Monday, November 10, 2008
PRINCESS ANNE, MD – Homeowners can have their private well water tested for free during a two-hour Safe Drinking Water Clinic slated for Saturday, December 6, beginning at 11 a.m. at the Food Science and Technology Building at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Drinking water will be tested for pH, total Coliform bacteria, E. coli bacteria, nitrates and total dissolved solids. Procedures for collecting the water sample are available with pre-registration prior to Friday, November 21.
The clinic aspires to teach participants how to avoid, detect and treat water contaminants that may affect the quality of their drinking water. Topics of discussion include: proper well maintenance; land use impacts; wellhead protection; water testing and interpretation; solving water problems; and water conservation.
“Thousands of Delmarva residents rely on a private well system for their home drinking water,” says Corrie Cotton, research assistant professor, department of agriculture, food and resource sciences, UMES. “The homeowner has the sole responsibility of managing the quality of their private well to ensure it meets drinking water safety standards to protect their family’s health.”
Sponsored by the UMES Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences, registration can be made by calling (410)-651-6630 or by e-mail at cpcotton@umes.edu.
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Gail Stephens, assistant director, UMES Office of Public Relations, 410-651-7580, gcstephens@umes.edu.
