The Virginia Master Well Owner Network and Household Water Quality Program Enhancing Outreach and Building Capacity with a Focus on Human Health.

The Virginia Master Well Owner Network and Household Water Quality Program

Enhancing Outreach and Building Capacity with a Focus on Human Health

Today’s Presentation

• Program Overview:• Virginia Household Water Quality Program

(VAHWQP)

• Virginia Master Well Owner Network (VAMWON)

• Program impacts and lessons learned

• Future direction and opportunities

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Private Water Supplies in Virginia

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Majority of households in 60 of Virginia’s 95 counties rely on private water supply systems – about 1.7 million people (USGS, 2010)

In 52 counties, the number of households using private wells is increasing faster than the number connecting to public systems (VA Dept of Env Quality, 2009)

Homeowners relying on private water supplies: Are responsible for all aspects of water system management

Often lack knowledge and resources to effectively manage

Usually don’t worry about maintenance until problems arise

What is the VAHWQP?

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Established in 1989County-based Drinking Water Clinics

Coordinated with trained local extension educators or volunteers

Kickoff Meeting – distribute sample kits Homeowners collect sample; samples analyzed at VT BSE lab Interpretation Meeting: test results, interpretation and basic

information about maintenance and addressing problems 15,000 wells analyzed in 87 counties

Drinking water clinics

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ManganeseCopperpHTotal Dissolved SolidsSulfateHardness

Testing for : Total coliform

(present/absent) E. coli Nitrate Fluoride Sodium

Arsenic Lead Quantification

of bacteria

VAHWQP Drinking Water Clinics

YEAR of LAST CLINIC

2008-20122003-20071996-20021989-1995No clinic held

VAHWQP Revitalization and Expansion 2003 budget cuts limited program activity Mid-Atlantic Regional Water Quality Project

Funded by USDA-NIFA (CSREES) to promote regional coordination to address water quality issues.

Modeled on PA Master Well Owner Network (initiated 2004) 500 trained volunteers with >25,000 educational contacts

“Extension Education” grant awarded from USDA-NIFA (CSREES) National Water Program (2007-2011)

USDA-Rural Health and Safety Education Grant (2012) Targeted clinics in three Virginia regions (Northern Neck, Southside,

Southwest Add analysis for lead, arsenic, and quantification of bacteria Additional demographic and self-reported illness questions

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VAHWQP Supporting Resources

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Revision and creation of new Virginia Cooperative Extension water quality publications

Website: www.wellwater.bse.vt.edu Impact reporting Evaluation reports Brochures Newsletter Listserv

Virginia Master Well Owner Network (VAMWON)

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Currently includes extension agents and volunteers

VAMWON volunteer outreach:

Fairs and home showsSpeak to church or civic groups

One-on-one conversations with neighbors and friends

Write an article for local paperHelp with drinking water clinic

Training workshops across VA•Groundwater hydrology•Proper well location, construction and maintenance•Land use impacts /wellhead protection•Water testing and interpretation•Solving water problems•Education and outreach ideas•Water conservation

VAMWON Volunteer Policy

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Qualifications: Attend VAMWON training and achieve 80% on post-test Agree to a goal of making 100 educational contacts annually Communicate effectively and diplomatically Not work or own a business affiliated with private water

systems Option to recertify after two years

Guidelines: Unpaid, volunteer work only Provide general educational information Do not give professional advice or make specific

recommendations Refer specific questions to qualified professional

VAMWON Responsibilities

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VAMWON Agents◦ Conduct county-based drinking water clinics◦ Educate local private water system owners

VAMWON Volunteers◦ Assist VAMWON agents with drinking water clinics◦ Outreach to church, service, and civic organizations◦ Staff VAMWON booth at fairs, clinics, ag and home

shows◦ Maintain water system as a good practices

demonstration site◦ Contribute to VAHWQP newsletter and website◦ Assist with evaluating program impacts

Trained agent and volunteer

Virginia Master Well Owners by County

Trained VAMWON volunteer in county

Trained VAMWON agent in county

Lee Scott

Wise

BuchananDickenson

BlandTazewell

Washington

Russell

Carroll

Pulaski

Giles

SmythWythe

Grayson

Alleghany

Craig

Roanoke

Franklin

PatrickHenry

Montgomery

Botetourt

Halifax

Bedford

Pittsylvania

Campbell

Mecklenburg

Charlotte

Amherst Buckingham

Prince Edward

Lunenburg

Nottoway

Brunswick

Albemarle

Nelson

Augusta

Highland

Bath

Rockbridge

Arlington

Fairfax

LoudounClarkeFrederick

PageShen

andoah

Rockingham

Culpeper

Greene

Madison

Orange

Rappahannock

Fauquier

Warre

n

Amelia

Powhatan

Cum

berl

and

Fluvanna

Louisa

Spotsylvania

Stafford

Prince William

Westmoreland

King George

Caroline

HanoverGoochland Henrico

Chesterfield

Prince

George

New Kent

King William

King and Queen

Essex

Richmond

James City

Surry

Sussex

Greensville

Dinwiddie

Lancaster

North-umberland

York

Gloucester

Mathews

Middlesex

South

Hampton

Isle of Wight

Accom

ack

Northampto

nAppomattox

Charles City

Floyd

Richmond

Suffolk(city)

Norfolk(city)

Revised 6/11

Trained VAMWON agent after Sept 2012

• Develop relationships through collaborative education and outreach• Continuing VAMWON training opportunities• Share innovative education delivery methods

• Agents conduct county-based drinking water clinics• Agents better informed to address water quality concerns

Strengthening VAHWQP through VAMWON Sustaining relationships:

building capacity to improve water quality

• Community-based outreach• Peer-to-peer education

Virginia Master Well OwnerVolunteers

Virginia Master Well OwnerVCE Agents

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Private Water System Users

VAMWON and VAHWQP Impacts 45 VAMWON agents and 75 volunteers trained

representing 57 counties and 4 cities in Virginia 5000 educational contacts and growing! AND 18 VAMWON agency collaborators at Dept of

Environmental Quality and Dept of Health 43 drinking water clinics in 47 counties since 2008

(2550 samples; est 5900 people using these supplies): 74% will test water annually or every few years 80% plan to share what they have learned with others 28% will seek additional testing following clinic 26% will work to determine source of pollution 23% will shock chlorinate water system 18% will pump out septic system

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Well drillers association

Water treatment experts

State and Federal agencies

Organizations working with underserved

groups

Other sources of support

Building Relationships and Capacity in Virginia

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What IS in your water?1989-2011

Retrospective Analysis of Water Sample Data

Motivation

2010 report by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that while the overall number of waterborne disease outbreaks has decreased since the advent of the Safe Drinking Water Act, there has been a relative increase in outbreaks associated with private systems. Privately supplied systems – particularly those fed by

groundwater – are of increased concern. Information on private system water quality needed as few

published datasets exist.

17Number of outbreaks associated with drinking water by water system type and year:Craun, G. F., J. M. Brunkard, et al. 2010. Causes of outbreaks associated with drinking water in the United States from 1971 to 2006. Clinical Microbiology Reviews 23(3): 507–528.

What system types do we reach?

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System Type Number (1989-2011)

Well - Drilled Bored/Dug Unknown Total

6,9661,5121,0929,570

Spring 806

Cistern 45

Unknown system type 4,114

TOTAL 14,535

Overview: What types of systems do we reach?

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Types of treatment: acid neutralizer, carbon filter, chlorinator, iron filter, sediment filter, water softener, other

Contaminants of potential concern*

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*Note: As compared to USEPA’s recommended standards for municipal systems.

Variation across regions

E. coli -positive samples most common in Ridge and Valley

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High sodium most common in Coastal Plain and Appalachian Plateau

Do homeowners perceive potential health problems?

Short answer: NO.

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Prompt “My water…” YES NO

“has an objectionable odor.” 8% 69%

“has an unpleasant taste.” 12% 68%

“has an unnatural color.” 13% 68%

“contains suspended particles.”

16% 65%

“stains fixtures or laundry.” 34% 47%

For E. coli-positive samples (n=1465)…

Objectives Reach underserved communities (subsidize analyses: $50 $5!) Identify potential links between private water supplies and human

health Partner with Southeast Rural Community Assistance Program Follow-up with 500 past participants to determine program

impacts (behavior change) and potential barriers to action

New effort:USDA Rural Health and Safety Education Grant

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Add demographic and illness questions to homeowner survey

Targeted clinics in rural VA counties

Additional water quality targets (2012-now!) Quantify coliforms and E. coli

Concentrations >2081 MN/100 mL (max detection limit)

Detection of optical brighteners (“source tracking”) Eight samples positive (n=134)

Metals analyses (lead and arsenic) 10% (13 samples, n=134) greater than 15 ppb

in the first flush sample 6 samples greater than 50 ppb No detectable arsenic

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Questions?

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