Artwork: Mike LaMark

The Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project (SWPA-EHP) has just released a comprehensive set of guidelines for monitoring and testing private wells. Titled “Well Water Contamination: SWPA-EHP Ranking System and Monitoring Strategy“, the report includes a set of recommendations that will enable well users to monitor their own water with two simple tests.

The protocol was developed after SWPA-EHP scientists analyzed data from over 50 drinking water wells at four different gas extraction locations. Although not a perfect solution to well water concerns, the protocol has the capacity to alert residents of the possibility that their wells have been contaminated and then to provide guidance on what steps to take next. For more information contact Raina Rippel at (RRippel @ environmentalhealthproject.org).