Groundwater in the Great Lakes Basin

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Figure 1. Number* of waterborne-disease outbreaks associated with drinking water by year and etiologic agent – United States 1971-2004. wide data reveal very few reported outbreaks of disease related to chemicals in groundwater. There may well be many unreported cases, especially of milder illness. Knobeloch et al. (2000) reported on two cases of blue baby syndrome in Wisconsin. Both babies were bottlefed. The formula was reconstituted with water from private wells with levels of 22.9 and 27.4 mg/L nitrate at the time of the infants’ illness. MMWR (1993) reported a case of blue baby syndrome in a six-week-old girl in Wisconsin. The well water had a concentration of 39.6 mg/L nitrate-nitrogen. Elevated copper levels also were found in the tap water. A reverse osmosis unit on the plumbing system failed to reduce nitrate levels in the drinking water adequately to prevent blue baby syndrome. The tap water was used to reconstitute infant formula. SURVEILLANCE AND MONITORING FOR CHEMICALS IN GROUNDWATER Ontario Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network The Ontario Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (OPGMN) is a partnership program of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment with the local conservation authorities and local municipalities where there are no local conservation authorities (OPGMN, 2007). The OPGMN now has 423 wells that are located in various areas, including contaminated sites. The local conservation authorities or municipalities collect water from these wells. The wells are monitored for the ambient (baseline) groundwater quantity, flow and quality of specific aquifers. This information helps establish baseline conditions and assess how groundwater is affected by land use and water use. The OPGMN monitors groundwater for chemical exceedences in accordance to the Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards (O. Reg. 169/03) under the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002. The program also uses the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality and the Ministry Guidelines for Use at Contaminated Sites in Ontario to determine which chemicals are of interest and may exceed the “upper limit” (threshold value used when a chemical is not included in O. Reg. 169/03). The information collected is intended to help identify trends and emerging issues and provide guidance to local decision-making authorities in their resource management decisions. Two of the pesticides of note that were detected from the monitoring wells are chlorpyrifos and diazinon. The OPGMN has reported that none of the pesticides detected are in exceedence of the Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards (Grgic, personal communication). CONCLUSIONS Chemical contamination of groundwater is a threat to the health of residents in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin. The chemicals of widespread concern are arsenic, fluoride, radionuclides, radon, uranium and manganese in certain geological areas, and nitrates/ nitrites and atrazine in agricultural areas where they have been used extensively. Many chlorinated solvents and other VOCs are a concern either because of disposal in landfills, hazardous waste sites, spills or leaking underground storage tanks. Trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene and benzene are the most serious concerns. Groundwater is not a major route of exposure to pesticides, but atrazine may be the exception. 51
52 REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY Ash, R. (2004). Keynote Address. 4 th International Pharmaceuticals and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Water Conference, October 13-15, 2004. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Bassin, E.B., Wypij, D., Davis, R.B., & Mittleman, M.A. (2006). Age-specific fluoride exposure in drinking water and osteosarcoma. Cancer Causes and Control, 17(4), 421-428. Bouchard, M., Laforest, F., Vandelac, L., Bellinger, D., & Mergler, D. (2007). Hair manganese and hyperactive behaviors: Pilot study of school-age children exposed through tap water. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115, 122-127. Cameco. (2007). UF6 Plant Update. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from http://www.cameco.com/media_gateway/news_releases/2007/ port_hope_diagram.php. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2003, Summer). Fact Sheet. Nitrate and Drinking Water from Private Wells. 2 pp. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/ healthywater/factsheets/pdf/nitrate.pdf. Christen, K. (2007). Removing emerging contaminants from drinking water. Environmental Science and Technology Online News. November 21, 2007. Retrieved November 22, 2007 from http:// pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2007/nov/tech/ kc_EDCs_removal.html. Craun, G.F., Greathouse, D.G., & Gunderson, D.H. (1981). Methaemoglobin levels in young children consuming high nitrate well water in the United States. International Journal of Epidemiology, 10(4), 309-317. Durlach, J., Bara, M., & Guiet-Bara, A. (1985). Magnesium levels in drinking water and cardiovascular risk factor: A hypothesis. Magnesium, 4(1), 5-15. Environment Canada. (2004). How We Contaminate Groundwater. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from http://www.ec.gc.ca/Water/en/ manage/poll/e_howgrd.htm. Environment Canada. (2000). Leaking Underground Storage tanks and Piping. Retrieved January 4, 2008, from http://www.ec.gc.ca/ water/en/nature/grdwtr/e_lust.htm. Fiore, M.C., Anderson, H.A., Hong, R., Golubjatnikov, R., Seiser, J.E., Nordstrom, D., Hanrahan, L., & Belluck, D. (1986). Chronic exposure to aldicarb-contaminated groundwater and human immune function. Environmental Research, 41, 633-645. Glaser, A. (2004). The ubiquitous triclosan: A common antibacterial agent exposed. Pesticides and You, 24(3), 12-17. Greenlee, A.R., Arbuckle, T.E., & Chou, P.H. (2003). Risk factors for female infertility in an agricultural region. Epidemiology, 14(4), 429-436. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/watereau/doc_sup-appui/index_e.html. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Aldicarb (02/1987). Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/doc_sup-appui/aldicarb-aldicarbe/ index_e.html. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Aldrin and Dieldrin (10/1994). Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewhsemt/pubs/water-eau/doc_sup-appui/aldrin-dieldrine/index_e.html. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Arsenic (05/2006). Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/doc_sup-appui/arsenic/index_e.html. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Atrazine (04/1993). Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007, from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/doc_sup-appui/atrazine/index_e.html. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Benzene (04/1986). Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/doc_sup-appui/benzene/index_e.html. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Fluoride (08/1996). Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/doc_sup-appui/fluoride-fluorure/ index_e.html. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Hardness (02/1979). Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/doc_sup-appui/hardness-durete/ index_e.html. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Manganese (11/1987). Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/ water-eau/doc_sup-appui/manganese/index_e.html. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (07/2006). Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007 from http://www. hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/doc_sup-appui/mtbe/ index_e.html. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Nitrate/nitrite (06/1987). Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/ water-eau/doc_sup-appui/nitrate_nitrite/index_e.html. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Radiological Characteristics (02/1995). Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007 from http://www. hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/doc_sup-appui/radiological_characteristics/index_e.html. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Radon (05/1995). Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/doc_sup-appui/radon/index_e.html. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Sodium (12/1992). Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/doc_sup-appui/sodium/index_e.html. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. (2007). Guideline Technical Documents. Tetrachloroethylene (10/1995). Health Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2007 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/ pubs/water-eau/doc_sup-appui/tetrachloroethylene/index_e.html.
Page 1 and 2:
AReportoftheGreatLakesScienceAdviso
Page 3 and 4:
Citation: Great Lakes Science Advis
Page 6:
Commissioners’ Preface The Great
Page 9 and 10: 2 required to monitor basin groundw
Page 11 and 12: 4 Systems have a 30-year lifespan d
Page 13 and 14: 6 Groundwater quality is routinely
Page 15 and 16: 8 Transmittal Letter Groundwater/An
Page 17 and 18: 10 Acknowledgements, Activities and
Page 19 and 20: APPENDICES Appendices A through L p
Page 21 and 22: INTRODUCTION Groundwater, a major n
Page 23 and 24: 16 DESCRIPTION OF NATURAL SYSTEMS M
Page 25 and 26: that are not substantially affected
Page 27 and 28: Estimates of the Level and Extent o
Page 29 and 30: APPENDIX B Threats to Groundwater Q
Page 31 and 32: 24 PATHOGENS Bacteria, viruses and
Page 33 and 34: Viruses Viral pathogens continue to
Page 35 and 36: SPECIFIC EPISODES Walkerton In 2000
Page 37 and 38: 30 season. The sampling sites inclu
Page 39 and 40: 32 Curriero, F.C., Patz, J.A., Rose
Page 41 and 42: Infection of a suitable host specie
Page 44 and 45: APPENDIX C Threats to Groundwater Q
Page 46 and 47: Road salt has significant toxic eff
Page 48 and 49: converted to nitrite in the human s
Page 50 and 51: Atrazine Atrazine is an extensively
Page 52 and 53: Wisconsin DNR keeps track of about
Page 54 and 55: Table 1. Chemical Contaminants in G
Page 56 and 57: isks for 23 diseases in six contigu
Page 60 and 61: Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Wa
Page 62 and 63: APPENDIX D Threats to Groundwater Q
Page 64 and 65: Figure 1. Source: General Descripti
Page 66 and 67: (Gorman and Halvorsen, 2006). Any s
Page 68 and 69: Table 3. Washtenaw County, Michigan
Page 70 and 71: that the OWTS would last until it w
Page 72 and 73: REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY Aglie,
Page 74: Septic Tanks - Septic Tank Articles
Page 77 and 78: INTRODUCTION Leaking underground st
Page 79 and 80: sites that were previously closed,
Page 81 and 82: Table 1. USTs in Great Lakes States
Page 83 and 84: Estimation of Costs for Remediation
Page 85 and 86: Table 6. Operational Compliance of
Page 87 and 88: 80 Indiana Government. (2007, Febru
Page 89 and 90: 82 GLOSSARY AST - above ground stor
Page 91 and 92: INTRODUCTION 84 Hazardous wastes ar
Page 93 and 94: The town of Kincardine, Ontario, ha
Page 95 and 96: 88 • The monitoring and surveilla
Page 97 and 98: However, the U.S. EPA has been relu
Page 99 and 100: 92 Johnson, B.L. & DeRosa, C.T. (19
Page 101 and 102: PAHs - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocar
Page 103 and 104: INTRODUCTION An abandoned well is d
Page 105 and 106: Figure 6: Leaking oil well Source:
Page 107 and 108: CONTAMINANT SOURCES 100 During any
Page 109 and 110:
Nearly 16 million operational water
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• Development of a targeted progr
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106 Michigan Department of Environm
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APPENDIX H Threats to Groundwater Q
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far reaching. Road salt can inhibit
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112 Desalinization Potential water
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Gray, J. (2004, January). Brine Spr
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INTRODUCTION 116 In 2003 there were
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118 feed has increased to upwards o
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References and Bibliography 120 Arn
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APPENDIX J Threats to Groundwater Q
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for recreational purposes and destr
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126 errors (human or mechanical), p
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Apparent Losses Old meters are like
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Figure 6. Examples of Windsor, Onta
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REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY 132 Ada
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134 Levy, S. (2004, November 16). T
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APPENDIX K The Châteauguay Transbo
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138 the clay sediments of the St. L
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REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY Bureau
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INTRODUCTION 142 Groundwater law ac
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144 • Water withdrawn be returned
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146 found to be failing. Now, with
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Part 373: Third Stage Treatment Lag
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150 Chapter 1501:15 Soil and Water
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152 Title 29 - Water Resources Mana
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APPENDIX M List of Acronyms ADHD -
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Groundwater in the Great Lakes Basin

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