City request for well water test results
Dear Gustavus Resident,
Water quality, particularly safe drinking water, is an issue of concern to Gustavus residents as highlighted in the City’s 2005 Strategic Plan. We hope to begin addressing this concern in 2006 by collecting baseline information.
Private home well water test results could help us to understand the range in water quality variability and whether there are in fact water quality concerns in Gustavus. As some of you may know, arsenic levels in area wells may periodically exceed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. Arsenic is a naturally occurring element in rocks, soil, and water. Long term exposure can have negative health effects. The EPA has set the arsenic standard for drinking water at 10 parts per billion and the State of Alaska has adopted this standard.
If you have had a home water quality test within the last ten years we would appreciate it if you would consider voluntarily sharing those results. Original copies of water quality reports would be appreciated. You can drop by City Hall and we can provide copy service if you wish to retain the original report. Or you can just send an original copy by mail.
Well water quality information will be associated by spatial location, data-based, and evaluated. The use of existing information to assess well water quality throughout Gustavus represents an efficient, low cost, low effort method that will inform our next steps toward achieving an understanding of Gustavus water quality.
Thank you for your contribution to understanding Gustavus water quality.
Sincerely,
Mayor Sandi Marchbanks
For more information on arsenic in drinking water please see EPA’s website:
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/arsenic/basicinformation.html
Analytica Alaska, Inc. in Juneau (ph. 780-6668) provides home well water testing. Their basic test for arsenic is $55. Their next level of testing (for arsenic, nitrate and total coliform bacteria; recommended) is $100. If you contact them and arrange for their services they will send you a test kit (cooler, sampling bottles and instructions) for home well water sampling.
