Little Sioux River Synthetic Organic Compound Municipal Well Sampling Survey, March 1986

(1986) Little Sioux River Synthetic Organic Compound Municipal Well Sampling Survey, March 1986. Natural Resources, Department of

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Abstract

In May of 1985 the Iowa Department of Water, Air and Waste Management conducted a sampling survey of public water supplies along the Little Sioux River in northwestern Iowa. Twenty-five wells serving twel1e public drinking water supplies were sampled. The samples were analyzed for the presence of 64 synthetic organic compounds including 35 commonly used pesticides. Nine of the 25 wells sampled were found to have one or more contaminant(s) present. These nine wells served six public water supplies. Pesticides were the most frequently detected contaminants and there was an inverse relationship between well depth and the appearance of contaminants. Wells finished to the Little Sioux alluvial system appeared to be the most susceptible to contamination. The findings of this survey strongly support previous work by the Department and the Iowa Geological Survey.