Well and Septic Education in the Northern Plains and Mountains Region

State regulatory agencies and county environmental health offices in EPA Region 8 have stated a need for private well and septic owner education to protect public health and water resources. In response, the Northern Plains and Mountains (NPM) Regional Water Program has assembled a one-stop-shop website for well and septic education information including existing and new resources (www.region8water.org). Materials include an educational DVD to educate homeowners about their well and septic systems, well and septic record keeping folders to encourage maintenance and an online Water Quality Interpretive Tool to help homeowners understand water quality analytical results. These materials have reached thousands of homeowners through state Extension networks, county environmental health offices and water quality districts in Region 8. After receiving these materials through local education programming, people say they are identifying and addressing problems with their water systems, maintaining their septic systems more regularly, and testing their water quality more frequently. In the San Luis Valley of Colorado, the NPM team partnered with the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council to provide educational materials for a campaign that tested 300 wells and held a series of public meetings. After participation in the program, 24% of participants identified a problem with their water system and 78% of those people said they plan to address the issue. More than 95% of participants started a well file using the NPM folders and said they were better able to monitor and maintain their wells and would retest in the future. 80% of people who have returned surveys about the septic folders agreed that the folders served as a reminder to have their septic tank pumped. With these materials reaching thousands of people across the region, these stated behavior changes not only have the potential to improve the quality of groundwater but also to help protect public health.