Definition
Story Behind the Curve
Currently DPH is only receiving arsenic test results from private wells when samples are collected through a Local Health Department or through a DPH private well water fair as part of a statewide survey focused on identifying the presence of arsenic and uranium in groundwater throughout the state.
These data are current as of February 2019.
Partners
Local Health Departments - Coordinate volunteers from their communities to collect samples.
Public - Homeowners with private wells that volunteer to collect samples.
Department of Public Health Private Well Program - Provides technical assistance to Local Health Departments and private well owners on understanding test results and best available treatment technologies for treatment of arsenic.
Department of Public Health Occupational and Environmental Health Assessment Program - Performs assessments of the risks to human health posed by exposure to arsenic and develops recommendations and educational materials for reducing potentially harmful exposures.
What Works
The Environmental Protection Agency and expert scientific committees have classified arsenic as a human cancer-causing agent. Research indicates that people living in areas where water concentrations are very high are more likely to have bladder, lung, or skin cancer. Identifying private wells with elevated arsenic levels and installing a treatment system will reduce the prevelance of certain cancers.
Action Plan
The Department of Public Health provides educational information to Local Health Departments and the general public to increase the awareness of the importance of private well testing to identify private wells with elevated arsenic levels.