When cleaning the screen in my water faucets I found small dark specks
about the size of this period. Under the microscope it appears they
are some kind of animal. They might be froglike with translucent
'legs'and dark brown bodies that look like shells. Nothing
recognizable. Just wonder what I've been drinking. I assume these come
from the deep well -350 feet- where I get all my household water in NE
Pennsylvania.

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Request for Question Clarification by tutuzdad-ga on 25 Jan 2006 12:45 PST

Do any of these look like the creatures you've found?

http://www.slh.wisc.edu/ehd/pamphlets/earwigs.php

tutuzdad-ga

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Request for Question Clarification by tutuzdad-ga on 25 Jan 2006 12:49 PST

Or these?

http://ianhday.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Pond%20dipping.htm

tutuzdad-ga

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Clarification of Question by artistgirl-ga on 25 Jan 2006 16:24 PST

tutzdad, no and no. They are definitely not either earwigs or any of
the pondwater life. This is a very deep well, drilled through rock
except for the first ten feet...350+feet. I think they are copepods. I
am getting a water test done. I don't know if copepods would pose a
bacterial problem. We seem to be all healthy and have been drinking
this water unfiltered for thirty years now, but it's been about ten
since I had a water test done. And am definitely looking into
filtering now.

Here are some interesting looking critters:

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/index.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/pond/

Can you find yours.

Whatever they are, I would start filtering (or boiling) all your
drinking water FAST!

Yoou haven't been filtering? Ewwwww!

My guess is that they are copepods.  See http://www.nmnh.si.edu/iz/copepod/

You're probably far healthier for having been drinking copepods for 30
years than others who have been drinking chlorine and alum and copper
sulphate, etc etc! Certainly get your water tested but don't worry too
much -- if you're not already sick then I'd suggest that they're not
harming you. Reminded me of the days when we used to be on tank water
here and frequently had to use a fine tea strainer to get the
'wrigglers' (mosquito larvae) out of the water if we wanted to drink
it! (cue Horatio: "Ewwwww!")

You might find this site interesting.
http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/publications/fact_sheets/water/our_precious_drinking_water.asp?bhcp=1