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National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program

U.S. Geological Survey
Fact Sheet 063-00

Arsenic in Ground-Water Resources of the United States

By Alan H. Welch, Sharon A. Watkins, Dennis R. Helsel, and Michael J. Focazio

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Why is the USGS map important?

    The USGS map provides a national scale snapshot of arsenic concentrations in the Nation's ground-water resource. This timely information is being used by the USEPA to augment their efforts in revising the drinking-water standard for arsenic, as mandated in the 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act.

  2. Is my well at risk if I live in a county that is highlighted on the map?

    Use of the national map to identify contamination at a more detailed level, such as in an individual well or within a locality, is not intended or advised. The objective of the map, which statistically summarizes and displays information by county, is to provide a better understanding of where arsenic occurs across the Nation. Such information is useful to identify and prioritize regional and national water-management goals and strategies.

    Although concentrations of arsenic are likely to be higher in certain geographic regions relative to others (as evident on the map), there can be a high degree of local variability because of well depth, aquifer type, geology, and other factors. Individual concentrations at a well do not necessarily conform to patterns shown at the county or national scale. The only way to be certain of the arsenic concentration in the water supplied by any given well is to have the water tested.

  3. Where can I get information about arsenic in my well? in my locality and State?

    Public health departments can help in locating laboratories to have water tested and can direct you to additional information about arsenic in your geographic area. In addition, the USGS Water Science Center in your State might have information from ongoing or previous arsenic investigations.

  4. Did the USGS collect samples of drinking water?

    Some of the wells sampled were individual homeowner wells, used without treatment for drinking water. Other wells supplied water for irrigation and other purposes. All wells were drawing water from aquifers used for drinking water supply, even if that specific well was not used for supplying drinking water. The intent of this study was not to directly measure the quality of drinking water, such as by monitoring water from taps and other "finished" water. Rather, we have described the quality of the untreated groundwater resource itself. Comparisons of these findings with those from previous drinking-water studies indicate that concentrations reported here are comparable on a national scale to concentrations in untreated ground water tapped by water utilities across the Nation. These findings also reflect the quality of the ground-water resource tapped without treatment by homeowners and small community water systems.

  5. Why does arsenic occur in ground water?

    Arsenic is a naturally occurring element in the environment. Its presence in ground water largely is the result of arsenic-bearing minerals dissolving naturally over time as certain types of rocks and soils are weathered.

  6. What are the human health concerns?

    Several types of cancer have been linked to arsenic in water. In addition, arsenic has been reported to affect the vascular system in people and has been associated with the development of diabetes.

  7. What is the regulated concentration of arsenic?

    The USEPA has recently reduced (2001) the drinking-water maximum contaminant level from 50 micrograms per liter to 10 micrograms per liter. The new 10 ug/L standard matches the World Health Organization's international guideline for drinking water.

  8. How many people in the United States depend on ground water for drinking?

    About 42,400,000 people (accounting for about 3,350 million gallons per day) are served through domestic supply; and about 91,200,000 people (accounting for about 15,100 million gallons per day) are served through public-water supply (Solley, W.B., Pierce, R.R., and Perlman, H.A., 1998, Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 1995, U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1200).

  9. Where can I get a paper copy of the arsenic fact sheet?

    Contact the National Water-Quality Assessment Program Office:
    413 National Center
    12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 20192
    Phone: (703)-648-5716
    Fax: (703) 648-6693

  10. Who should I contact for questions, legislative staff and press inquiries?

    Dr. Alan Welch
    U.S. Geological Survey
    2730 N. Deer Run Road
    Carson City, NV 89701

    email: ahwelch@usgs.gov
    phone: (775) 887-7609


Go to Fact Sheet 063-00 report main page.
Go to WRI 99-4279 report main page.



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