March 2023: Direct From CDC/Environmental Health Services
Volume 85, Number 7
Editor's Note: The National Environmental Health Association strives to provide up-to-date and relevant information on environmental health and to build partnerships in the profession. In pursuit of these goals, we feature a column on environmental health services from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in every issue of the Journal of Environmental Health.
In these columns, authors from the CDC Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch, as well as guest authors, will share tools, resources, and guidance for environmental health practitioners. The conclusions of these columns are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of CDC.
Community Resources for Contaminants of Concern in Private Wells
Brian Hubbard, MPH, Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Raquel Sabogal, MPH, Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Max Zarate-Bermudez, MSc, MPH, PhD, Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
In the U.S., approximately one in five water samples collected from private wells were found to be contaminated with at least one chemical at levels high enough to harm health. Given that one in eight U.S. residents obtain their water from a private well, access to safe drinking water is vital. Many private wells are not routinely tested for contaminants, which can be microbiological, chemical, or radiological. Environmental health practitioners serve as a valuable resource, helping their communities to increase well testing, identify contaminants of concern, and understand well water testing results. This month’s column highlights the work of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve drinking water in private wells.