Reducing human health risks from groundwater : estimating private well testing behaviors and barriers among private well owners in Wisconsin, 2015

Private well testing is an evidence-based strategy to reduce risks from exposure to harmful contaminants. It is a primary way contaminants can be detected, potential for health risks can be estimated, and actions taken. This report examines the role that private well testing and treatment behaviors and information gaps regarding these behaviors contribute to gaps in our ability to assess the vulnerability and uncertainty of human health risks posed by groundwater contaminants in the state of Wisconsin. Vulnerability is defined as the potential for increased exposure to groundwater contaminants to lead to adverse health effects. Uncertainty refers to our inability to measure health risks due to data gaps or due to limited private well testing. Previous testing by multiple state agencies suggest there is potential for widespread exposure to contaminants including bacteria, nitrates, arsenic and pesticide metabolites in private wells throughout the state of Wisconsin. Without testing, there is no incentive for treatment or potential for current treatment (use of water softener only) to be modified. Since water quality can change overtime, state agencies including the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) make recommendations for private well testing that suggest regular testing every 1-10 years depending on the contaminant of concern. The goals of this project were to look for patterns in private well testing and treatment behavior and the barriers and facilitators of testing in the state using data from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin cohort