Summary
An online tool for unbiased interpretations of drinking water test results and appropriate recommendations was developed and made available for public. This tool is making a significant positive impact in protecting public health from risk of various water borne contaminants.
Situation
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 for human consumption in public water supplies according to the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. However, private wells are not regulated. Consequently, private well water users are responsible for ensuring the quality and safety of their drinking water supplies by periodic testing, evaluation, and corrective action (if needed). The Agricultural and Environmental Services Laboratories (AESL) of The University of Georgia (UGA) has been operating a strong drinking water testing and education program for many years. There are many other private laboratories in Georgia and other states involved in testing drinking waters from private wells. Receiving test results, the well-owners invariably seek help from the water specialists, extension agents, and/or water treatment professionals for unbiased interpretations of their water test results and appropriate recommendations. Often times the extension agents and the water treatment professionals also need help from the water specialists to provide these services. The AESL of UGA has in-house water specialists to provide these services whereas most of the private laboratories are not well supported by such specialists. Given this situation, there was a great need for developing a web-based tool to assist the extension agents, water treatment professionals, and private well owners in this regards in Georgia and other states.
Response
To address the situation described above, we created an online tool utilizing the information, about all primary and secondary drinking water contaminants, primarily from the Environmental Protection Agency and other Land Grant Universities and made it available for public use at: http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=B1441
This tool allows the extension agents, water treatment professionals, and private well owners to receive instant interpretations and recommendations for drinking water quality based on the test results received from a water testing laboratory. The tool is very user friendly; the user enters the test results into the online form, and the interpretation & necessary recommendations are given upon submission.
Impact
According to CDC, about 20% of the total US population relies on their own wells for drinking water. This group of people is prone to a considerable health risk from various water-borne contaminants, if their water supplies are not regularly tested, evaluated, and corrected as needed. Overall, this online tool has been making a significant positive impact in protecting public health from the risks associated with various drinking water contaminants. The specific contributions are:
1. This is a very effective educational tool for the local extension agents, resource managers, and secretaries which are the easily reachable resources for the well owners. Using this tool, the county extension helps the well-owners very effectively with confidence.
2. This is also helping the private water testing laboratories especially those without a water specialist for consultations.
3. It is also very helpful for the water treatment professionals to decide about the appropriate water treatment systems based on water test results.
4. Using this tool, the well owners can also get necessary help in understanding their water test results as well as appropriate corrective actions (if any).
State Issue
Healthy, Safe and Affordable Housing Environments
Details
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Year:
2015
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Geographic Scope:
National
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County:
Clarke
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Program Areas:
- 4-H Youth
- Agriculture & Natural Resources
- Family and Consumer Sciences
