Residential Well Test Results

Since the ash spill in late August at its Martins Creek plant, PPL has tested more than 230 residential wells at the request of the property owners. All of the test results show levels of arsenic, mercury and selenium that are below the federal and state drinking water standards.

The wells were tested for the 17 metals that have primary and secondary drinking water standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Beyond their significance as metals with established drinking water standards, these metals, including aluminum, iron, copper, nickel, zinc and manganese, are commonly found in coal fly ash and have known health, cosmetic or aesthetic effects.

Calcium and magnesium were not included in the testing program, although they can be found in coal-related materials. These two metals are naturally occurring in limestone-related groundwater and are the primary cause of “hard” water. 

Other elements, such as copper, iron, manganese and lead, may be found in coal ash to some degree. However, the presence of these metals also can indicate corrosion in the home’s piping system. The presence of small quantities — below the drinking water standards — of these elements should not be a concern.

No tests were done for bacterial contamination since that is not found in fly ash.

To view the results, select one of the links in the “Additional Resources” box at the top of the page.