drinking water

[Mary C. Simmons, Hydrologic Assistant, Albuquerque, NM]

Al said:

"I find it interesting that the Feds require testing drinking water 
        for myriad chemicals WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE USED ANYWHERE NEAR THE  
WATER WELL IN QUESTION "



Al, surely you are aware that water in wells comes from groundwater, which 
flows through the pore spaces of rocks or sediments?  

In a certain part of ALbuquerque, we have a chronic problem with nitrates in 
water wells, which causes "blue babies" and other uncomfortable physical 
problems.  No one knows where the nitrates are coming from, but the most 
likely place so far is thought to be from the Estancia Valley, which is some 
30 or so miles away, on the other side of a mountain range.  It is believed 
that perhaps the surface water that drains the Estancia Valley (a farming 
place) is full of fertilizers.  Some recharge to aquifers occurs from surface 
water drainages....so, though the source of contamination may not be "anywhere 
near" the drinking water, these two places are JNOT separate.

Most people are unaware of the serious water problems (mostly contamination by 
fertilizers, pesticides, and VOC's) we have nationwide.

Interested parties may view water research on the US Geological Survey's 
homepage and related pages (http://www.usgs.gov) and most particularly the 
Natinal Water Quality Assessment program, which is a collection of  the 
ongoing investigations  into the nation's river basins 
(http:///wwwvares.er.usgs.gov/nawqa/NAWQA.ofr94-70.html).

Mary.