Some of the content for The Private Well Class has been drawn from valuable, trusted resources such as A Guide to Private Water Systems in Pennsylvania (2009, PennState Extension). You may wish to explore these documents for further reading on each lesson.
1. The Science of Groundwater
- Water Quality Information for Consumers, Cornell University Cooperative Extension.
- Well Owner’s Guide to Water Supply, Texas Well Owner Network, Texas A & M AgriLife Extension.
- Raymond, Lyle S. What is Groundwater? Bulletin No. 1, July 1988, New York State Water Resources Institute, Cornell University Center for Environmental Research.
- Raymond, Lyle S. Aquifers. Bulletin No. 3, August 1992, New York State Water Resources Institute, Cornell University Center for Environmental Research.
- Well Owner’s Handbook, Environmental Health Division, Minnesota Department of Health.
- Waller, Roger M., Ground Water and the Rural Homeowner, USGS, 1994.
- Groundwater Fundamentals, National Ground Water Association website.
- Iowa’s Groundwater Basics, Iowa Geological Survey Educational Series 6, Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
- Groundwater in Ohio, Feb 2010, Ohio EPA.
Additional Resources
- Water Well Professional Search, National Ground Water Association website.
2. Groundwater & Well Contamination
- Gaber, Michael S. Michigan Flowing Well Handbook, March 2005, Michigan DEQ.
- Raymond, Lyle S. Aquifers. Bulletin No. 3, August 1992, New York State Water Resources Institute, Cornell University Center for Environmental Research.
- Raymond, Lyle S. Groundwater Contamination. Bulletin No. 2, November 1988, New York State Water Resources Institute, Cornell University Center for Environmental Research.
- Trautman, N., K. Porter, and R. Wagenet. Groundwater: What It Is and How to Protect It, December 1985, Cornell Cooperative Extension Service.
- Groundwater Study Guide, 2016, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
- Waller, Roger M., Ground Water and the Rural Homeowner, USGS, 1994.
- Water Well Owner’s Handbook, March 2010, Oregon Water Resources Department.
- Sources of Groundwater Contamination, The Groundwater Foundation website.
- State Water Quality Profiles, WellOwner.org website.
Additional Resources
- Private Drinking Water Wells, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website.
3. Well Construction & Related Issues
- Planning Your Well, April 1990, Illinois Cooperative Extension Service.
- Anatomy of a Drilled Bedrock Well, webpage, October 2005, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry.
- Drilling Technologies for Groundwater Extraction, September 2010, Presentation to the International Association of Hydrogeologists, National Ground Water Association.
- Groundwater Atlas of Colorado, webpage, 2003, Colorado Geological Survey.
- Indiana Farmstead Assessment Factsheet 1: Drinking Water Well Condition, November 1995, Cooperative Extension Service Purdue University.
- Bored Wells, December 2010, Illinois Department of Public Health website.
- Well Owner’s Handbook, Environmental Health Division, Minnesota Department of Health.
4. Your Water Well System
- Gibb, James P. Wells and Pumping Systems for Domestic Supplies, Circular 117, May 1978, Illinois State Water Survey.
- Pumping Systems, 2009, National Ground Water Association.
- Well Caps, 2009, National Groundwater Association.
- Water Pressure, 2009, National Groundwater Association.
- Food, PMO 2015: Appendix D – Standards for Water Sources, 2015, U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
- Private Water Systems Handbook, MWPS-14, April 2009, Midwest Plan Service, (not a free publication).
- Pitless Well, 2008, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service.
- Well Owner’s Handbook, Environmental Health Division, Minnesota Department of Health.
- Pitless Adapter for Submersible Pumps, January 2000, The Manitoba Water Services Board.
- Gaber, Michael S. Michigan Flowing Well Handbook, March 2005, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
- Private Drinking Water Wells: The Distribution System, July 2012, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.
5. Operations, Maintenance & Best Practices
- Well Owners’ Guide to Ground Water Resources in Yavapai County, March 2008, Arizona Cooperative Extension.
- ABC’s of Well Information, Arizona Department of Water Resources.
- Extending Bedrock Well Casings, 2009, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.
- Well Upgrading Guidelines, June 2009, Province of Manitoba.
- Water Supply Bladder Tank Safety Alert, July 2011, Newfoundland Labrador Occupational Health and Safety.
- Coliform and Nitrate Information for Private Well Owners, May 2010, Washington Department of Health.
- Start-Up and Shut-Down Assistance for Seasonal Noncommunity Water Systems, Washington State Department of Health website.
- Vogel, Michael, P., Septic Tank and Drainfield Operation and Maintenance, August 2005, Montana State University Extension Service
- Vogel, Michael, P., Septic Tank Inspection and Trouble-Shooting, August 2005, Montana State University Extension Service.
- Septic Systems, October 1989, Illinois Cooperative Extension Service. (updated)
- Water Well Owners Handbook, March 2010, Oregon Water Resources Department.
- Private Well Protection, February 2011, Arizona Cooperative Extension.
- Well Water Testing and Understanding the Results, April 2011, Arizona Cooperative Extension.
- Harris, B. L., D.W. Hoffman, & F.J. Mazac, Jr., Reducing the Risk of Groundwater Contamination by Improving Wellhead Management and Conditions, June 1997, Texas Agri Life Extension.
- Proceedings of the Well Sealings and Groundwater Protection Demonstrations, May 1999, Illinois Water Well Sealing Coalition (no electronic version available).
- Farm*A*Syst Nebraska’s System for Assessing Water Contamination Worksheet 3: Drinking Water Well Condition, January 1998, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.
- Pressure Tanks, April 2005, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.
- Personal Communication, February 1, 2013, Michael Convery, Minnesota Department of Health.
6. Emergency Situations & Problem Solving
- Water Pressure, 2009, National Ground Water Association.
- Flood Precautions For Private Water Wells, March 2012, Minnesota Department of Health.
- Safe Drinking Water from Wells in Flooded Areas, 2009, University of Minnesota Extension.
- Wildfire Can Damage Private Water Wells, March 2012, Minnesota Department of Health.
- Recommendations for Private Domestic Wells Impacted by Flooding, May 2010, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
- Private Wells After The Fire, June 2011, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
- Water Well Rehabilitation, 2009, National Ground Water Association.
- Artiola, J. F., K. Uhlman, and G. L. Hix, Arizona Wells: Maintaining and Troubleshooting Wells, September 2012, Arizona Cooperative Extension.
- Uhlman, K., and J. F. Artiola, Arizona Wells: Low Yielding Domestic Water Wells, January 2011, Arizona Cooperative Extension.
- A Homeowner’s Guide to Septic Systems, March 2005, US EPA.
- Vogel, M. P., Septic Tank Inspection and Trouble Shooting, August 2005, Montana State University Extension Service.
- Methane in Well Water, June 2011, Minnesota Department of Health.
- Keech, D. K. and M. S. Gaber. “Methane in Water Wells“, Well Journal, February 1982, pp. 33-36, National Ground Water Association.
- Septic Systems, October 1989, Illinois Cooperative Extension Service. (updated)
7. Getting Help & Finding Local Answers
- Rules and Regulations Pertaining To Private Drinking Water Systems, June 2008, Rhode Island Department of Health.
- Water Systems: Individual Water Systems, US Department of Housing and Urban Development website.
- Financing, WellOwner.org website.
- Grants to Counties Water Well Program, Iowa Department of Public Health.
- Well Compensation Grant Program, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
- Water Resources Education Network, Pennsylvania League of Women Voters. (WREN website no longer active)
- State or Federal Programs Offering Grants and Low Interest Loans for Well Construction, Repair, and Sealing, Minnesota Department of Health.
- Well & Septic System Assistance Program, Anne Arundel County Maryland Department of Health.
- The Iowa Grants to Counties Program, Personal Communication, Russell Tell, Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Additional Resources
- How to Find a Contractor, WellOwner.org website.
- State Resources, National Ground Water Association website.
- Certification of Laboratories that Analyze Drinking Water Samples to Ensure Compliance with Regulations, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website.
- Barrington Area Council of Governments, website.
- Wisconsin Citizen-based Monitoring Network, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website.
8. Groundwater Quality & Source Water Protection
- The ABC’s of Well Information, presentation, Arizona Department of Water Resources.
- Trautman, N., K. Porter, and R. Wagenet. Groundwater: What It Is and How to Protect It, December 1985, Cornell Cooperative Extension Service.
- Homeowner’s Guide to Well Construction, July 2009, Washington State Department of Ecology.
- Useful Information About Your Well, trifold, Carroll County Maryland Health Department.
- Groundwater Study Guide, 2006, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
- Water Well Owners Handbook, March 2010, Oregon Water Resources Department.
- Texas Water Law, Texas A & M University website.
- The Texas Manual on Rainwater Harvesting, 2005, Texas Water Development Board.
- Water Testing Information for Private Well Owners, State of Rhode Island Department of Health website.
- Well Owner’s Handbook, Environmental Health Division, Minnesota Department of Health.
Additional Resources
- Private Well Info Viewer, Rhode Island Health Department website.
- Probability of Exceeding the Arsenic Drinking Water Standard in Private Drinking Water Wells in Massachusetts, 2011, Massachusetts DEP.
- Probability of Exceeding the Uranium Drinking Water Standard in Private Drinking Water Wells in Massachusetts, 2011, Massachusetts DEP.
- Probability of Arsenic & Uranium in Private Bedrock Wells, Massachusetts DEP website.
- A Civil Action, Wikipedia website.
9. Sampling & Interpreting Results
- Well Owner’s Handbook, Environmental Health Division, Minnesota Department of Health.
- What Every Realtor Should Know About Private Drinking Water Wells, Feb 2005, US Environmental Protection Agency.
- Healthy Drinking Waters for Rhode Islanders: Residential Water Well Testing, April 2003, Rhode Island Department of Health and the University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension Department.
- Liukkonen, B., Severtson, L., and Kline-Robach, R., Social Dimensions of Private Well Testing: Why Don’t People Test Their Water?, Fall 2009, Extension Fall Conference Posters 2009, Extension Great Lakes Regional Water Program.
- Mechenich, C., and Andrews, E., Interpreting Drinking Water Test Results, September 2004, Wisconsin Cooperative Extension.
- State Certification Officers for Drinking Water Laboratories, US Environmental Protection Agency website.
- Farrell-Poe, K., L. Jones-McLean, and S. McLean, Well Water Testing and Understanding the Results, April 2011, Arizona Cooperative Extension.
- The Drinking Water Interpretation Tool, Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment and Penn State Extension website.
- Be Well Informed Guide, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services website.
Additional Resources
- Drinking Water Contaminants – Standards and Regulations, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website.
10. Water Treatment Solutions
- Home Water Treatment, Environmental Health Division, Minnesota Department of Health.
- Distillation for Home Water Treatment WQ-12, March 1991, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service.
- Artiola, J., Farrell-Poe, K., and Uhlman, K., Water Facts: Home Water Treatment Options, September 2009, Arizona Cooperative Extension.
- Well and Water System Disinfection For Private Wells, April 2012, Minnesota Department of Health.
- Hassinger, E., Doerge, T., and Baker, P., Water Facts: Number 6 Reverse Osmosis Units, February 1994, Arizona Cooperative Extension.
- Artiola, J., Farrell-Poe, K., and Moxley, J., Arizona Know Your Water, October 2012, Arizona Cooperative Extension.
- Benham, B., and Ling, E., Household Water Treatment (Pub 442-670), 2013, Virginia Cooperative Extension.
- What You Should Know Before You Buy, NSF International website.
- Home Water Treatment Devices, NSF International website.
- Contaminant Testing Procedures, NSF International website.
- Robillard, P., Sharpe, W., and Swistock, B., Home Water Treatment in Perspective, Penn State Cooperative Extension.