A 1988 report estimated that nearly one-half of the ground water and well water in the United States is or has the
potential to be contaminated by pesticides. In 1990, US EPA reported that 10.4% of community wells and 4.2% of
rural domestic wells had detectable levels of at least one pesticide. One-half of the US population obtains its water
from wells. A 1992 report calculated that if monitoring and cleanup activities were carried out in the US such that all
pesticide-contaminated groundwater were cleared of pesticides before human consumption, the total cost would be
approximately $1.8 billion annually.x
In Thailand, numerous studies have reported the detection of pesticide residues in soils and groundwater.xxii One
such survey by the National Environment Board found residues in 100 percent of soil samples and 86 percent of
water samples.vi
The discouraging reality of widespread contamination of our drinking water sources by dangerous chemical
pesticides motivates present efforts at Aqueous Solutions to design an effective drinking water treatment system that
is simple and elegant in design, inexpensive to build, operate, and maintain, and will enhance the potential for
community self-reliance in the vital sector of drinking water.