Publications By Uttam K. Saha

Blueberry Irrigation Water Quality (C 1105) This circular is a review of water quality standards, calculations, and recommendations for water that will be used for irrigation of blueberries.

Building Radon Safe (C 1301) How Radon-Resistant New Construction can Make Homes Safer and Save Money. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that forms when uranium breaks down in soil, rock, and water. This naturally oc…

Cation Exchange Capacity and Base Saturation (C 1040) Cation exchange capacity (CEC) is a measure of the total negative charges within the soil that adsorb plant nutrient cations such as calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+) and potassium (K+). As such, the C…

Common Terms Used in Animal Feeding and Nutrition (B 1367) The purpose of this publication is to serve as an educational reference and resource to those who are interested in animal feeding and nutrition. Our primary objective is to list the common terms used…

Cover Crop Biomass Sampling (C 1077) Cover crops are one of the most important practices that farmers can use to improve their soils and the sustainability of their production system. Knowing how much biomass there is in a field is a cri…

Drinking Water: Interpretation and Recommendations (B 1441) An estimated 1.7 million people in Georgia rely on 640,000 private wells for their drinking water supply. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division enforces EPA's drinking water quality standards …

Ensuring Safe Private Well Water for Household Use After a Flood (C 1124) The quality of drinking water from wells may be compromised during a flood. Flooding around the well increases the risk of drinking water becoming contaminated with bacteria or any other contaminants,…

Household Water Quality Series: Arsenic in Your Water (C 858-12) Arsenic in your drinking water poses a threat to your health. Since private systems are more susceptible to arsenic than public water systems, private well owners should take steps to guard their heal…

Household Water Quality Series: Coliform Bacteria in Your Water (C 858-7) This publication contains information about identifying and controlling coliform bacteria in household water.

Household Water Quality Series: Corrosive or Scaling Water (C 858-9) Corrosiveness or scaling is an inherent property of some groundwater and is related to the type of rocks or sediments in contact with the groundwater. Corrosion is caused when water reacts with and di…

Household Water Quality Series: Disinfecting Your Well Water: Shock Chlorination (C 858-4) Shock chlorination is the process by which home water systems such as wells, springs, and cisterns are disinfected using household liquid bleach (or chlorine). Shock chlorination is the most widely re…

Household Water Quality Series: Home Water Quality and Treatment (C 858-3) The quality of your water supply can have both an immediate and a prolonged effect on the health of your household. Many Americans, especially those dependent upon well water, assume that their water …

Household Water Quality Series: Household Water Treatment Techniques and Devices: Activated Carbon Filtration (B 1542) Activated carbon, also called activated charcoal, is usually produced from charcoal in granular or powdered form. It is a form of carbon that has been processed (activated) to make it highly porous, w…

Household Water Quality Series: Household Water Treatment: Mechanical Filtration Methods and Devices (B 1523) Mechanical filtration removes suspended solids and dirt to greatly improve the clarity of water. Various kinds of mechanical filtration methods and devices are available for home water treatments. Pri…

Household Water Quality Series: Household Water Treatment: Oxidizing Filters (B 1563) Private well waters often contain high levels of iron, manganese, and hydrogen-sulfide. While these contaminants are not considered to have any human health consequences, they can cause various issues…

Household Water Quality Series: Hydrogen Sulfide and Sulfate (C 858-8) This publication describes hydrogen sulfide and sulfate and its effects on household water quality.

Household Water Quality Series: Iron and Manganese (C 858-11) Elevated levels of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) are two of the most common water quality problems in Georgia's groundwater. This circular addresses problems associated with high levels of these two el…

Household Water Quality Series: Lead and Copper (C 858-10) Private wells are exclusively supplied by groundwater. The source waters for most public water systems in south Georgia (and some in north Georgia) are also supplied by groundwater. Generally, lead an…

Household Water Quality Series: Mercury in Your Water (C 858-13) Mercury in your drinking water poses a threat to your health. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set the current standard for mercury in drinking water at 2 parts per billion (ppb). Th…

Household Water Quality Series: Nitrate and Nitrite in Water (C 858-5) Private well owners are responsible for the safety of their drinking water. Maintaining a healthy well requires routine testing for possible contaminants, including nitrate and nitrite. To assist in w…

Household Water Quality Series: Pesticides, Petroleum Products, and Other Organic Chemicals (C 858-6) Municipal water systems are required by law to be monitored for many contaminants found in pesticides, solvents, and petroleum products. However, if your water comes from a private well or from a syst…

Household Water Quality Series: Protecting Your Well and Wellhead (C858-1) If you are one of the many Americans who use groundwater for drinking, the proper protection of your well and wellhead is essential for the health of your family, yourself and your neighbors. This pub…

Household Water Quality Series: Radon in Your Water (C 858-16) Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas formed from the decay of uranium and radium found in geologic deposits. Exposure to radon gas most commonly occurs through elevated levels in home air. …

Household Water Quality Series: Removal of Hydrogen Sulfide and Sulfate (C 858-15) This publication explains how to identify and remove hydrogen sulfide and sulfate from household water.

Household Water Quality Series: Testing for Water Quality (C 858-2) The quality and safety of drinking water is of great concern to many Americans today because of an increased interest in health and environmental quality. This new focus on water quality has led many …

Household Water Quality Series: Uranium in Your Water (C 858-14) Uranium in your drinking water may be harmful to your health. If your water comes from a public system, it is routinely tested to ensure safe levels of uranium. If your source of household water is a …

Household Water Treatment: Disinfection Methods and Devices (B 1487) Pathogens in household waters pose a serious threat to human health. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recorded many drinking water microbial-associated disease outbreaks in the…

Improving the Condition of Your Drinking Water Well (B 1152-03) About 95 percent of Georgia's rural residents depend on groundwater to supply their drinking water and farm needs. Wells are designed to provide clean water. If improperly constructed and maintained, …

Iron (Manganese) and Sulfur Bacteria in Your Well Water (B 1457) Presence of bacteria in your drinking water supply does not necessarily pose a health hazard. Certain types of bacteria in household water are more of a nuisance issue. Your water may test negative fo…

Irrigation Water Quality for Agriculture (B 1448) With growing demands for potable (suitable for drinking) water (due to population increase) and expanding irrigated acreage, there is an increased pressure on irrigated farms to consider using nonpota…

PFAS: Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (TP 119) Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of more than 9,000 manmade synthetic chemicals that have been in use worldwide since 1940, primarily in industry and numerous com…

Removal of Arsenic From Household Water (C 996) Arsenic in your drinking water may damage your health. Because arsenic in household well water is usually dissolved from natural rock in the aquifer, water treatment is the only way to eliminate it. T…

Safe at Home: Preventing Lung Cancer by Reducing Radon in the Home (C 1296) Radon may be found in one out of every 15 homes and is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. This gas can enter your home through cracks and holes in the foundation, or even un…

Selenium in Georgia Soils and Forages: Importance in the Livestock Industry (B 1390) This publication highlights the role of selenium in animal nutrition; selenium concentration and distribution in soils and feedstuffs (grains and forages) produced in various parts of the United State…

Soil Salinity Testing, Data Interpretation and Recommendations (C 1019) The University of Georgia Agricultural and Environmental Services Laboratories offer soil salinity testing to help farmers and the general public diagnose and manage problems associated with soil sali…

Understanding and Improving Forage Quality (B 1425) The goal of this publication is to guide the user to a better understanding of basic forage quality terms and to recommend management changes that will improve forage quality. To that end, our objecti…

Water Quality and Common Treatments for Private Drinking Water Systems (B 939) An abundant supply of clean, safe drinking water is essential for human and animal health. Water from municipal or public water systems is treated and monitored to ensure that it is safe for human con…

Your Household Water Quality: Odors in Your Water (C 1016) Homeowners sometimes experience unpleasant odors in their household water. In many cases, the exact cause of the odor is difficult to determine by water testing; however, this publication provides a f…