October 28, 2011
by Sheila K. Bowen
Excerpt: Silent Spring Institute researchers will present the results of their study, “Emerging Contaminants in Cape Cod Private Drinking Water Wells,” Wednesday, Nov. 2, at Eastham Town Hall.
Dr. Laurel Schaider, research scientist at Silent Spring Institute, will give a presentation, followed by a question and answer session.
Drinking water samples from 20 private wells were tested for pharmaceuticals, hormones and consumer product chemicals including flame retardants and prefluorinated compounds (for example, from nonstick and stain-resistant products). Several markers of wastewater, such as nitrate and boron, were also measured.
The goal was to understand the susceptibility of Cape Cod private wells to contamination by wastewater, primarily from septic systems, and to evaluate the influence of factors such as residential development.
This study follows Silent Spring Institute’s 2010 study of 20 public wells on Cape Cod, in which three quarters of wells tested contained low levels of consumer product chemicals and pharmaceuticals.