Private Water Supply Protection in Virginia

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Ground water contamination is a common concern for residents using private water supplies. Unlike homes served by public water, residents of homes that rely on a private water supply are responsible for all aspects of water system. The goal of this project is to promote better management of private water systems in Virginia.<P> The specific objectives of this project are to: <OL> <li> increase educational programming for private water system owners by creating a Virginia Master Well Owner Network and use that network to support and expand the existing Virginia Household Water Quality Program <li> deliver targeted educational programming to private water system owners in underserved demographic communities. </ol>This project will create a network of Virginia Cooperative Extension Agents and lay-volunteers trained in the proper design, management, and maintenance of private water supply systems - the Virginia Master Well Owner Network (VAMWON). This network of trained professional educators and volunteers will be used to execute and expand the Virginia Household Water Quality Program (VAHWQP). The VAHWQP improves the water quality of Virginians using private water supplies by conducting county-based household water sampling clinics coupled with follow-up sample analysis/interpretation meetings where citizens learn about proper water supply system care and water treatment methods.

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APPROACH: <BR>Objective 1. The VAMWON will be modeled on the PAMWON. The VAMWON will differ from the PAMWON by training VCE agents to be VAMWON educators/leaders. In project year one (PY1) the VAHWQP Coordinator, Virginia Tech Extension specialists, faculty from Virginia State University, and experts with partnering, state agencies will work with the PAMWON Coordinator to train 30 VAMWON agents. We will train an additional 40 VAMWON agents in project year two (PY2) and three (PY3). The VAMWON agent training will be tailored to provide the VAMWON agents with the background and skills needed to conduct county-based VAHWQP clinics. To establish the VAMWON volunteer network, the VAHWQP Coordinator, Virginia Tech Extension specialists, faculty from Virginia State University, and experts at partner state agencies will conduct eight one-day VAMWON volunteer training workshops in PY2 and PY3 (4 per year). The VAHWQP county-based clinics focus on testing samples from private water supplies, educating participants about water sample test results, and ways to address water quality issues. In PY1 the VAHWQP Coordinator (to be named), a Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension specialist (Benham), and the BSE Water Quality Laboratory Manager (Jordan) will conduct six county-based VAHWQP clinics (using the historic VAHWQP model). These clinics will occur after the year-1 VAMWON agent training workshop. These six PY1 clinics will be conducted in counties where VAMWON agents trained in PY1 are located. At each PY1 VAHWQP clinic, five of the PY1 VAMWON agents will shadow those conducting that clinic. Thus, the six PY1 VAHWQP clinics will serve as intensive hands-on training experience for the 30 VAMWON agents trained in PY1. We will repeat this train-the-trainer model in PY2 and PY3.<BR><BR> Objective 2. We will use the VAMWON agents and volunteers, to reach out to those Virginians who use private water supply systems and are part of underserved demographic communities. We hypothesize our approach for reaching underserved clientele will rely heavily on partnering with existing, trusted community-based organizations (e.g., churches, civic centers) and community leaders. To leverage our efforts, the VAHWQP Coordinator will investigate government and non-government programs that assist the underserved and where appropriate integrate those programs with VAHWQP clinics. We anticipate that, on average, 20% of the samples collected at each county-based VAHWQP clinic will come from underserved clientele. To overcome monetary participation barriers, the project will offset 100% of the sample analysis cost associated with samples received from underserved participants.