Web-Based Learning for Private Water System Owners

More than three million rural residents of Pennsylvania rely on private wells, springs and cisterns for drinking water and 20,000 new private wells are drilled each year. More than 50 percent of private water systems in Pennsylvania have been found deficient in drinking water quality for at least one health standard.

To help safeguard drinking water quality, a web-based educational program for private water system owners that will assist with education about private water system maintenance and management is being developed by Bryan Swistock and Stephanie Clemens with the School of Forest Resources at the Pennsylvania State University.

An on-line educational program and videos will be produced that will detail methods to protect and enhance private water systems. Marketing of these materials will be accomplished through extension educators, well drillers, water testing laboratories and volunteers from the Master Well Owner Network.