Water quality and construction materials in rainwater catchments across Alaska

Many residents of Northern regions do not have access to municipal utilities. As such, rainwater catchments are commonly used as an untreated source of drinking water. The water quality in rain catchments depends on the materials used to construct the catchment, the frequency of rainfall, the amount of water collected, the quality of the rainfall, human and animal activity in the surroundings, and the duration of the water storage. The most problematic contaminants in rainwater catchments are bacteria, volatile organic compounds (VOC), and metals such as lead, copper, and zinc. The goal of this project was to help identify the frequency and magnitude of metal contaminants in Alaskan rainwater catchments. Over 50 participants from across Alaska had their tap water sampled for lead, copper, and zinc by atomic absorption during the summer of 2003. Statistical analyses showed strong correlations between catchment material and metal concentrations in drinking water samples. Key words: rainwater catchment, water quality, atomic absorption, lead, copper, zinc.