New England Private Drinking Water Well Symposium

Monday, November 14, 2005
Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Introduction and Symposium Objectives
Alyson McCann, Water Quality Program Coordinator,
University of Rhode Island, Cooperative Extension

Welcome and Opening Remarks
Robert W. Varney, Regional Administrator,
US Environmental Protection Agency – New England

Keynote Speaker
Susan Seacrest, President, The Groundwater Foundation
Private Well Stewardship: Information, Inclusion, and Involvement

Moderator: Alyson McCann, Water Quality Program Coordinator,
University of Rhode Island, Cooperative Extension

Late Morning Concurrent Sessions

SESSION 1: FOCUS ON ARSENIC
Angeline Andrew, Research Assistant Professor, Dartmouth College. Biomarkers associated with Arsenic in drinking water wells.
Steve Spayd, PG, MPH, Bureau of Water Resources New Jersey Geological Survey. Arsenic treatment and retention of arsenic in the body.
Benjamin Bostick, Associate Professor, Dartmouth College. Arsenic Release at the Coakley Landfill Superfund Site.
Moderator: Nancy Serrell, Associate Director for Outreach, Center for Environmental Health Services, Dartmouth College

SESSION 2: FOCUS ON RADON
Vincente Guiseppe, Research Assistant, University of Maine, Orono. Variation and radon concentration with depth in private wells.
Dr. Charles Hess, Professor, University of Maine. A Maine radon in water measurement proficiency study.
Eric Frohmberg, Maine Dept. of Health and Human Services.Rationale for Testing Radon in Maine: New Maine Number.
Moderator: Kira Jacobs, Source Water Protection Team Leader, US EPA - New England

SESSION 3: FOCUS ON OTHER CONTAMINANTS OF CONCERN
Dr. Stewart Chute, Connecticut Department of Public Health. A comparison value for 1,4-dioxane in contaminated drinking water.
Joseph Ayotte, P.G., Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey NH - VT Water Science Center. MTBE occurrence and related factors in public and private wells in southeast New Hampshire.
Pam Schnepper, Toxicologist, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.Perchlorate in Drinking Water - Current Issues in Regulatory Toxicology.
Moderator: Marilyn Lopes, Extension Educator, University of Massachusetts – Cape Cod Extension


Afternoon Programrunning faucet

State of the States’ Programs (pdf of all state reports together; individual state reports available below)
Representatives from state drinking water agencies in New England will present their private well programs, discuss current issues and concerns regarding private well safety, as well as outreach and risk communication efforts to the private well users.

Connecticut: Ray Jarema, P.E., Senior Engineer, CT. Dept. of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health.

Maine: Eric Frohmberg Toxicologist, Environmental Health Unit, Maine Dept. of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Massachusetts: Suzanne Robert, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

New Hampshire: Bernie Lucey, Senior Engineer, NH Department of Environmental Services

Rhode Island: Patrick Craft, Contract Program Specialist, Rhode Island Department of Health, Office of Private Well Water Contamination.

Vermont: Rodney Pingree, Chief, Water Resources Section, VT Agency of Natural Resources.

glass of waterModerator: Jane Downing, Chief, Drinking Water Branch, US EPA – New England

 


Effective Risk Communication Strategies
This interactive session will provide participants with practical techniques focusing on:
Principles of Behavior Change and Social Marketing (Dr. James B. Lewis, Sc.D., Associate Professor, Health Management and Policy, School of Health and Human Services, University of New Hampshire)
Working with Low Literacy Audiences (Sue Stableford, MPH, MSB, Director, AHEC Health Literacy Center)
Moderator: Julia Peterson, Extension Specialist, University of New Hampshire