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Newsletter #110 for February 2025 |
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2025 National Private Well Conference:
Call for Abstracts Is Open!
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Have you heard? Our Private Well Conference is returning this spring as an in-person event! We will be gathering in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, from May 20-22 to provide information and insights to well professionals that will benefit well owners all over the country. Registration will be opening soon.
Our Call for Abstracts is open until February 10. We are primarily seeking presentations that a) are on novel programs that could be replicated in other parts of the country, b) discuss innovative and non-traditional methods to reach well owners, and/or c) cover other private well topics of general interest to practitioners, EHP’s, drillers, and other well professionals. Submissions should include a title, an abstract of 300 words or less, and a speaker bio of 125 words or less.
Presentation slots will be 30 minutes long, with 25 minutes allotted for presentation and 5 minutes for questions.
See more information on the types of presentations we are seeking, including topics of a particular interest, at our website. |
| Submit an Abstract » |
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From Massachusetts:
New Legislation Aims to Protect Drinking Water, Provide Financial Assistance for Private Well Testing Statewide |
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Release by Coalition for Safe Drinking Water, The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts, and RCAP Solutions, on January 16, 2025:
"Legislation filed this week would enable Massachusetts to develop minimum statewide water quality standards for private wells and expand a financial assistance program to remediate wells affected by PFAS (“forever chemicals”) and other harmful contaminants in drinking water supplies. ...
More than half a million Massachusetts residents – located heavily in rural areas but also in all 351 cities and towns – rely on private wells for their drinking water. Yet many are consuming water that may be unsafe because the source is not regularly tested and treated like public water supplies and could have harmful contaminants such as PFAS, arsenic, radon, uranium and more. A 2023 poll revealed that 92% of residents believe that state government should play a role in ensuring safe drinking water for all."
If the legislation is passed, it will allow MassDEP the ability to establish standards and testing requirements for all new and existing private wells in the commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Read the full press release here »
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National Groundwater Awareness Week and the 2025 Pledge to Test Campaign Coming Up!
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In conjunction with the National Ground Water Association's 2025 National Groundwater Awareness Week, the Private Well Class is hosting our next annual Pledge to Test Campaign!
Groundwater Awareness Week (GWAW) is happening March 9-15. This event was created in 1999 to promote the responsible development, management, and use of groundwater. It is also a yearly reminder for well owners to test and treat their systems.
Read more about GWAW at NGWA » |
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This will be our tenth year leading a Pledge to Test Campaign during GWAW!
We are once again partnering with TAP SCORE to offer one free Essential Well Water Test for well owners who pledge to test through our campaign. Additionally, everyone who pledges to test their well water this year will receive $10 off any well water test kit from TAP SCORE using the code PLEDGE2025.
To participate, fill out our pledge form, and share your pledge with family, friends, and neighbors. You can even download pledge badges at our website (like the one above) to share on social media. We encourage you to use the hashtags #Pledge2Test and #GWAW on any social platforms that you use.
We will hold a livestream to choose the winner in March. If you don't win, the discount code for TAP SCORE's testing kit will expire on April 30.
See more at our Pledge to Test campaign page » |
| Pledge to Test! |
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Tap Talk — Resources for Well and Septic Owners to Face Florida’s Changing Climate |
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In Tap Talk episode #51, Jennifer and Steve chatted with Dr. Andrea Albertin and Dr. Yilin Zhuang of the University of Florida Extension’s Florida Well Owner Network (FWON). From intensified hurricanes to rising sea levels to eroding coasts, climate change has brought a number of significant environmental challenges to Florida. The state’s millions of well and septic users — common in urban areas as well as the typical rural ones — face unique struggles in equipping their properties to face these challenges and responding to the damage they wreak. FWON works to provide education, resources, and support to these homeowners as Florida’s landscape evolves.
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| 🎧 Listen here 🎧 |
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From the Help Center |
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What information should I know before I test my well water?
There are specific questions a well owner needs to get answered in order to know which contaminants they need to test for in their well water. This article from our Help Center will help get a homeowner started with well testing who is unfamiliar with the process.
For additional articles and resources for private well owners, explore our Private Well Help Center. |
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Upcoming Webinars & Recent Recordings
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How to Find Local Information and Help
February 18, 2025 | 1 PM CT
Hosted by PrivateWellClass.org
This free webinar will explain methods for finding well logs, records, and information about your well, how to find well drillers, contractors, and financial help programs in your area, and when to sample, what to sample for, and best practices to protect your well system.
Register »
We'd love your support in distributing this information, please feel free to share this link.
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Outreach Strategies for Working with Private Well Owners
March 12, 2025 | 1 PM CT
Hosted by PrivateWellClass.org
This free webinar will address topics such as private well fundamentals, how to assess a private well using an assessment tool, how to effectively engage private well owners, how to develop a program for outreach to well owners, and best practices for managing a well owner program.The webinar will be recorded. NEHA CE credits are available for those who attend live.
Register » |
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Is My Water Safe to Drink?
Common Questions about Private Wells Recording
Recorded on December 19, 2024
This webinar recording discusses how water moves through the ground to your well and how well construction can increase contamination vulnerability.
Watch Recording » |
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What Environmental Health Professionals
Need to Know about Wells
Recorded on January 30, 2025
This webinar recording provides an introduction to groundwater, well construction, water quality, and well care best practices for environmental health professionals and others who serve well owners.
Watch Recording » |
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Legionella Workshop
Recorded on January 22, 2025
This workshop recording covers home legionella sampling initiatives, single case investigations, travel-related single cases, the regulatory framework and research efforts in New York State, and efforts to evaluate the occurrence of Legionella in homes on private wells. The goal of the workshop is to share advances in Legionella testing and occurrence with practitioners and researchers related to results and challenges.
Watch Recording »
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Navy Will Test Private Drinking Water Wells Near the Former Grumman Plant in Calverton for PFAS
RiverheadLocal
In the latest in PFAS contamination of private well water, the Navy will be testing water wells near the site of a former naval weapons facility in Calverton, New York, on Long Island. The facility was operated by the Grumman Aerospace Corporation from the 1950s to 1996, and is believed to have contaminated the surrounding soil and water with PFAS and other pollutants.
Read here » |
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Partner Events & Workshops |
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Temperature Influences on Seasonal-Use Wells
February 4 | 6:00 pm ET | Online
Hosted by the Great Lakes Community Action Partnership
Many homeowners have seasonal or dual residences. It is important for those owning private wells to consider health and safety issues upon their return after an extended period of time. These seasonal-use wells can be greatly influenced by temperature and other impacts. Information is provided at this webinar for preparing to leave, and more importantly, what should be done when returning to ensure safe drinking water. These steps will help you remain safe from issues that can lead to illness or even hospitalization.
Register here. |
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Being a Private Well Owner – Part 1
February 13 | 5 pm CT | Online
Hosted by Communities Unlimited
Private Well Owners, Well Professionals, Technical Assistance Providers, and Other Stakeholders are invited to join Communities Unlimited for “Being a Private Well Owner – Part 1.” This training will cover what governs the design of your well, record keeping, recommended testing, and how to disinfect your well.
Register here.
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Private Water Supply Education and Water Testing
February 18 & February 25 | 3:00 pm ET | Monaca & Smethport, PA
Hosted by Penn State Extension
This event is designed for people who manage a private drinking water supply. PSU Extension will cover how to test and protect your well or spring and when water treatment might make sense. Also discussed will be well and spring system inspection and maintenance so you know how to protect your family, your property, and the groundwater we share. This event is for residents of Pennsylvania who use a private water supply (well, spring, cistern) in their primary residence.
Register here. |
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Common Drinking Water Contaminants and How to Treat Them
February 19 | 11 am ET | Online
Hosted by University of Maryland Extension
There are many contaminants that can occur in drinking water depending on the source. This webinar will discuss the most common ones including bacteria, metals, nutrients; where they come from and how to know if they are present and how to treat them. The quality of water we drink is important to our health and this webinar center key steps to ensure good drinking water quality.
Register here.
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Protect Your Water: Essential Well Care & Emergency Preparedness
February 19 | 6:00 pm MT | Online
Hosted by the Rural Community Assistance Corporation
Do you get your water from a private well? Join RCAC for a two-hour webinar to learn more about essential well care, how to prepare for and respond to emergencies, and where to find additional resources.
Register here. |
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Septic System Operations & Maintenance for Homeowners
February 20 | 6:00 pm ET | Online
Hosted by the Rural Community Assistance Corporation
This online course will educate homeowners on proper operation and maintenance of their septic systems, common troubleshooting, preventive maintenance, and solutions.
Register here. |
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Save the Date for NEHA's 2025 Annual Conference:
July 14-17, in Phoenix, Arizona
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Registration is already open for this July's Annual Educational Conference & Exhibition from the National Environmental Health Association!
According to NEHA, resiliency is more important than ever as the challenges in the field of environmental health are continually evolving. AEC presents an opportunity to recharge, reflect, and gain knowledge needed to adapt to the changing landscape of environmental health. The conference's sessions will equip attendees with tools and insights to strengthen the field's professional foundation.
Early bird pricing for registration is available until February 28, 2025. |
| Register here » |
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Wildfires: Private Wells and Natural Disasters
National Environmental Health Association
This guide, from NEHA, offers instructions on how to prepare, respond, and recover from a wildfire affecting a property with a private well. It covers safety reminders, well maintenance for fire-prone areas, and steps for each stage of a wildfire.
View the document »
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Featured Video: Why Should I Test My Private Drinking Well? |
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This video, brought to you from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, explains to viewers why they should test their private drinking water well for contaminants and water quality. There are no governmental regulations for water quality that private wells must meet, so it is the responsibility of well owners to ensure that their well water is safe to drink.
Watch the video » |
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PrivateWellClass.org is a free, grant-funded service to support private well owners and the professionals that work with these wells. The program seeks to raise awareness of private well issues and help well owners understand their responsibilities to be a good steward of their well and water source. The Private Well Class, developed at the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is a collaboration with the Rural Community Assistance Partnership with funding from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. Call us at 1-866-945-0699 for assistance. |
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Visit our other websites: |
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Illinois State Water Survey, 2204 Griffith Drive, Champaign, IL 61820, United States |
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