An Assessment of Private Wells Used for Drinking Water in Mississippi
An Assessment of Private Wells Used for Drinking Water in Mississippi
Presented on Thursday, December 5, 2013
Having access to a public water system provides the citizens with safety and quality of water through the regulatory enforcement of the Mississippi State Department of Health, Bureau of Public Water Supply (MSDH). Mississippi citizens on private wells do not have the luxury of knowing the quality and/or quantity of their water on a regular basis. In this presentation, by comparison of U.S. Census data and MSDH data, the areas of Mississippi that have the highest concentrations of citizens on private wells will be derived. Data will be gathered to determine the likely contaminants to private wells in each particular county. This information will highlight the areas that could benefit the greatest from avenues in which private well owners can check the quality of their water as well as inform the surrounding water systems of their capacity to expand.
Jason Barrett
Center for Government and Community Development, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS
Jason R. Barrett is an extension instructor in the Center for Government and Community Development at Mississippi State University. Barrett earned a B.S. in agricultural economics from Mississippi State University in 2001, an M.A. in agribusiness management in 2003, and is a Ph.D. candidate in the Public Policy and Administration Department at Mississippi State University. His technical assistance focus has been on public water supply management and board member training. His research has been focused on private drinking water wells, private well populations, and statewide assistance for private well owners.
