Private Wells

Percentage of phone calls fielded where technical assistance was provided to educate private well owners on testing their private well.

Current Value

19

2018

Definition

Line Bar

Story Behind the Curve

The Department of Public Health Private Well Program receives numerous phone calls every year from private well owners with various questions. Some well owners are looking for information on how to test their well, while others have already tested and are looking for guidance on understanding the test results or for guidance on options for a treatment system to install to address a problematic water quality result. Not all calls received require the well owner to be provided with information on testing; therefore the percentages shown will vary from year to year.

These data are current as of February 2019.

Partners

Local Health Departments - distribute educational materials developed by DPH to local residents with private well questions.

Public - Homeowners with private wells that are seeking information on what to test for, when to test, and how frequently to test.

Department of Public Health Private Well Program - In conjunction with the Deparment of Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Assessment program, both programs develop and distribute educational material to the public on private well testing. The Private Well Program provides technical assistance to private well owners on understanding test results and best available treatment technologies for treatment of arsenic.

Department of Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Assessment Program - In conjunction with the Deparment of Public Health Private Well Program, both programs develop and distribute educational material to the public on private well testing. Perform assessments of the risks to human health posed by exposure to arsenic and develops recommendations and educational materials for reducing potentially harmful exposures. The Environmental and Occupational Health Assessment Program performs assessments of the risks to human health posed by exposure to contaminants and develops recommendations and educational materials for reducing potentially harmful exposures.

What Works

Homeowners with private wells typically do not perform routine testing of their wells; therefore the water quality most homeowners are consuming is unknown. The United States Environmental Protection Agency and Connecticut Department of Public Health recommend private wells be tested at least annual for basic indicators. More information on private well testing in Connecticut can be found in Private Well Publication #24: http://www.ct.gov/dph/lib/dph/environmental_health/eoha/pdf/24_residential_drinking_water_well_testing.pdf

Action Plan

The Department of Public Health provides educational information to the general public to increase the awareness of the importance of private well testing so they are knowledgeable of the water quality they are drinking.

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