07-27-2018, 04:45 AM
I only recently got wind of some data on the amounts of magmatic gas being discharged by the vents in lower Puna - anywhere from five to ten times what was being produced up at Halema'uma'u. Testing done on water catchments downwind of that vent found significant increases in fluoride in those catchments. None exceeded drinking water standards but, with the much closer proximity of a large number of catchments in Puna to a much larger emission rate, it would probably be a good idea to get your water tested for fluoride if you are living near/downwind of the erupting fissure and using your catchment for drinking water . That's especially true if you are having to add significant bicarbonate to keep the pH near neutral. I should add that, if your water does show a low pH, you should add bicarb - acidic water also can do bad things to your teeth and digestive system.