Strategies to Improve Private-Well Water Quality: A North Carolina Perspective

Gibson, Jacqueline Mac Donald; Pieper, Kelsey J.

doi:10.1289/ehp890

Cited by 59 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Emergent themes extended beyond the topic of testing and included barriers and facilitators of other well stewardship behaviors, such as well maintenance and treatment. Participants in this Latino community reported barriers to well stewardship that are commonly reported in other rural communities, such as a lack of actionable information, economic limitations, and a lack of technical support [11,12,[14][15][16]. They also described barriers related to landlords and neighbors, which have not been reported previously.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

“…Private well users are responsible for ensuring that their water is safe to drink. According to a survey of domestic wells conducted by the treatment include cost, inconvenience, not knowing how to test, and lack of social norms [11,12,[14][15][16]. However, the majority of these studies were conducted in regions with primarily non-Latino White populations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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"We are all here to learn": A qualitative study on private well stewardship within a rural, agricultural Latino community

VanDerGeest

Karr

et al. 2019

Preprint

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Background: Nitrate contamination in groundwater disproportionately impacts agricultural Latino communities, creating a significant hazard for Latinos that rely on private wells. Private well users must conduct water testing and other well stewardship behaviors to ensure their well water is safe to drink. This study sought to identify the barriers and facilitators of private well water testing in rural, agricultural Latino communities.Methods: We conducted four focus groups with private well users, two in Spanish and two in English.We recruited 37 participants from the Lower Yakima Valley, Washington State, a rural, agricultural community with a large Latino population and elevated nitrate concentrations in groundwater. A semi-structured interview guide was developed to capture testing barriers and facilitators guided by the Risk, Attitudes, Norms, Ability, and Self-Regulation (RANAS) model. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted by two coders to identify common themes.Results: Themes emerged around barriers and facilitators to well stewardship behaviors, including well testing, treatment, and maintenance. Barriers included limited actionable information, economic limitations, lack of technical support, and challenges related to landlords and neighbors. Facilitators of well stewardship included concerns about well water contamination, knowledge of agricultural sources of contamination, do-it-yourself (DIY) home repair experience, and responsibility to protect family.Conclusions: Well stewardship programs in rural, agricultural Latino communities may want to prioritize communication that provides actionable information on well water testing, treatment, and maintenance and emphasizes the responsibility to protect family in its messaging. Additionally, programs that provide financial and technical assistance and well maintenance education that builds on DIY home repair experience may be effective in these communities.US Geological Survey (USGS) in 48 states, 23% of domestic wells in the US contained one or more contaminants at a concentration exceeding a human health standard [2]. Nitrate is the most common anthropogenic contaminant in private wells [2], originating from synthetic fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, animal waste, and wastewater [3]. The maximum contaminant level for nitrate in regulated drinking water sources is 10 mg/L NO 3 -N [4]. Consuming water above this concentration may lead to developmental effects, gastrointestinal cancer, and methemoglobinemia, which can be fatal in infants if not treated [5].Nitrate contamination in drinking water supplies disproportionately impacts Latino communities [6,7].Public water systems in the top quartile of percent Latino residents served are nearly three times more likely to exceed 5 mg/L of nitrate than public water systems in the bottom quartile [7]. These disparities may occur because agriculture is the largest input of nitrogen in US water resources [3], and 83% of farm workers are Latino [8]. Public water systems with groundwater sources have higher ni...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

"We are all here to learn": A qualitative study on private well stewardship within a rural, agricultural Latino community

VanDerGeest

Karr

et al. 2019

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Internet search engines were also used to identify additional resources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. EPA, and ChangeLabSolutions. Resources that offered recommendations to protect nonpublic water well users were used to inform the recommendations (Chappells et al 2014;Kreutzwiser et al 2011;Ridpath et al 2016;Simpson 2004;Zheng and Flanagan 2017), as were policies and practices from other states (Convery 2005;Flanagan et al 2015Flanagan et al , 2016MacDonald Gibson and Pieper 2017;Law et al 2017; Rhode Island Department of Health 2008), recommendations from an expert panel (Fox et al 2016), and a publication from ChangeLabSolutions, "Closing the Water Quality Gap" (ChangeLabSolutions n.d.).…”

Section: Review Of Policies Academic Literature and Other Resourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of Kansas Water Well Policies and Proposal of Nonpublic Household Water Well Recommendations

Ablah

Marrow²,

Brown

et al. 2020

Environ Health Perspect

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BACKGROUND: Many nonpublic water well users unknowingly consume contaminated groundwater containing unsafe levels of pollutants. This has important implications for more than 13 million households in the United States that rely upon nonpublic water wells for drinking, cooking, and other household uses. Although public water quality is regulated through the Safe Drinking Water Act, there are no drinking water standards for nonpublic water well quality in Kansas, nor is there an adequate public health infrastructure in place to prevent or address potential exposures to contamination. OBJECTIVES: This project was conducted to identify promising action steps that would protect Kansans relying on nonpublic water wells for drinking, cooking, and other household purposes. METHODS: The project team consisted of public health, environmental health, and legal professionals with experience working on groundwater quality issues impacting nonpublic water wells in Kansas. From 2015 through 2018, the team established and convened an advisory group; reviewed relevant state statutes and regulations, all Kansas county environmental codes, and a representative sample of 23 city water well codes; conducted an extensive review of academic literature to identify best practices; conducted dozens of key informant interviews; proposed recommendations; engaged dozens of stakeholders through a survey of these proposed recommendations; and conducted interactive webinars to identify which organizations need to lead each of the recommendations. DISCUSSION: The project team developed 18 recommendations. The recommendations are organized by survey respondents' perceptions of potential public health impact. There are very few standard practices in Kansas that ensure safe water for nonpublic household water wells. Although not all of the 18 recommendations may be applicable to other communities and states, many likely would be useful for governmental agencies, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and others to consider. These recommendations offer more protections for nonpublic household water well users than any resource we have found. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5507

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“…In 2016, the Environmental Health Collaborative Summit (as cited in Gibson, & Pieper, 2017), highlighted barriers that hinder individuals' adherence to private well water quality testing and treatment policies. First, there is a lack of a comprehensive database of well locations.…”

Section: Standards For Drinking Water Regulations Globally and Locallymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Apparently, the campaign has not been successful per se, as many wells are still not registered (Gibson & Pieper, 2017), leading to a lack of water quality monitoring.…”

Section: Standards For Drinking Water Regulations Globally and Locallymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact Of Community-Based Training Outreach In Improving Water Quality, Health, And Sanitation In Kenya

Ntaoti¹

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Water is an important component of the human body. A greater percentage of the body comprises of water. Digestion, brain function, movement, and sweating among others are the basic functions of the human body that require water. Often, water quality is neglected in developing countries such as Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Many individuals in these countries understand the importance of having accessible water but do not prioritize the quality and the sources of the water available to them. Public health scholars endorse education, training, and sanitary infrastructure to promote awareness and importance of water quality. To address an existing waterborne disease crisis in a school in Kenya, the researcher conducted a needs assessment and tested the applicability and modified a water purification technology (WaterPOD) along Menomonee River in WI. Upon success of the simulation, the researcher used the Health Belief Model, Diffusion of Innovations, and Assessment, Design, Implementation, and Evaluation model (ADDIE) of instructional design to develop a water health-training program, which she later implemented and evaluated in 5 locations in Kenya. The results showed that the training program increased public awareness, perceived severity of waterborne diseases; water treatment and source protection. It also increased self-efficacy on household water health and sanitation.

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Strategies to Improve Private-Well Water Quality: A North Carolina Perspective

Cited by 59 publications

References 23 publications

"We are all here to learn": A qualitative study on private well stewardship within a rural, agricultural Latino community

"We are all here to learn": A qualitative study on private well stewardship within a rural, agricultural Latino community

Analysis of Kansas Water Well Policies and Proposal of Nonpublic Household Water Well Recommendations

The Impact Of Community-Based Training Outreach In Improving Water Quality, Health, And Sanitation In Kenya

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