SMETHPORT — Penn State Extension will be offering Safe Drinking Water Clinics with free water testing to help homeowners understand and protect their private drinking water supplies.
Penn State Extension will be offering Safe Drinking Water Clinics on Sept. 18 at 2 p.m. and at 6 p.m. at the McKean County Housing Authority, located at 415 W. Main Street, Smethport.
These workshops will provide education on proper location, construction, testing, maintenance, protection and treatment of private water supplies. Additionally, free onsite water testing will be provided to a limited number of households. Test results are not official but are offered for educational purposes only. Water will be tested for bacteria, pH, total dissolved solids, hardness and nitrate.
Registration for these workshops is limited and required by Sept. 13. Register online at https://extension.psu.edu/safe-drinking-water-clinic or by calling 1-877-345-0691.
In Pennsylvania, over one million homes and farms get their drinking water from a private source.
These homeowners are voluntarily responsible for testing and treating their own water. About half of the private water systems fail at least one drinking water standard, but many pollutants have no obvious indicators. The only way to be certain that water is safe to drink is to have it tested routinely by an accredited laboratory.
Support for these workshops is provided by the Master Well Owner Network grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Ground Water Association. Anyone with questions about the Safe Drinking Water Clinics, may contact Danielle Rhea, Water Resources Educator, at 814-849-7361 ext. 504 or drs5277@psu.edu.
