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(42) Social Dimensions of Private Well Testing: Why Don’t People Test Their Well Water?
Barbara Liukkonen, University of Minnesota Water Resources Center, St. Paul, MN
Dolores Severtson, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
Ruth Kline-Robach, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Session: Concurrent session C1: Assessment Connecting Research and Education
In March 2007, 2600 surveys about well water testing were mailed to private well owners in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Goals of the study are to learn what well owners need to make informed decisions and to understand social factors that explain well-testing behavior. Natural resource and public health professionals may find it difficult to understand why private well owners choose not to participate in their programs or get their water tested, and this can affect the way testing clinics are implemented and promoted.
The survey (43 questions) assessed water use, testing behaviors, perceptions about risk, reasons for testing/not testing, and preferences for getting information. The survey process included 4 mailings: a pre-survey letter, survey with incentive, and 2 reminder postcards. We achieved a 68% response rate.
Preliminary findings: Most respondents felt their well water was safe or very safe (67%). Over 50% were not worried about the safety of their water, however, 48% believed there was a serious or very serious problem with ground water safety in their township. About 20% of respondents had never had their well water tested and another 9% did not know if it had been tested. Primary reasons for getting a water test were learning that a neighbor’s well was contaminated (86%), a change in taste or appearance (86%), or unexplained health problems (63%). The most common reasons for not testing well water were “have been drinking it years without problems” (53%), “don’t know what to test for” (41%), and “don’t know how to test” (35%). Among those who hadn’t tested recently, 41% said they plan to test, but need information about how and what to test for. Local health departments and websites were first choices for seeking information about the safety and quality of well water.
Funding was provided by the Extension Great Lakes Regional Water Program.
Barbara Liukkonen
University of Minnesota Water Resources Center
173 McNeal Hall
1985 Buford Ave
St. Paul, MN 55108
Phone: 612-625-9256
FAX: 612-625-1263
liukk001@umn.edu