Evaluation of household water quality in Augusta County, Virginia

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dc.contributorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
dc.contributorDepartment of Biological Systems Engineeringen
dc.contributorVirginia Cooperative Extensionen
dc.contributor.authorRoss, Burton Blakeen
dc.contributor.authorCampbell, C. L.en
dc.contributor.authorSwisher, Jerry M.en
dc.contributor.authorParrott, Kathleen R.en
dc.contributor.authorBourne, Amanda C.en
dc.coverage.countryUnited Statesen
dc.coverage.countyAugusta Countyen
dc.coverage.stateVirginiaen
dc.date.accessioned2013-07-30T16:38:36Zen
dc.date.available2013-07-30T16:38:36Zen
dc.date.issued2000-07en
dc.description.abstractDuring Summer 1999, a program of household water quality education, which included water sampling, testing, and diagnosis, was conducted in Augusta County, Virginia. Participation in the water quality program was made available to any Augusta County resident who utilized a private, individual water supply. During the course of the project, 153 households submitted water samples which were analyzed for iron, manganese, hardness, sulfate, chlorid fluoride, total dissolved solids, pH, saturation index, copper, sodium, nitrate, and total colifor and E. coli bacteria. These analyses identified the major household water quality problems in Augusta County as iron/manganese, hardness, total dissolved solids, and bacteria. Additionally, a number of samples were determined to have concentrations of sodium high enough to possibly lead to health complications for at-risk segments of the population. After the completion of the general water testing program, water supplies from 5 households were resampled for the testing of 23 pesticides and other chemical compounds. None of the samples had a concentration of any of these contaminants exceeding EPA Health Advisor or Maximum Contaminant Levels. A total of five detections were observed in three separate samples. Following completion of the program, a survey was mailed to the 153 participants. Ninety-four participants returned survey forms on which they identified their reason(s) for participating in such a program; the primary reason being concern about safety of their water supply. Returned survey forms also provided insight into measures participants had already taken, or planned to take, to improve the quality of their water supply. More than one-half of the households who reported having at least one water quality problem had taken, or planned to take, at least one measure to improve the quality of their water supply. Ten percent or more of all participants had taken, or planned to take, one or all of the following actions: purchase 1 rent water treatment equipment, improve existing water treatment, and shock chlorinate the water system.en
dc.format.extentvi, 34 pagesen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/23554en
dc.language.isoen_USen
dc.publisherVirginia Cooperative Extensionen
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPublication (Virginia Cooperative Extension) ; 442-934en
dc.relation.ispartofseriesHousehold water quality series ; 44en
dc.rightsVirginia Cooperative Extension materials are available for public use, re-print, or citation without further permission, provided the use includes credit to the author and to Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, and Virginia State University.en
dc.subject.lccLD5655.A522 A345en
dc.subject.lcshWater quality -- Virginia -- Augusta Countyen
dc.titleEvaluation of household water quality in Augusta County, Virginiaen
dc.typeExtension publicationen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten

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