RCAP SOLUTIONS, INC.'S ROLE IMPROVING WATER QUALITY THROUGH TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PRIVATE WELL OWNERS IN THE NORTHEAST

Private well owners are unique in that they represent a cross-section of every possible profession, ethnic group, geographic area, age group, educational group, and economic group. This diversity, and the fact that there are over 40 million Americans who use private wells, makes reaching them a significant challenge. Most take their well water for granted, assuming it will always be safe and available for their use. Through a partnership with its six regional affiliates, Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Inc. (RCAP) provides training and technical assistance to private well owners, environmental health professionals, and other related stakeholders in all 50 states, the U.S. Territories, and on tribal lands. RCAP’s experience with private well owners indicates that many don’t understand the risks associated with private well ownership, nor do they understand the need to become better stewards of their water well to protect water quality and their personal health.

RCAP Solutions, Inc., the Northeast affiliate of RCAP, strives to increase the technical capacity of well owners, provide them with the information they need to become better stewards of their well and source water, protect their health and water quality, and give them the tools to understand the sources of information that are available to them. RCAP Solutions has performed individual well site assessments for well owners, organized private well owner and sanitarian workshops, and partnered with public health stakeholders throughout the Northeast to meet these objectives. RCAP’s partners on the EPA-funded project also include the University of Illinois, the National Ground Water Association, the Water Systems Council, the National Environmental Health Association, Texas A&M University Cooperative Extension, Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension, Mississippi State University Cooperative Extension, and Virginia Tech University Cooperative Extension.