Starting on Oct. 7, Penn State Extension will offer weekly water webinars on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. that explore a variety of topics related to groundwater resources, private water supply management and select drinking water contaminants.
Groundwater is made up of rainwater and snowmelt that soaks into the ground and moves through soil and rock until it reaches a saturated layer of sand, gravel or rock called an aquifer.
The quality and quantity of the groundwater that is available to us can be impacted by many things, from the natural geology of the aquifer to the surrounding land use to even the way a well is constructed.
Groundwater is commonly used for drinking water and over half of Pennsylvania residents depend at least partially on groundwater for their drinking water supply.
In rural areas, residents commonly access groundwater resources through private drinking water wells and developed springs.
There are over one-million households in Pennsylvania relying on private water systems. Managing these private water supplies can be challenging because it is entirely the homeowner’s responsibility and there are no state-wide standards for well construction, maintenance or water testing.
While not required in Pennsylvania, sanitary well construction, good maintenance practices, and regular water testing are all important for assuring safe drinking water.
Although, groundwater is not naturally pure and can have dissolved minerals from the soil and rock it flows through, other contaminants may result from human activities.
Proper well construction and maintenance is one of the best ways a private water supply owner can keep contaminants out of the groundwater because poorly constructed or neglected wells can often act as a direct route for transporting pollutants from the land directly into the aquifer.
Regular water testing is also important for ensuring a safe drinking water supply because even though water impurities that change the way water looks, smells or tastes may bother us the most, many contaminants that can harm our health are undetectable without regular water testing.
Penn State Extension’s Water Webinar Wednesday Series will discuss groundwater, private water supply best management practices, as well as the occurrence and treatment of select drinking water contaminants in private water systems.
The following schedule includes the list of topics that are a part of this series:
- Oct. 7 – Getting Your Drinking Water Tested
- Oct. 14 – Radon and Radium in Private Water Supplies
- Oct. 21 – Protecting Groundwater from Pesticides
- Oct. 28 – The Importance of Forests to Groundwater and Wells
- Nov. 4 – Occurrence and Removal of Arsenic in Groundwater Wells
- Nov. 11 – Proper Well Construction Steps to Protect Groundwater and Your Health
- Nov. 18 – Pharmaceuticals and Other Emerging Contaminants in Groundwater Wells
- Nov. 25 – Climate Change Effects on Water
These live webinars are free to attend, but registration is required through the Water Webinar Wednesday Series event registration page at https://extension.psu.edu/water-webinar-series.
The extension invites you to join each Wednesday to learn more about the water around us in Pennsylvania.