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Description of Calls from Private Well Owners to a National Well Water Hotline

Standing water with contaminants is reflecting purple and red tints.

Water Systems Council (WSC) is a national, non-profit organization providing education and resources to private household well owners. Since 2003, WSC has provided wellcare®, a toll-free telephone hotline to answer questions from the public regarding well stewardship.

In order to identify knowledge gaps regarding well stewardship among private well owners, the Health Studies Branch obtained 2013 data from WSC, which included caller information, primary reason for call, main use of well water, and if they were calling about a cistern, private well, shared well, or spring.

Wellcare® received 1100 calls from private well owners who were residents of 48 states.

Calls from private well owners to the wellcare® Hotline during 2013 identified key knowledge gaps regarding well stewardship; well owners are generally not testing or maintaining their wells, have questions about well water testing treatment, and concerns about well water contaminants.

Reference: Ridpath A, Taylor E, Greenstreet C, Martens M, Wicke H, Martin C. Description of calls from private well owners to a national well water hotline, 2013. Sci Total Environ. 2016 Feb 15;544:601-5.

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