Well Drilling Water Testing
Microbac Laboratories, Inc. can collect and analyze drinking and surface waters to characterize the condition of a water supply prior to gas well drilling, thus establishing a baseline of water quality. Shown below are recommendations for pre-gas well drilling water testing.
Recommended Testing Parameters
|
PA DEP 11/2010 List |
Penn State (Package Tier #) |
Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Analyte (Inorganic) |
|||
| Alkalinity | x | x(2) | - |
| Chloride | x | x(1) | 250 mg/L |
| Conductivity | x | - | |
| Hardness | x | x(2) | - |
| Oil & Grease | x | x(2) | - |
| pH* | x | x(1) | 6.5 - 8.5 s.u. |
| Sulfate | x | x(2) | 250 mg/L |
| Total Dissolved Solids * | x | x(1) | 500 mg/L |
| Total Suspened Solids | x | x(2) | - |
| MBAS (Surfactants) | x(2) | 0.5 mg/L | |
| Nitrate | x(2) | - | |
Analyte (Trace Metal) |
|||
| Barium | x | x(1) | 2 mg/L |
| Calcium | x | x(2) | - |
| Iron* | x | x(2) | 0.3 mg/L |
| Magnesium | x | x(2) | - |
| Manganese* | x | x(2) | 0.05 mg/L |
| Potassium | x | - | |
| Sodium* | x | x(2) | - |
| Strontium | x | x(2) | - |
| Lead | x(2) | 0.005** mg/L | |
| Arsenic | x(2) | - | |
Analyte (Organic) |
|||
| Ethane* | x | - | |
| Methane* | x | x(1) | - |
| Total Organic Carbon | x(2) | - | |
| VOC's (BTEX) | x(3) | ||
| Benzene | x | 0.005 mg/L | |
| Toluene | x | 1 mg/L | |
| Ethylbenzene | x | 0.07 mg/L | |
| Xylene | x | 10 mg/L | |
| Total Petroleum | x | - | |
| Hydrocarbons | |||
Analyte (Microbiology) |
|||
| Total Coliform/E.coli | x | x(2) | Absent |
Analyte (Radiological) |
|||
| Uranium | x | - | |
| Radium | x(3) | 5 pCi/L | |
| gross alpha | x(3) | 15 pCi/L | |
| gross beta | x | x | - |
| Radon | x(3) | - |
* PA DEP - As a minimum, a homeowner wishing to have their private well tested should analyze for these parameters.
**Lead primary MCLs are applicable only to bottled, vended, retail and bulk water hauling systems.
PA DEP: Department of Environmental Protection 5500-FS-DEP4300 11/2010
MCL's: PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION OF DRINKING WATER MANAGEMENT
MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level): The maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water which is delivered to a user of a public water system, and includes the primary and secondary MCLs established under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, and MCLs adopted under the act. For MCLs incorporated into this chapter by reference, the term refers to the numerical value and the means of determining compliance with that value and does not refer to the EPA applications to specific types of public water systems or sources.