Predicting groundwater contamination to protect the storm-exposed vulnerable

Hochard, Jacob; Abashidze, Nino; Bawa, Ranjit; Carr, Grace; Kirkland, Bailey; Li, Yuanhao; Matlock, Kayla; Siu, Wai Yan

doi:10.1016/j.crm.2023.100499

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Total coliform and/or E. coli presence in GW can be an indicator of microbial contamination; , however, due to the variety of sources of contamination such as leakage from septic tanks and domestic animals, its presence alone is not sufficient to relate surface-contaminated sites to GW contamination . Thus, the complexity of the interactions of underlying sources could potentially explain the variations observed in the concentrations of total coliform and E.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial Contamination of Surface Water and Groundwater in Flood-Impacted Rural Communities in South Texas Following Hurricane Hanna

Jafarzadeh,

Moghadam,

Dhar

et al. 2024

ACS EST Water

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Hurricane Hanna brought unprecedented rainfall and flooding to Texas in 2020. Our study evaluated microbial contamination in surface water (SW) and groundwater (GW) across rural communities in Rio Grande Valley (RGV) and Baffin Bay using both culture-based and qPCR methods. Sampling began immediately after the landfall of Hurricane Hanna (August 2020) and until the end of the summer monsoon (August 2021). High concentrations of culturable Escherichia coli and total coliforms were detected during summer monsoon for both surface and GW. E. coli and enterococci were present in all SW samples in RGV. Enterococci was detected in all SW samples collected from BB; however, E. coli was detected in 81% of samples. Like SW, concentration of E. coli and enterococci markers in GW samples were high in RGV. The human-associated fecal marker (HF183) was detected in both SW and GW but mainly in RGV during the dry period. HF183 exhibited a low to moderate correlation with conventional fecal indicators, suggesting the uncertainty of enterococci and E. coli for detection of human fecal pollution. In general, the outcomes of this study serve as foundational data for subsequent investigations aimed at overseeing both established and evolving public health concerns for Texas residents.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial Contamination of Surface Water and Groundwater in Flood-Impacted Rural Communities in South Texas Following Hurricane Hanna

Jafarzadeh,

Moghadam,

Dhar

et al. 2024

ACS EST Water

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“…7−16 Our survey results reaffirm concerns that private well owners may face significant health risks due to infrequent testing and low adoption rates of advanced water treatment systems. Second, we build on an extensive literature studying the benefits of drinking water quality and behavioral interventions in the U.S. 45,46 and abroad. 47−53 Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs are important to many development initiatives in low-and middle-income countries.…”

Section: ■ Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving Private Well Testing Programs: Experimental Evidence from Iowa

Lade,

Comito,

Benning

et al. 2024

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Approximately 23 million U.S. households rely on private wells for drinking water. This study first summarizes drinking water behaviors and perceptions from a large-scale survey of households that rely on private wells in Iowa. Few households test as frequently as recommended by public health experts. Around 40% of households do not regularly test, treat, or avoid their drinking water, suggesting pollution exposure may be widespread among this population. Next, we utilize a randomized control trial to study how nitrate test strips and information about a free, comprehensive water quality testing program influence households' behaviors and perceptions. The intervention significantly increased testing, including high-quality follow-up testing, but had limited statistically detectable impacts on other behaviors and perceptions. Households' willingness to pay for nitrate test kits and testing information exceeds program costs, suggesting that the intervention was welfareenhancing.

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“…Flooding events pose serious public health risks to communities who rely on private wells for their drinking water supplies. − Previous studies document the connectivity between flood waters and well water (i.e., when private wells are submerged during a flood) leading to higher rates of microbial contamination and associated waterborne pathogens. − This is problematic as consumption of contaminated well water can lead to adverse health outcomes such as gastrointestinal illness and impaired birth outcomes. − Due to barriers in postdisaster testing (e.g., costs, knowledge or awareness, transportation), − , there are still limited data on the occurrence and transport of microbial contamination during flooding events. The relationship between flooding and contamination, ,, coupled with a limited understanding of the impact on the well community, − emphasizes the need for outreach strategies targeting well users in flooded areas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Inundation Extents to Predict Microbial Contamination in Private Wells after Flooding Events

Drewry,

Jones,

Hayes

et al. 2024

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Disaster recovery poses unique challenges for residents reliant on private wells. Flooding events are drivers of microbial contamination in well water, but the relationship observed between flooding and contamination varies substantially. Here, we investigate the performance of different flood boundaries�the FEMA 100 year flood hazard boundary, height above nearest drainage-derived inundation extents, and satellitederived extents from the Dartmouth Flood Observatory�in their ability to identify well water contamination following Hurricane Florence. Using these flood boundaries, we estimated about 2600 wells to 108,400 private wells may have been inundated�over 2 orders of magnitude difference based on boundary used. Using state-generated routine and post-Florence testing data, we observed that microbial contamination rates were 7.1−10.5 times higher within the three flood boundaries compared to routine conditions. However, the ability of the flood boundaries to identify contaminated samples varied spatially depending on the type of flooding (e.g., riverine, overbank, coastal). While participation in testing increased after Florence, rates were overall still low. With <1% of wells tested, there is a critical need for enhanced well water testing efforts. This work provides an understanding of the strengths and limitations of inundation mapping techniques, which are critical for guiding postdisaster well water response and recovery.

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Predicting groundwater contamination to protect the storm-exposed vulnerable

Cited by 4 publications

References 36 publications

Microbial Contamination of Surface Water and Groundwater in Flood-Impacted Rural Communities in South Texas Following Hurricane Hanna

Microbial Contamination of Surface Water and Groundwater in Flood-Impacted Rural Communities in South Texas Following Hurricane Hanna

Improving Private Well Testing Programs: Experimental Evidence from Iowa

Using Inundation Extents to Predict Microbial Contamination in Private Wells after Flooding Events

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