Re: Off-Base Sampling

[Laura Olah <olah@speagle.com>]

Please post.

In my opinion, the issue Jeanne raises is a common concern, but "losing the
farm" is extremely unlikely. The only scenario I can fathom is the rare instance
when groundwater contamination from volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) is so
shallow that off-gasing impacts indoor air quality, usually drawn, through
negative air pressure, through basement walls and floors -- an uncommon scenario
given VOCs tend to be "sinkers" when moving through the soil column.  Without an
identifiable source or responsible party, this would be formidable.

In Wisconsin, homeowners are required to notify potential buyers of known and
even suspected environmental issues that may affect property value, including
private drinking water well quality.  It is important to note, however, that if
water is not potable, the property is only devalued the cost of replacing the
well -- so "losing the farm" is not in the cards.  Of course, I  also realize
that here in the Midwest we have the luxury of drilling a new well that is
either shallower or deeper to find clean water -- if you're dealing with a sole
source aquifer, then water treatment or an alternate source, like hooking up to
municipal water, is the only recourse -- a financial burden, yes, but not the
equivalent of losing the farm.

NOT disclosing pertinent information that could affect human health is, in my
opinion, a much more dependable route to financial ruin -- if the buyer finds
out after sale that pertinent information was not disclosed,  you can bet
someone's butt will be hauled into court.
Laura