The Individual Well Program (IWP), also known as EPA Priority Area 4 is funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on a national scale to develop and utilize a new assessment tool and host educational workshops on how to identify potential well issues, including contamination threats. This hands-on tool will be available to sanitarians, environmental health specialists and other stakeholders around the country. IWP will provide sanitarians and other stakeholders with the essential tools they need to assist well owners not regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), to protect and improve the water quality of wells in their communities.
Currently, RCAP Solutions Inc. is focusing its efforts in four northeastern states: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.
Partnerships
RCAP Solutions, Inc. has partnered with all of its affiliated organizations as well as the University of Illinois, in the development of a private well assessment tool. A national collaboration of health professionals, drillers, scientists, researchers, and other industry professionals advised in the development of the well assessment tool.
Private Well Assessment Tool and Workshops
The private well assessment tool and the NEHA accredited workshops will educate sanitarians, environmental specialists and other stake holders to assist well owners to identify potential issues that may have adverse effect on the water quality and reliability of unregulated wells. A network of ground water and drinking water professionals will also be available to provide the necessary resources for participants.
The workshop will educate participants on how to use the well assessment tool to inspect the well head, recharge area, and determine well maintenance needs. Well vulnerabilities will be evaluated based on well specifications, nearby environmental threats, geology, and contamination issues in the area.
RCAP Solutions will use the tool to perform 20 pilot well assessments (per state) on unregulated wells within New Hampshire, Vermont, New York and Massachusetts in spring/summer of 2016 and will provide the University of Illinois with feedback on the tool for a final revision. More states are expected to be included in the Private Well Program next year.
For more information about the Private Well Program contact:
Kathy Rodgers, RCAP Solutions Project Coordinator
(603) 768-1048, cell: (603) 748-9207, email: krodgers@rcapsolutions.org
Local Contacts for Well Support:
Connecticut: Jim Starbard, (978) 502-0227, jstarbard@rcapsolutions.org
Maine: Art Astarita, (207) 766-3065, aastarita@rcapsolutions.org
Massachusetts: Jim Starbard, (978) 502-0227, jstarbard@rcapsolutions.org
New Hampshire: Kathy Rodgers, (603) 768-1048, krodgers@rcapsolutions.org
New York: Candace Balmer, (845) 332-0257, cbalmer@rcapsolutions.org
Rhode Island: Jim Starbard, (978) 502-0227, jstarbard@rcapsolutions.org
Vermont: Mark Johnson, (802) 505-1037, mjohnson@rcapsolutions.org
Helpful Links:
Privatewellclass.org (for classes, webinars, events and other resources)
https://twitter.com/help4wellowners
https://www.facebook.com/privatewellclass
https://xml2.des.state.nh.us/DWITool/Welcome.aspx (for help understanding if any action or treatment is needed on well water based on lab test results)