Safety; Well Water; Microbiome

Source:

Purdue University / 2024

Topics:

No topics listed

Co-authors:

Lillian Grace Maldia