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Groundwater quality of individual wells and small systems in Arizona
Author(s) -
MarreroOrtiz Roberto,
Riley Kelley R.,
Karpiscak Martin K.,
Gerba Charles P.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8833.2009.tb09962.x
Subject(s) - groundwater , water quality , environmental science , fecal coliform , water well , arsenic , environmental chemistry , environmental engineering , hydrology (agriculture) , chemistry , biology , ecology , geology , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry
A study of the microbial, physical, and chemical quality of nondisinfected individual and small groundwater drinking water systems in Arizona was conducted. Forty‐nine groundwater sources were tested (10 small public water systems and 39 individual wells). Forty‐three percent of the systems were positive for total coliforms, 16% for fecal coliforms, and 4% for Escherichia coli. Twenty‐nine percent of the wells were positive for enterococci, and 57% for Aeromonas hydrophila. Helicobacter pylori, noroviruses, rotaviruses, adenoviruses, enteroviruses, and hepatitis A were not detected. Metals that exceeded drinking water standards included arsenic, aluminum, iron, lead, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and uranium. Most of the metals evaluated in this study were at greater concentrations in public drinking water systems than in individual wells. In total, 95% of the well water sources exceeded at least one primary and/or secondary drinking water standard.