Free online program educates homeowners with water wells

[November 26, 2012]  CHAMPAIGN -- Homeowners in small communities and rural areas without a public water supply often don't fully understand how to manage, operate and protect their private well.

The Illinois State Water Survey and the Illinois Water Resources Center at the University of Illinois have announced a new nationwide training initiative funded by the Rural Community Assistance Partnership through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Private Well Class is a free, step-by-step, online education program to help well owners understand groundwater basics, best practices in well care and how to find assistance. It will also teach well owners how to sample their well, how to interpret sample results and what they can do to protect their well and source water from contamination.

The program combines a 10-part online class with live, interactive webinar events in which the material will be reinforced and questions answered. Steve Wilson, a groundwater hydrologist with the Illinois State Water Survey with over 20 years of experience working with private well owners, will serve as the primary instructor for the class.

The class seeks partners in various sectors to extend the reach of this initiative and connect with private well owners. State agencies, local governments and industry professionals alike are invited to become partners and assist with promoting this free service. Partners are especially invited to host webinar viewing events that facilitate questions and answers about local groundwater issues.

For more information, visit the Private Well Class website, http://www.privatewellclass.org/, or contact [e-mail].

[Text from file received from the Illinois State Water Survey]