Private Water System Education and Outreach

There are more than one million private water wells serving farms and rural homes throughout Pennsylvania. These farmers and homeowners are responsible for all aspects of water system management including routine maintenance, water testing, interpreting test results and solving water quality and quantity problems. Unfortunately, many individual water wells have never been tested and their owners are generally uninformed about proper well management. Research has shown that more than 50% of these private water systems fail to meet at least one drinking water standard.

The Master Well Owner Network conducted two programs designed to educate rural homeowners on the proper management of private water systems. The first was a satellite broadcast program that featured a mix of live lectures and video demonstrations. The second was a statewide conference aimed at providing additional training to current participants and strengthening their public outreach efforts.

The programs were organized and conducted by Stephanie Clemens, research assistant; Bryan Swistock, extension associate; and Dr. William E. Sharpe, professor of forest hydrology, all from the the Pennsylvania State University.