Welcome to Westport Health Notes, a monthly column from the Westport Board of Health (BOH).  With the recent fire at Mid-City Scrap raising concerns about risk of groundwater contamination and potential impact on nearby wells, it also seemed like a good time to review general guidelines for private drinking water well safety and testing.

First, here is an update on the post-fire risk assessment that is being conducted and where to get more information. Mid-City Scrap has hired a SITEC, whose licensed site professional (LSP) is conducting the assessment. This includes sampling of nearby wetlands and detention/retention ponds for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), petroleum hydrocarbons, certain metals and other compounds, as well as a survey of the five private drinking water supply wells within 1,000 feet of the site. Most nearby properties are connected to the Fall River public water supply, which was not affected.

The LSP will provide progress reports to DEP as well as the Board of Health and we will post them on the town website. You can also access response documents related to the fire at https://eeaonline.eea.state.ma.us/portal/dep/wastesite/ and enter 4-0053427 for the release tracking number.

Now, on to general guidance for the majority of Westport residents who have a drinking water well on their property.  Public water supply operators monitor and conduct regular water testing but if you have a private well, then water quality testing is your responsibility.

Well water originates as rain and snow that then filters into the ground. As it soaks through the soil, the water can dissolve materials that are present on or in the ground, becoming contaminated. Some contaminants are naturally occurring, such as bacteria, radon, arsenic, uranium, and other minerals.

Other contaminants come from human activities. In Westport, a common source of risk to drinking water is your own or a neighbor’s septic system if located less than 100 feet from the wellhead. Industrial activities, improper waste disposal, road salting, and fuel spills can also introduce hazardous substances to the ground. Even typical residential activities, such as applying fertilizers and pesticides to your lawn and garden, fueling lawn equipment, and disposing household chemicals improperly, can also contaminate your well.  Lower groundwater levels during droughts can also cause problems with both the yield and water quality of private wells. 

The Westport Board of Health requires water quality testing of all new or replacement wells prior to first use. Approval for septic repairs or upgrades that are less than 100 feet from the owner or any neighbors’ well also triggers 3 years of well testing. However, we recommend that all homeowners with private wells have their well water tested regularly (at least every three years) so you know it remains safe to drink.  While water quality in wells is generally stable, there are certain situations when more frequent testing may be advisable, such as properties near heavy industrial sites or hazardous waste spills, previous testing showed high levels of one or more contaminants, or whenever you notice changes in the drinking water after a heavy rain, extended drought, or an unexplained change in a previously trouble-free well (i.e. funny taste, cloudy appearance, etc.).

The MassDEP has good information about private wells at www.mass.gov/private-wells and the Health Department page on the town website has links to a list of local laboratories and other resources.

If you have other questions you’d like answered or suggestions for future topics, please email the BOH at health@westport-ma.gov.

Ryden is a member of the Board of Health.