Virginia Household Water Quality Program and Virginia Master Well Owner Network

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Virginia Household Water Quality Program and
Virginia Master Well Owner Network
Erin James Virginia Tech Biological
Systems Engineering Virginia Master Well Owner
Network Training October 29-30, 2008 Harrisonburg
Virginia
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Welcome

• Thanks for coming!
• 17 Agents from 12 counties attending
• Todays intro
• Logistics
• Introduction
• Quick overview of this project Virginia
  Household Water Quality Program and Master Well
  Owner Network
• On with the presentations!

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Private Water Supplies in Virginia

• Majority of households in 60 of Virginias 95
  counties rely on private water supply systems
• (gt 1,000,000 households)
• In 52 counties, the number of households using
  private wells is increasing faster than the
  number connecting to public systems (VADEQ, 2007)
• Homeowners relying on private water supplies
• Are responsible for all aspects of water system
  management
• Often lack knowledge and resources to effectively
  manage
• Usually dont worry about
• maintenance until problems arise

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VAHWQP History

• Established in 1989
• County-based Drinking Water Clinics
• Coordinated with local Extension Agents
• Kickoff Meeting
• Homeowners collect water sample
• Samples analyzed at BSE Water Quality Lab
• Analysis results and guidance for addressing
  problems provided to homeowner at Interpretation
  Meeting
• 12,000 samples from 82 counties collected so far
• Water quality resource materials
• 2003 budget cuts reduced program activity

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VAHWQP Resource Materials
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VAHWQP County Evaluation Reports

• Summarized drinking water clinic process
• Findings included
• Profile of participants
• Descriptions of household water from participant
  surveys
• Information about sources of water (types,
  locations, proximity to potential water quality
  threats)
• General chemistry and bacteriological analysis
  results
• Results of follow-up survey

Various county reports available
online http//www.ext.vt.edu/resources/anrpublica
tions.htmlDEPT52CAT44
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Opportunity to revitalize the program

• USDA-CSREES competitive grant (2007-2010)
• Goals
• Create a network of Virginia Cooperative
  Extension agents and lay-volunteers trained in
  the proper design, management, and maintenance of
  private water supply systems (Virginia Master
  Well Owner NetworkVAMWON).
• Use the VAMWON to educate home owners about the
  quality of their water and proper care and
  maintenance of their water supply systems
• Revise and write new water quality publications
• Outreach to underserved populations

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Creating the VAMWON

• 1.5 day training for VCE agents
• 1 day training for volunteers

• Proper well location, construction and
  maintenance
• Groundwater hydrology
• Private water system basics
• Wellhead protection
• Land use impacts on ground water quality and
  quantity

• Water testing and interpretation
• Common pollutants
• Drinking water standards
• Residential water conservation
• Water treatment processes
• Effective public education and
• outreach methods

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Pennsylvania Master Well Owner Network

• Initiated in 2004
• Adapted from Master Gardener Program
• Train screened volunteers about water quality
  issues and proper location, construction, and
  maintenance of wells
• Volunteers agree to try to make 100 educational
  contacts annually
• 293 trained volunteers (in 61 of 67 counties)
• 15,000 educational contacts to date

Photo credits Stephanie Clemens, PA Master Well
Owner Network
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VAMWON Responsibilities

• VAMWON Agents
• Conduct county-based drinking water clinics
• Educate local private water system owners
• VAMWON Volunteers can
• Assist VAMWON agents with drinking water clinics
• Make presentations to church, service, and civic
  organizations
• Staff information booths at fairs, clinics, ag
  and home shows
• Maintain own water system as a good practices
  demonstration site
• Contribute to VAHWQP newsletter and website
• Share innovative education delivery methods with
  other agents and volunteers
• Assist with evaluating program impacts

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Drinking Water Clinics

• Contact Erin to schedule working on 2010 now
• Packet of materials for agent use online
• www.wellwater.bse.vt.edu
• Includes planning information, templates, etc.
• Schedule
• Kickoff meeting Mon or Tue evening
• Sample collection same week Tue, Wed or Thurs
• Interpretation Meeting (evening)
• 350 participants max per clinic

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Strengthening VAHWQP through VAMWON
Sustaining relationships building capacity to
improve water quality

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

Virginia Master Well Owner VCE Agents

Private Water System Owners

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

Virginia Master Well Owner Volunteers

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

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• Opportunities for PARTNERSHIPS
• DEQ, VDH, VASWCD, EPA, VWWA
• Expanded programming (septic, etc.)
• Information sharing
• Joint grant- writing opportunities
• Continuing education for VAMWON

• Resources
• Website
• Newsletter
• Water Quality Resource Expert Panel
• Updated VCE water quality publications
• VAHWQP Coordinator
• Needs assessment and scheduling of clinics
• Targeted programming for underserved
• populations
• Support for agents and volunteers