Mercury Contamination of a Community Water Supply Diagnosis and Restoration

A community water supply was contaminated by mercury from a flow meter. The subsequent chemical analyses, sampling methods and chemical cleaning methods employed for diagnosing and resolving the problem are described. The results show: (1) that significant errors in evaluating such a problem could result from inadequate or incorrect sampling methods or sampling site selection, (2) that complications in the interpretation of the results arise from the chemistry of the water system and the surfaces of the plumbing system, and (3) that small portions of the water system are likely to be major sources of contamination and can be cleaned efficiently by chemical means. Recommendations are made concerning the use of mercury-containing flow meters. (Author)