Rhode Island Private Well Owners Take Action to Protect Their Drinking Water and Their Families
Presented on Thursday, December 5, 2013
Alyson McCann, Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Across the nation, people agree that protecting drinking water is important. Rhode Island private well owners are no different. More than 100,000 Rhode Islanders get their drinking water from private wells. Unlike public water supplies that are regularly tested and operated by professionals, private well owners are responsible for assuring that their water is safe to drink for them and their family. As a result, private well owners need education and information on proper well maintenance, potential contamination risks to their wells, and how to protect against these risks. They need to know where to have their well water tested and what to test for. Then, they need assistance interpreting their water test results.
The University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension Water Quality Program, the Rhode Island Department of Health, and local agencies have worked together to provide education on best practices for monitoring, protecting, and maintaining private drinking water wells. Training opportunities and outreach materials developed through this partnership have included community-based workshops on private well water testing and protection; a fact sheet series (33 documents) on issues critical to private water supplies; informational displays; phone and e-mail consultation for well owners; and social media techniques to keep in touch with audiences. Private well owners are supplied with the tools and knowledge to assess and reduce water quality contamination risks around their homes. This presentation focuses on our approach and its impacts on well water protection efforts.
Alyson McCann
Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Alyson McCann has conducted outreach and educational programs with private well owners and professionals for more than 20 years, working with federal, state, and local partners. She served as the program coordinator for the biennial Northeast Private Well Water Symposium, a professional event designed to integrate research, extension, and educational efforts to protect private well water. In 2008 she received the Community Partnership Award from the Rhode Island Department of Health for exceptional community efforts that support the mission of the Health Department. In 2006, she received an Environmental Merit Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Protection Agency.
