This training program is a collaboration between the Rural Community Assistance Partnership and the University of Illinois and funded by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. It was developed to be a starting point for strengthening your private well owner outreach program. As you begin to apply your classroom learning, you might find these supplemental resources helpful.
In partnership with an expert workgroup, we developed this assessment tool to provide a well owner with a comprehensive evaluation of the possible sources of contamination at or near their well. The tool is designed to be administered by water and environmental health professionals as a service to well owners. A supplemental, written training guide for the tool is under development.
In 2014 our team completed a study for CDC that surveyed 91 well owner programs to identify common markers of effectiveness. As part of this effort, we conducted a comprehensive review of related literature on best practices for outreach. The following appendices compile the data that was presented to CDC in our final report and published in the Journal of Water and Health (DOI: 10.2166/wh.2015.081).
Our free, 10-lesson email course is designed to help a homeowner better understand how to properly care for their water well, to ensure their water remains safe to drink.
The Private Well Conference, the first of its kind, brings together the private well community to share their experiences and further strengthen outreach programs around the country.
Environmental health professionals can receive up to 10 Continuing Education (CE) Credits for taking The Private Well Class through the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA).
Each RCAP affiliate administers it's own program, customizing our core curriculum to the unique needs of their geographic region.
As RCAP's subject matter experts and online partner, one of our roles is connecting professionals like you with The Private Well Class and other resources. When you become a partner, you'll receive the latest news, program announcements, and webinar dates.