{"id":2698,"date":"2016-09-21T14:51:43","date_gmt":"2016-09-21T14:51:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/environmental-health\/?page_id=2698"},"modified":"2016-09-21T14:52:58","modified_gmt":"2016-09-21T14:52:58","slug":"earthquakes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/environmental-health\/onsite-sewage-water-services-updated\/organizations\/earthquakes\/","title":{"rendered":"Earthquakes"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Private Wells and Onsite Sewage Systems Following the February 26, 2015, Earthquake<\/h3>\n<p>Following the February 26, 2015 earthquake, private well owners may notice changes in the appearance of their water supplies or may have concerns about the quality of their water supply. Well owners, especially those close to the epicenter, should inspect the structural integrity of their well and also the clarity of the water coming from the well. Owners of onsite sewage systems should check the structural integrity of system components, especially if you notice wet spots, sewage odors or, possibly, the sounds made by mechanical components of your system.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Private Wells<\/strong><br \/>\nDiscoloration, caused by sediment or minerals in the water, is not uncommon after an earthquake. Well owners who observe sediment in the water supply should use an alternate source of water until the water supply is clear. If in doubt regarding water quality, the water may be boiled before use or residents may consider using bottled water.<br \/>\nIf your water is cloudy or muddy, the well and waterlines should be flushed until the water has cleared. Owners may also use \u201cshock chlorination,\u201d which is a process of disinfecting a private water supply and plumbing system by circulating a concentrated chlorine solution throughout the system.<br \/>\nThe local health department can assist well owners with the chlorination and\/or boiling procedures, which can also be found at the following links:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wellwater.bse.vt.edu\/files\/SHOCK442-663_PDF.pdf\">http:\/\/www.wellwater.bse.vt.edu\/files\/SHOCK442-663_PDF.pdf<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/ODW\/BoilingWaterFAQ.htm\">https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/ODW\/BoilingWaterFAQ.htm<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If the discoloration persists, or if well owners have concerns about bacterial contamination or structural integrity of the well they should contact a licensed professional to inspect the structure, test the water and treat if necessary.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Onsite Sewage Systems<\/strong><br \/>\nDepending on your location and the type and construction of your onsite sewage treatment system, the recent earthquakes may have cracked one or more of your system\u2019s tanks, damaged important mechanical components, shifted components out of proper level or alignment, or broken or crushed connecting pipes and electrical cables.<br \/>\nFor all systems, look for changes in how your system functions, looks, sounds, or smells.\u00a0 Be on the alert for a change in how well household toilets flush and drains drain,\u00a0 the sudden appearance of wet or unusually green spots in your yard, and\/or the emanation of different or more intense odors from your system.<br \/>\nFor systems with mechanical components (blowers, pumps, etc.), look for activated alarm lights and buzzers and\/or a change in how the mechanical components of your system sound.<br \/>\nOne problem often reported following an earthquake is due to grit that enters a water well after an earthquake.\u00a0 If that grit makes its way through your household plumbing to your toilet, it can jam in the float valve \u2013 keeping that valve from closing when the tank is full.\u00a0 The extra flow of water can overload your onsite sewage treatment system, contributing to a failure long after the earthquake has passed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Additional Information<\/strong><br \/>\nFor more information about specific concerns regarding private wells or onsite sewage systems, contact your <a href=\"http:\/\/vdhweb\/LHD\/LocalHealthDistricts.asp\">local health department<\/a>, your Water System Installer or your Onsite Sewage System Operator. Additional resources on private well water, onsite sewage systems and the earthquake are available at the following locations:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/healthywater\/emergency\/safe_water\/wells\/\" target=\"_blank\">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ngwa.org\/Media-Center\/press\/2011\/Pages\/Virginia-earthquake-could-affect-some-water-wells.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">National Ground Water Association<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dgs.state.va.us\/divisionofconsolidatedlaboratoryservices\/services\/laboratorycertification\/tabid\/508\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Virginia Certified Laboratories<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wellwater.bse.vt.edu\/vamwon.php\" target=\"_blank\">Virginia Master Well Owner Network<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/web.wm.edu\/geology\/virginia\/whats_new\/QuakeStory.pdf\">Primer on 2003 Central Virginia Earthquake<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Private Wells and Onsite Sewage Systems Following the February 26, 2015, Earthquake Following the February 26, 2015 earthquake, private well owners may notice changes in the appearance of their water supplies or may have concerns about the quality of their water supply. Well owners, especially those close to the epicenter, should inspect the structural integrity [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":108,"featured_media":0,"parent":480,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2698","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Earthquakes - Environmental Health<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/environmental-health\/onsite-sewage-water-services-updated\/organizations\/earthquakes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Earthquakes - Environmental Health\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Private Wells and Onsite Sewage Systems Following the February 26, 2015, Earthquake Following the February 26, 2015 earthquake, private well owners may notice changes in the appearance of their water supplies or may have concerns about the quality of their water supply. 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