# Drinkin g Water & Human Health in Florida

Groundwater is the source of dr inking water for 90% of Florida residents. Public water supply use has increased 134% since 1970 . Data from over 1,900 wells in Florida's ambient monitoring network indicate generally good water quality, but local groundwater contamina tion problems exist. Agricultural chemicals, including al dicarb, alachlor, bromacil, simazine, and et hylene dibromide (EDB) have caused local and regional (in the case of EDB) problems. Other threats include petroleum produc ts from leaking underground stor age tanks, nitrates from dairy and other livestock operations, fe rtilizers and pesticides in stormwater runoff, and to xic chemicals in leachate from hazardous waste sit es. The state requires periodic testing of all community wa ter systems for 118 toxic organic chemicals. Potential sources of groundwater contamination are numerous in Fl orida. The state's unique hydrogeo logic features of a thin soi l layer, high water table, porous limestone and large quantities of rainfall coupled with rapid population growth, result in a groundwater resource extremely vulnerable to contamination. Th ere are tens of thousands of potential point sour ces such as surface-wate r impoundments, drainag e wells, underground storage tanks, flowing saline water wells, hazardou s wastes sites, power plants, landfills and cattle and dairy fee dlots. Similarly there are numerous septic tanks and urban and industrial areas that may discharge water with un desirable quality. Non-point sou rces that have vast potential for groundwate r contamination include coastal saltwater bodies , agricultural and horticultural practices, a nd mining. Wetlands (10.9 million acres (4.4 Mha)) prov ide buffers between an thropogenic activities and water quality of lakes, streams, a nd groundwater. Recognition of the function of wetlands is essential for sustainable development in Florida. 

## Conditions in Your Watershed
The Environmental Protection Agency provides information on drinking water systems by county. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Drinking Water Section lists drinking water violations in Florida and the FDEP Source Water Program manages state surface waters.

Data on organic quality of water from the state's principal aquifers are limited; nevertheless, occasional incidences of organic contaminants that may affect huma n health and welfare are a reality. In the Northwest Florida Water Management District the most prevalent organic contaminants are dry-cleaning solvents and leaki ng underground gasoline storage tanks. Santa Rosa, Escambia a nd Holmes counties in the Florida panhandle get their water from the sand an d gravel aquifer. This is the sole source for Escambia County . Wells furnishing water for the county populati on are from two to five hundred feet deep. Ten major wells owned by the Escambia County Utility Authority (ECUA) are contaminated. A dr y-cleaning solvent (PCE) is the biggest contaminant. Benzene, which indicates petroleum contamination, has also been identified in multiple wells. It is important to point out that rainfall within the boundaries of the county accounts for nearly all the available groundwater. Beca use of groundwater recharge characteristics, any disposal of waste products or mi suse of toxic chemicals on the land surface, whether accidental or intentiona l, has a high probability for adversely impacting groundwater. The Biscayne aquifer has been designated by the USEPA as a "sole source" drinking-wat er supply. The Biscayne aquifer is managed closely to control saltwater intrusion. Water in the aquifer is primarily a calcium bicarbonate type that does not exceed standards for mo st uses. However, it is subject to contamination by organic solvents used in indu stry, pesticides and nutrient s used in agricultural and urban settings, and leaking fuel storage facilities. Ir on concentration in untreated groundwater is commonly larger than the secondary standard of 300 g/L. Iron is commonly associated with the large natural organic content of the region's groundwater resource. This large natural org anic content has contributed to the formation of trihalomethanes during chlorination of public water supplies. The major inorganic constituent of the surficial aquifers is calc ium carbonate. Concentrations of dissolved solids are generall y less than 1200 mg/L. In the intermediate aquifers, the inorganic chemical composition is generally mixed calcium magnesium carbonate. Water in these aquifers is hard to very hard. Nitrate, fl uoride and iron concentrations generally do not exceed drinking-water standards, but sodium, chloride and dissolved solids commonly do. Saltwater intrusion and upward movement of saline water from deeper aquifers commonly result in unsuitable water quality for most uses. The major inorganic constituent in the Floridan aquifer is calciu m carbonate with concentration of dissolved solids less than 5 00 mg/L. Although the water tends to be hard, it generally does not exceed drinking-water standards for nitrate, fluoride, sodium and chloride. Iron may exceed the standard in about 10% of water-quality analyses. In predominantly agricultural regions of Fl orida, the frequency of drinking water wells contaminated by nitrates exceeds the national frequency (2.4%) found in the EPA survey. Of 3949 drinki ng water wells analyzed for nitrate by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services , (FDACS) and the Florida Department of Environmental Prot ection, 2483 (63%) contained detect able nitrate and 584 wells (15%) contained nitrate above the EPA MCL ( maximum contaminant level ). Of the 584 wells statewide that exce eded the MCL, 519 were located in the Central Florida Ridge citrus growing region, encompas sed primarily by Lake, Polk and Highland Counties. 

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### Determinants of Change

The following factors impact water quality in Florida:

z Population growth (increased waste generation)

z Enforcement of total maximum daily loads (TMDLs)

z Florida Stormwater Rule
z Mandated development and implement minimum fl ows and levels to maintain riverine base flow to maintain in-stream water quality, fish

and wildlife habitats, and estuarine integrity.
z Required use of Best Management Practi ces and precision application of nutrien ts, pesticides, and irrigation water. 

### Extension Outreach
The University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service and Florida A&M University College of Engineering Sciences, Technology & Agriculture Cooperative Extension and Outreach Program develop and deliver programs designed to provide educational outreach into all counties of the state. Extension education enables research conducted at colleges, universities and other places throughout the world to be int erpreted and delivered to the end user (e.g., families, business owners and agri cultural producers). Some of the major Extension education p rograms addressing drinking water and hu man health in Florida are: The objective of FL412 Florida's Comprehensive Water Quality Program is to provide educational materi als, training and programs, where appropriate, in the areas of water quality assessment, protection and improvement for diverse clientele groups in the state of Florida. It aims to increase public awareness of the options for safeguarding dr inking water quality through development and use of Best Managem ent Practices to enhance sustainability and pr otection of drinking water quality. Youth development programs in FL714 (1962) FL214 (1890) Environmental Education help individuals understand their interdependence with the environment, local ecosystem, energy and other natural resour ces. Information that addresses all perspectives of critical i ssues is presented with emphasis on maintaining the quality of human life as well as the quality of the environment. Individuals can the n make informed decisions for remediation of environmental issues with a better understanding of the long and short term consequences of their choices.

Guidelines developed for FL114 Environmental Landscape Management in Florida integrate landscape characteristics of site conditions, landscape design, plant selection and placement, irrigation, fertilization, pest control, mowing, pruning a nd recycling. Specifically, the Environmenta l Landscape Management and Florida Yards & Neighborhoods programs teach consumers and other stakeholders how to water efficiently, mulch, recycle yard wastes, manage pest s through IPM (Integrated Pest Management), put the right plan t in the right spot, fertilize as needed, provide food, wa ter and shelter for wildlife, protect ground water and surface water bodies (i.e., b ays, rivers, lakes, ponds, etc.) and minimize stormwater runoff.
The FL269 Water Quality and Environmental Programs in North Florida Design Team teaches small-scale farmers, rural families, public officials, agency representatives, local organizations, community leaders, wholesalers and retail ers about practices to enhance the quality of their drinking and domestic water supply. This program is tailored for particular environmental conditions in northern Florida. The primary impact of FL316 Florida's Coastal Environment and Water Quality program involves increased efforts to apply sustainable management to Florida's coastal and estuarin e resources. Increased unders tanding of ecological, economic and management princip les and processes among citizens, professionals and ag ency personnel is promoted. Citizens become more involved in coastal and estuarin e monitoring and management and ecological concepts are more freq uently key in discussions held by state and federal management a gencies. 

### Scientific Research

z Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, Office of the Dean For Research
z FAMU

- CESTA Research Programs 

### College and University Education Youth and continuing adult education are critical to develop new talent and human resources to address the water quality issues of the future. Educational curricula in drinking water and human health are avai lable within several colleges at the University of Florida, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences , College of Design, Construction and Planning and College of Natural Reso urces and Environment . Key courses 

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z Agricultural and Biological Engineering
z Agricultural Operations Management
z Agronomy
z Civil and Coastal Engineering
z Environmental Engineering Sciences
z Forest Resources and Natural Resource Conservation
z Landscape Architecture
z Pest Management

– Plant Protection
z Soil and Water Science Courses addressing drinking water and human health at Florida A&M Un iversity are located within the College of Engineering Sciences, Technology & Agriculture

. 

### Publications

z Extension Digital Information Source (EDIS)


### Related Web Sites
University of Florida

z Soil and Water Science Department
z Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
z The Florida Water Resources Primer
z Wetland Biogeochemistry Laboratory
z Florida Farmstead Assessment System (Florida Farm*A*Syst)

z Florida Homestead Assess ment System (Florida Home*A*Syst)

z Keep Your Well Water Clean (for adult poor readers)

z Florida Yards & Neighborhoods
Federal and State Agencies

z USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
z USGS National Water Quality Program
z Florida Department of Environmental Protection
z Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
z Florida Department of Health and Human Services
z Northwest Florida Water Management District
z Suwannee River Water Management District
z St. Johns River Water Management District
z Southwest Florida Water Management District
z South Florida Water Management District 

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