Useful Water Resource Web Documents Regarding Sulfate and water quality
in three searched Minnesota Cities: (Erosion of natural deposits)
Useful Water Resource Web Documents Regarding Sulfate and water quality in three searched Minnesota Cities: (Erosion of natural deposits) ________________________
Sulfate is a substance that occurs naturally in drinking water. Health concerns regarding sulfate in drinking water have been raised because of reports that diarrhea may be associated with the ingestion of water containing high levels of sulfate. Of particular concern are groups within the general population that may be at greater risk from the laxative effects of sulfate when they experience an abrupt change from drinking water with low sulfate concentrations to drinking water with high sulfate concentrations.Sulfate in drinking water currently has a secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL) of 250 milligrams per liter (mg/L), based on aesthetic effects (i.e., taste and odor). This regulation is not a Federally enforceable standard, but is provided as a guideline for States and public water systems. EPA estimates that about 3% of the public drinking water systems in the country may have sulfate levels of 250 mg/L or greater. http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/unregulated/sulfate.cfm
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Sulfate in Minnesota's Ground Water What are some management strategies for reducing risks from sulfate?Proper waste management and fertilizer application,maintenance of wetlands and mining of low-sulfur minerals are management strategies for reducing anthropogenic (human) inputs of sulfate to ground water. Ground water impacts from anthropogenic sources of sulfate, however, are typically much smaller than from natural sources.Reverse osmosis, distillation, and ion exchange are three treatment methods for removing sulfate from drinking water. These are discussed in the MDH fact sheet Sulfate in Well Water. http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.htmlhttp://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.html?gid=6308gid=6308
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Well Management: Sulfate In Well Water Sulfate (SO4) occurs naturally in most of Minnesota's groundwater, with higher levels common in the western part of the state. At high levels, sulfate can give water a bitter or astringent taste and can have laxative effects. This page provides a basic discussion of sulfate in well water and discusses action you can take to minimize it effects. http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/waterquality/sulfate.html
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Water Quality Reports Regarding Sulfur:
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Minneapolis, Mn.28.4 ppm http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups/public/@publicworks/documents/webcontent/wcms1p-109581.pdf
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Rochester, Mn.46 ppm Laxative effect � Erosion of natural deposits (range 10.6 to 45.9) http://www.rpu.org/documents/2012_water_quality_report.pdf
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Hibbing, Mn. 21.1 ppm Erosion of natural deposits. http://www.hpuc.com/design/Consumer%20Confidence%20Report%202011.pdf
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Polymet Mining Water Standards To Meet the 10 ppm standard for wild rice which is likely lower than most naturally occurring ground water in Minnesota. http://www.polymetmining.com/news/news-releases/polymet-reports-successful-water-treatment-pilot-plant/
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