Is Delmarva's Water Safe?

By D. J. Shannahan

President, CWS-VI, CCO, CI


We've all heard that we should drink more water. Some of us may even be on a program to drink 6 - 8 glasses of water each day. But are we sure we are drinking only safe, quality water?

Our bodies are made up of approximately 70% water. 85% of the gray matter of the brain is water. Water serves to lubricate joints, equalize body temperature, conduct sound and support equilibrium, and many other essential functions. Understanding this, it makes sense that we put only the highest possible quality water in our bodies.

Living on Delmarva, there are several things we should understand. First, other than a few water supplies in the Wilmington area, the water on Delmarva comes exclusively from wells, even if you have municipally provided water. Second, there are no confined aquifers on Delmarva. An aquifer is an underground water source that moves toward a zone of discharge, typically a river, lake, or a wetland. Being "unconfined" means that surface water and contaminants enter these aquifers. And third, water is the universal solvent. It attempts to dissolve everything it comes in contact with. In a farming area such as ours, this includes fertilizers, pesticides, volatile organic compounds (VOC's) such as petroleum products, and numerous other contaminants.

All new wells must be tested for portability by the Health Department. If your well has less than 10 parts per million (ppm) nitrates and has no bacteria growth, it is deemed potable. But what about the numerous other contaminants that are known carcinogens, and thousands of other chemicals and chemical compounds. Currently the EPA regulates a very small percentage of these contaminants, and establishing acceptable levels and approved treatment technologies can take years. Should we wait for tougher standards, or should we act now to protect ourselves from harmful, potentially deadly contaminants?

National rankings for cancer mortality place Delaware at number 2 and Maryland at #6! Maryland's Eastern Shore is significantly higher than the Western Shore. Coincidence? Not likely. It is estimated that 1/3 of all wells in Sussex County exceed the EPA standard of 10 ppm nitrates. Nitrates are created on the surface when nitrogen and oxygen combine. The presence of nitrates indicates that surface contamination is entering the well. Even if you may not be at risk from the nitrates themselves, it is possible that other contaminants have also traveled from the surface to the aquifer your well draws from.

The only way to insure you are drinking quality water is to purchase bottled water or purify it at your home with one of many water treatment devices available. I will discuss these in greater detail in our next article, or you may contact us at 800-439-3853.