For more than 50 years the rates of bladder cancer in the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont have risen by more than 20 percent than the national rate.  The suspected culprit is arsenic found in drinking water from private wells in these three New England states. 

A recent study suggests that based on observations from earlier studies, arsenic is a known cause of bladder cancer.  There has been evidence suggesting low to moderate levels of exposure to arsenic in well water could increase bladder cancer risk.  It is known however, that high levels of arsenic does increases risk of bladder cancer from research studies in the past. 

This study looked at over 1,200 newly diagnosed bladder cancer patients who were compared with 1,400 people without bladder cancer living in the New England area.  What was discovered was people using well water to drink had twice the risk of bladder cancer than people who didn’t drink water from a private well.  It should be noted that the researchers could not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship in the study between arsenic and well water.

Public health campaigns throughout New England do encourage residents using well water to have their water tested and if levels of arsenic are above the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) threshold, to install and maintain filters in their wells system.

The study did emphasize that smoking is still the most common and strongest risk factor for bladder cancer and quitting smoking would be the best way to reduce the risk. 

In the United States there are over 15 million United States households (approximately 15 percent of Americans) who rely on private wells for their drinking water.  Private wells also known as well water are not maintained by municipalities and are not subject to federal regulations.  Generally most well water is safe to drink but there can be health risks associated with it.  Because public health authorities don’t check the quality, it’s up to the homeowner to make sure their well water is safe to drink.  Here are some steps to protect yourself if your water source is from a private well:

·         Test your water annually using a state certified laboratory that conducts drinking water tests.

·         Testing may need to be done more frequently if there are unexplained illnesses in the family, there is a change in water taste, color, odor, or clarity, or if your neighbors find a dangerous contamination in their water

·         Every three to five years test for lead, arsenic, radon, uranium, and other heavy metals. 

·         Wells should be 50 feet away from septic tanks and livestock yards, 100 feet away from petroleum tanks, and 250 feet from manure stacks.

·         Wells should be located so that rain water flows away from it as rain water can pick up harmful bacteria and chemicals on the land’s surface and seep in.

·         Inspect the well regularly for cracked or corroded well casings, settling and any cracking of surface seals. 

·         Filters and other purification systems can help remove contaminants in well water. 

·         Protect your well area and avoid storing and disposal of household and lawn care chemicals and wastes.