Drinking Water as a Source of Exposure
Several factors in the Cape Cod environment suggest water may be an important
pathway of exposure to contaminants from residential and commercial development.
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The groundwater
aquifer is vulnerable to contamination because Cape Cod's
typically sandy, acidic soil is highly permeable. |
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Multiple potential groundwater contamination sources
exist, including wastewater (septic tanks), pesticide application,
and known chemical spills and leaks. |
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Drinking
water for Cape residents is supplied almost entirely from
the aquifer that underlies the entire land surface of the Cape. |
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The Cape Cod Commission and US Geological Survey
have documented links between wastewater and drinking water (USGS
Water-Resources Investigations Report 86-4093). |
Many compounds commonly found in wastewater are known to mimic estrogen
or affect hormone systems in some way. These compounds may be important
for breast cancer research.
Maps about Cape Cod Drinking Water: Water Distribution Systems
Public Wells
and Zones of Contribution |
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