Tools and Data for Identifying Areas with a High Potential for Private Well Contamination (50m Learning Lab Hands-On Demonstration)

Approximately 15% of the US population relies on private water wells that are not regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act or state regulations.  Few of these wells are tested except at the time of completion or at the change of ownership, and this testing is typically limited to bacteriological quality. Based on USGS data, arsenic, nitrate/nitrite and uranium-238 exceeded their respective MCLs in 11%, 8% and 4% of private wells tested, respectively. However in many areas there is little data on the levels of these contaminants, making it difficult to effectively target affected areas.

To meet this need the University of Utah has compiled extensive groundwater quality data from national, state and local sources and developed simple models and tools to identify areas where private wells may have elevated levels of nitrate, arsenic and/or uranium. The results were combined with population data to estimate the number of people potentially impacted by these contaminants in drinking water. These results (maps and data) will be been compiled by state and by local health department, and made accessible via the web. 

 

The purpose of this session is to present an overview of the results, explain the methods used to conduct the assessment, and demonstrate the use of the tools and data.  The session will include a substantial hands-on activity to guide participants in accessing the data and maps for their jurisdiction, interpreting the results, and incorporating new local data into the assessment. The session will conclude with a discussion to identify other uses of the data and strategies that could be used to address private well water quality problems in their area.