Will boiling my water help?
No. Boiling water will NOT reduce nitrate levels. In fact, it will make the level of nitrate worse because some of the water will evaporate but the nitrate will not. This increases the concentration of nitrate in water.
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No. Boiling water will NOT reduce nitrate levels. In fact, it will make the level of nitrate worse because some of the water will evaporate but the nitrate will not. This increases the concentration of nitrate in water.
A few important items to note regarding the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry: PADOH’s Pennsylvania Cancer Registry is a statewide data system responsible for collecting information on all new cases of cancer diagnosed or treated in Pennsylvania. It is part of the National Program of Cancer Registries administered by the Centers for…
The first step of the site assessment process is known as a preliminary assessment (PA). This assessment gathers historical and other readily available information on site conditions and surroundings to evaluate whether the site poses a potential threat to human health and the environment and/or whether further investigation is needed…
The main question that EPA seeks to answer is whether the identified waste areas warrant consideration for placement of the Site on the National Priorities List (NPL) or Superfund List. In the first round of sampling, EPA collected surface soil samples (0-2 feet) from the landfill property, and surface water…
Screening levels are not the same as cleanup or action levels. An exceedance of a screening level indicates the need for additional evaluation, potentially including a site-specific risk assessment.
If the sampling data shows an exceedance of a screening level, EPA will consult with the site Toxicologist and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to conduct a human health risk screening assessment to determine any potential threat to human health. EPA will also consult with the…
EPA uses all credible information available, including community input, regarding the boundaries and geographic areas of waste that may have been deposited or where contaminated soil may have been placed. The team selects its sampling locations based on those areas and consults historic aerial images that help depict those boundaries.
EPA is still conducting its investigation of the Norwood Landfill Site to determine if it should be placed on the National Priorities List (NPL), or Superfund List. Thus far, the data collected has not demonstrated that the site warrants placement on the NPL. Both the Folcroft and Clearview Landfills went…
The former Glenolden Laboratory property located on South Avenue is a separate site. The previous owners conducted a voluntary cleanup pursuant to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (PADEP) Environmental Cleanup Program, known as Act 2. Concerns regarding remedial actions conducted under Act 2 should be directed to PADEP as…
Vermiculite is the mineralogical name given to hydrated laminar magnesium-aluminum-iron silicate that resembles mica in appearance. All vermiculite ores contain a range of other minerals that were formed along with the vermiculite in the rock. Vermiculite ores from some sources have been found to contain asbestos minerals but asbestos is…
If nitrate exceeds the MCL of 10 mg/L, you should find a safe alternative drinking water supply. The quickest thing to do is to begin using bottled water for drinking. Another option is to install a treatment that will remove nitrate from your water such as reverse osmosis or a…
Nitrate is only a concern for ingestion (eating and drinking). It is not absorbed through your skin. People who install filter systems for nitrate often install them just for their kitchen sink faucet, and they use that faucet for their cooking and drinking water.
EPA is working with its governmental partners and other stakeholders to investigate and address the issue. Most recently, EPA issued a letter to the state of Minnesota requesting a plan of action to address nitrate contamination in drinking water.
Nitrate is an acute contaminant, meaning that health effects can occur immediately (I.e. within hours or days) of short-term exposure. Too much nitrate in your body makes it harder for red blood cells to carry oxygen. While most people recover quickly, this can be very dangerous for infants and some…
PADOH and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services do not have a registry for multiple sclerosis (MS), MS-related diseases or immunologic disorders. Despite extensive research on the mechanisms of MS development and progress, the exact mechanism is not known and there are no definitive studies to show causation…