New England Private Well Initiative

The New England Private Well Initiative teaches New England 's private well owners how to test and adequately treat their well water and how to assess and prevent water quality contamination around their homes. This initiative is one of four focus areas of the Northeast States and Caribbean Islands Regional Water Center, funded by the NIFA National Integrated Water Program. The initiative is a partnership with the NIFA New England Regional Water Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 1, The Water Systems Council, and drinking water agencies in the New England states.

About 20 percent of New Englanders drink water from private wells—a water source not regulated to the extent of public drinking water supplies. Private well owners are responsible for the quality of their own drinking water. They need to be aware of potential contamination risks to their wells, as well as ways to protect against those risks. The Private Well Initiative bridges this gap by providing critically needed education about risks and protection measures to private well owners throughout New England.

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