Human viruses in deep groundwater threaten drinking water supplies
- added May 11, 2008
- 5 responses
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- JanforGore
- added this
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- related topics
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- Earth and Science (7154)
- Environment (3751)
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- water infrastructure (3)
- Water-borne diseases (2)
- acquifers (1)
Researchers testing deep aquifers used for drinking water found human viruses, challenging the assumption that these crucial water supplies are protected from surface contamination.
Samples from three public water supply wells that draw from a 240-foot deep aquifer in Wisconsin contained human intestinal viruses, which as a group are associated with diseases such as meningitis, encephalitis, newborn enteroviral disease and polio.
Deep aquifers are a source of drinking water for many people.
Context:
Municipal drinking water wells are often drilled deep into the ground to reach aquifers lying under relatively impermeable layers called aquitards. Aquifers bounded above and below by aquitards are called contained aquifers. The aquitards are thought to protect the aquifers from surface contamination.
Shallow groundwater near waste water injection well sites can contain bacteria and viruses. Injecting waste water from treatment plants into the ground to recharge wells continues even though it's been known for 30 years that the recharged well water can be contaminated with pathogens (Vaughn et al. 1978). Bacteria found in human intestines have been measured as well in aquifers in the United Kingdom (Powell et al. 2003).
Viruses have a greater likelihood of reaching aquifers to contaminate drinking water than bacteria, protozoa and other waterborne, disease-causing organisms because their small size may allow them to pass through aquitards to reach aquifer waters. Until now, this possibility has not been tested explicitly. In a survey of over 400 sites across the United States, groundwater samples tested positive for at least one virus type (Abbaszadegan et al. 2003). This study, however, did not identify which of the aquifers were contained aquifers.
Samples from three public water supply wells that draw from a 240-foot deep aquifer in Wisconsin contained human intestinal viruses, which as a group are associated with diseases such as meningitis, encephalitis, newborn enteroviral disease and polio.
Deep aquifers are a source of drinking water for many people.
Context:
Municipal drinking water wells are often drilled deep into the ground to reach aquifers lying under relatively impermeable layers called aquitards. Aquifers bounded above and below by aquitards are called contained aquifers. The aquitards are thought to protect the aquifers from surface contamination.
Shallow groundwater near waste water injection well sites can contain bacteria and viruses. Injecting waste water from treatment plants into the ground to recharge wells continues even though it's been known for 30 years that the recharged well water can be contaminated with pathogens (Vaughn et al. 1978). Bacteria found in human intestines have been measured as well in aquifers in the United Kingdom (Powell et al. 2003).
Viruses have a greater likelihood of reaching aquifers to contaminate drinking water than bacteria, protozoa and other waterborne, disease-causing organisms because their small size may allow them to pass through aquitards to reach aquifer waters. Until now, this possibility has not been tested explicitly. In a survey of over 400 sites across the United States, groundwater samples tested positive for at least one virus type (Abbaszadegan et al. 2003). This study, however, did not identify which of the aquifers were contained aquifers.
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- JanforGore
- 2 months ago
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Scary. What do you think of newer greener filtation methods like zweed that are both more organicaly inspired and more efective?
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Not sure if they stop viruses from seeping deeper depending on the infrastructure and cracks in aquitards.
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- JanforGore
- 2 months ago
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It does apear as though zweed does in fact stop viruses and bacteria but I agree the question is more about the infrastructure rather than the technology. This is one of the areas where green investment in our infrastructure may be key however. Beefing up natural filtration around these facilities and going with more green methods of filtration. The zweed system seems more cost efficient as well and the savings could be applied to aditional facilities and facility maintenence which is key.
Sadly I think that this critical issue is one that isn't getting the light it deserves. However I think its one that the next president will adress because we are aware of the overhaul that is needed in infrastructure improvements. -
We will all need to eventually have filtration and decontamination systems to purify our water.
Where we have our property in Florence, Oregon we have a very pure artesian spring that has a high mineral content. But we still have the water through an UV light and Cotton filters. -
well i tell you i think some erevisable damage has all ready been done. we can still prevent future contamination, but all the years before is what will come back to haunt us.
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- arizonamike
- 2 months ago
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