Arsenic Level Prediction Model
Naturally occurring arsenic can make groundwater unsafe for drinking. Before going to the expense of drilling a well and sampling the water for arsenic, it would benefit public health to be able to predict the level of arsenic in groundwater in a certain area. A special research project with the U.S. Geological Survey is designed to develop the capacity to assess local geological conditions, related groundwater chemistry and well construction factors in three counties in order to predict the levels of arsenic found in groundwater related to those variables.
The results of this study will contribute to the scientific understanding of arsenic in groundwater in Minnesota and provide the Minnesota Department of Health with an initial evaluation of the technical and resource needs that are associated with developing tools for predicting arsenic levels in groundwater that provides drinking water.
$1,200,000 the first year and $1,215,000 the second year are for protection of drinking water sources, including assisting 30 or more communities in fiscal year 2010 and 60 or more communities in fiscal year 2011 with the development and implementation of community source water protection plans before new community wells are installed, and awarding ten or more communities in fiscal year 2010 and 20 or more communities in fiscal year 2011 with source water protection implementation grants.