kiwibird
Editor, Senior Moderator
Garla Mare, Romania
snip....
Most of the wells contain polluted water that does not meet WHO health standards for drinking water. In fact, none of the 78 public wells tested had clean water.
In general the results of the water tests showed worrying statistics:
* Average nitrate concentration: 120 mg/l (WHO standard 45 mg/l);
* The tested public wells with nitrate level lower the 50 mg/l were dramatically contaminated with faecal bacteria. It means that this water even does not meet the standards for swimming water quality according to EU guidelines for swimming water. Because of the correlation with faecal bacteria found and the great fluctuations from one well to the next, it is assumed that this nitrate and microbiological pollution of groundwater is mostly caused by the fact that almost all dwellers use pit latrines, located in their yards In interviews farmers said to be using little synthetic fertilizer.
* In the tested public wells, Atrazine concentrations of 130 ? 160 ng/l were found. Atrazine, a triazine herbicide, is - in groundwater ? a persistent hormone-disrupting pesticide.
* The village spring, called the Sipot, is not polluted with faecal bacteria, but is highly contaminated with Atrazine (360 ? 500 ng/l). 80 ng/l Simazin was found. The limit for both in the EU drinking water directive is 100 ng/l. There were no decomposition products of atrazine detectable (or less than 100 ng/l was found).
* Nitrate levels of the Sipot fluctuated between 60 ?75 mg/l.
* The interviewed citizens were not aware of the bad quality of their water and the possible health affects.
snip....
Most of the wells contain polluted water that does not meet WHO health standards for drinking water. In fact, none of the 78 public wells tested had clean water.
In general the results of the water tests showed worrying statistics:
* Average nitrate concentration: 120 mg/l (WHO standard 45 mg/l);
* The tested public wells with nitrate level lower the 50 mg/l were dramatically contaminated with faecal bacteria. It means that this water even does not meet the standards for swimming water quality according to EU guidelines for swimming water. Because of the correlation with faecal bacteria found and the great fluctuations from one well to the next, it is assumed that this nitrate and microbiological pollution of groundwater is mostly caused by the fact that almost all dwellers use pit latrines, located in their yards In interviews farmers said to be using little synthetic fertilizer.
* In the tested public wells, Atrazine concentrations of 130 ? 160 ng/l were found. Atrazine, a triazine herbicide, is - in groundwater ? a persistent hormone-disrupting pesticide.
* The village spring, called the Sipot, is not polluted with faecal bacteria, but is highly contaminated with Atrazine (360 ? 500 ng/l). 80 ng/l Simazin was found. The limit for both in the EU drinking water directive is 100 ng/l. There were no decomposition products of atrazine detectable (or less than 100 ng/l was found).
* Nitrate levels of the Sipot fluctuated between 60 ?75 mg/l.
* The interviewed citizens were not aware of the bad quality of their water and the possible health affects.