Wednesday, July 30, 2008

American Water Council Kicks Off Its 2003 Statewide Education Campaign On Well Water Quality

American Water Council Kicks Off Its 2003 Statewide Education Campaign On Well Water Quality

The American Water Council (AWC) will kick off its 2003 statewide consumer education campaign on Well Water Quality on January 10, 2003. The goal of the campaign is to inform residents on the importance of safe drinking water.

(PRWEB) January 8, 2003

West Haven, CT, January 6, 2003 – The American Water Council (AWC) will kick off its 2003 statewide consumer education campaign on Well Water Quality on January 10, 2003. The goal of the campaign is to inform residents on the importance of safe drinking water. AWC will address specific issues, such as contamination, testing, well maintenance, and how homeowners can take a more active role in ensuring their drinking water is safe.

The 2003 statewide campaign will rely on a combination of informational mailings, public seminars and other local communication efforts to help create awareness and educate Connecticut residents on the subject of water quality. The 2003 campaign will begin by contacting residents in New Haven County, beginning with Woodbridge, North Haven and Branford.

“We recognize that the majority of Connecticut’s public drinking water is safe and properly maintained by water providers, but we also want those residents serviced by well water to be aware of measures they can take to help ensure drinking water quality,” explains Brian Cronin, spokesman for the American Water Council. In a report presented to the 106th U. S. Congress, contaminated wells have been found in all Connecticut municipalities, due to leaking underground fuel tanks, accidental chemical spills, sewage, the spraying of pesticides and herbicides, and dozens of other sources.

For example, potentially dangerous contaminants, which often have no odor, taste or color, can enter drinking water supplies from a number of sources, which may not be known to the homeowner. These include pollution, improper disposal of household or industrial waste, fuel or chemical spills, excess rain/flooding, bacterial contamination or lead found in pipes of older homes.

“The majority of Connecticut homes are serviced by public water systems, which are regularly checked, treated and filtered, in keeping with EPA requirements,” Mr. Cronin points out. “However, more than 700,000 Connecticut residents are serviced by private sources, primarily wells, which are not examined by authorities, leaving sole responsibility with the homeowner to maintain water quality.”

Regular laboratory testing is one way homeowners served by private wells can take an active role in maintaining water quality. The American Water Council now administers the AquaMD® water testing and information service, which was developed by the 150-year-old, non-profit Regional Water Authority (RWA) back in 2000. The RWA developed AquaMD to provide well owners with a reliable and less expensive option for testing their drinking water in a state-certified, EPA-registered laboratory.

“The RWA realized that consumers served by private wells could benefit from the availability of a reliable and convenient testing service,” said Cronin. “The ability to easily test anytime allows homeowners to minimize potential long term health issues caused by contaminated well water.”

The AWCÂ’s AquaMD service offers certified lab testing for many potential contaminants such as lead; arsenic; MTBE; Coliform and E. coli bacteria; pesticides and herbicides. Test kits can be ordered anytime via the web or toll-free number, and are shipped directly to the customer, who supplies the water and sends it back. Easy-to-read results are ready within ten days with next steps, if needed.

In addition to testing, other tips from the American Water Council include:

· Maintain Wells – Follow all instructions for well maintenance; test well water at least once a year, as recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), www. epa. gov

· Be Alert – Keep an eye out for changes in the water, such as color, odor, taste

· Be Cautious – If contamination is suspected, don’t drink or use the water; contact your local health department or water authorities on alternative sources, next steps

· Contact Experts – Always contact the local Health Department or local water authority if you think a problem exists.

· Test – Both the EPA and the CT State Health Department recommend annual testing of well water. If you have not tested in the last twelve months, you should test your water in a state-registered lab immediately. If a contamination is reported in your area, more frequent water testing may be required.

For more information, call 1-866-AQUAMD4 (toll free) or log on to www. AquaMD. com.