We found out we have high, unsafe levels of arsenic in our private well. We have been drinking this water for 8 years thinking it was safe. We cooked with it, made lemonade, tea and coffee with it. Because of the taste, we did drink a lot of bottled water. Now we are thankful for the horrible taste because not drinking a lot of this water was the best thing that we could have done.

When we purchased this house we had the well water tested, and the arsenic level was safe at the time. A few weeks ago we received an email from a neighbor letting us know that someone nearby had their well tested, and it had high levels of arsenic.

Of course we immediately stopped drinking the water and had it tested. A week later were told our arsenic level is over 2 1/2 times higher than the safe level!!! Following our pediatrician's advise, we had our DD tested for arsenic poisoning; and her blood test came back 'no arsenic present'. Whew, that was a huge relief. Now we are working on getting water piped to our houses on this part of our road. The process is just starting, and we will not have water for 3 to 6 months!

Since I don't work, I am trying to help keep all of this organized and get the signatures of the homeowners so we can get water as fast as possible. The process to get new water pipes run along an existing road is a long, difficult ordeal.

So we will be using bottled water for cooking and drinking until we get water. We buy bottles and gallon jugs at the store and fill empty water jugs at my parents' house. Lugging all those bottles and jugs around I may just get some serious muscles!

Why there are high levels of arsenic on multiple streets in our area is a mystery. It could be something natural, from wood or from pesticides used on farms. We are surrounded by old farm land, and I'm sure our land was used for farming as well.

Right now I am concentrating on getting safe water piped to us. Others are upset that the arsenic is here and are trying to find someone to point the finger at. The meeting we had last night to get more information was definitely interesting!

This will be a long, long wait...I hope I have the strength to deal with it. Thanks for letting me rant!!!

sorry to hear about this, getting the signatures is a great idea the more pressure you can apply to the powers that be will be good dont forget the newspapers, congressman , call congress person tomorrow especially if they are up for reelect and let them know of all the votes they wont get if something is expedited real quick like, strong arm whoever you can, I sure hope this gets resolved real quick

Wow, Karousel! Glad your neighbor sent you that letter so you could quit drinking from your well.

So happy your DD tested as okay. What a relief!

Hey, anyone going to New York? Don't drink the water!!!

Holy cow! This is a job for Erin Brockovich! You'll make it, Karousel, if nothing else, the fear will keep you motivated.

Years ago, some friends had well problems and came to my place for city water by the grocery-cart load. Friends and distant neighbors will definitely help you all through this.

They haven't mentioned anything about contact/topical contamination? Anyone know if it's possible? I sure hope not and I am so thankful that you all are okay!

YIKES!! So glad your neighbor spread the word right away, and your family is ok.

Cherie

Glad to hear that you got a heads up from the neighbors and that your daughter's tests came back ok!!

Here in Maine we have many places with high levels of arsenic in the water. In most cases it's a naturally occuring source and not manmade contamination. I have a friend who works for the state water quality lab and he tests my well water for me. So far it's come back good, except for an unusually high iron content.

I have a whole house filtration system, along with separate filters on the fridge and kitchen sink. I use 2 micron filters on the fridge, along with an extra taste and sediment filter on that line. It's expensive, but it ensures that my water is drinkable and my ice is clean! I also have a sediment filter for the washer supply line, cause all my whites were turning that lovely pinkish brown color...

The one good thing?...there will be no anemia in this house.

I hope that you can get water piped to you sooner than the timetable you have been given !

Wow, that is so scary! So glad everything was ok with your DD - did you and your hubby get checked? I would think you two would drink more water with coffee & tea??

You go girl, get those signatures and new clean water!

Sorry to hear about all this - but glad the neighbor alerted you.


I wonder how much Culligan delivery would cost? And if any of this is covered by home owners ins?

Frank - good idea contacting the news.
Ours will actually get involved and try to do stuff like this for you.

We will get water eventually but of course have to pay for it, and it won't be cheap. We are looking into whether there are any grants available to help us offset some of the expense. After all we don't want water, we NEED it. The only grants I have found so far are for lower income/rural areas. I will keep looking.

Me and DH were not checked because if DD was safe, we're safe too. The other children in the area are being checked as well. When my DD's nurse called to tell us she was okay, she asked what in the world is going on on our street. I told her and said that there are so many other streets that are/will have this same problem.

After knowing we will get water and won't have to fight to get it, I am starting to get angry. From what I heard at this meeting, the town has known about the high levels of arsenic in the soil for 2 years now. The town never notified the owners of wells about this little fact and so many well owners have no clue they are drinking water that may be unsafe. Some of the people at the meeting told the town point blank that they better notify all of the well owners right away. Even people on my street, if they don't have email, have never heard about any of this.

A person at the meeting found this very interesting as we all did but she sounded like she would be pursuing it so I will let her go ahead and do it.

I did joke about calling Erin Brockovich but since we have no proof or any idea why the water is contaminated, there is little we can do, right now.

I can only deal with one thing at a time and getting the actual water is my priority. After we have water, then I will be more than willing to get involved in the finger pointing!!

We all feel the town and the county water authority, both who knew about these high levels, have a responsiblity to everyone in town to notify them of this problem. Even if they don't have well water, many times people send their children to a home for daycare that has well water!!!

We have been telling everyone in town who will listen about the bad well water, hoping our big mouths will spread the news faster. I would love to call our local paper but am afraid of doing anything to slow down the already lengthly process of getting pipes put it. However, I do know someone who works for the paper and if i just happen to casually mention this to her next time the opportunity arises (which may be very soon), who knows what could happen...

Okay, getting off my soapbox now.

karousel, I'm sorry your family has been put in that situation. I grew up on deep well water. I can remember many years we had to haul drinking water from my grandmothers before we got the deep well. Dad use to take samples and send them to a local university for testing. It was all pristine clean they said.

I'm not sure of all the details, but when I was a child a family friend died from arsenic poisoning that was in their well. She drank water only from the deep well, her husband was old school and only drank water he hand pumped from the old cistern in the backyard. She was in her late 40's and had two little girls. They did studies and determined it was naturally occurring.

If your local officials knew about this and didn't act sooner...well they need to be fired and/or voted out of office! I will keep my eyes open about grants for small communities....