Well owners in Mobile and Baldwin County are invited to attend a free workshop to discuss an opportunity to enroll in a free well water testing program offered by Dr. Ann Ojeda at Auburn University. This research endeavor is in partnership with the Alabama Extension Based – Alabama Private Well Program (APWP)

Attend a Workshop

• Baldwin County – June 27 @ 6:00 p.m. CT
  • Weeks Bay Reserve Tonsmeire Resource Center, 11525 US-98, Fairhope, AL 36532
• Mobile County – June 28 @ 6:00 p.m. CT
  • Jon Archer Agricultural Center, 1070 Schillinger Rd. N., Mobile, AL 36608

Registration

Registration is free but required to attend a workshop. People only need to attend one workshop to learn about the research experience and well water testing opportunity. Register for the location that works best for you!

Register at: aub.ie/coastalwellreg

Is Your Water Well? Citizen-Science and Groundwater Research

Ann Ojeda, Natalia Malina, and Anika Hoque prepare over-the-counter well water test kits to be distributed during a workshop. Photo by Stephanie Rogers

Well owners who attend the meetings will be invited to participate in a collaborative research experience led by Ann Ojeda, an Assistant Professor in the Auburn University College of Science and Mathematics. This research is a part of a larger study done in partnership with the National Science Foundation-Integrated Groundwater Management effort and the Alabama Center of Excellence. Ojeda has partnered with the APWP to recruit well owners to participate in a two-year, citizen-science opportunity where well owners can receive free well water testing kits and conduct water quality monitoring of their drinking water.

Ojeda and a team of researchers will study the efficacy of over-the-counter well water testing kits as a first alert for water pollution on the coast. The group will also supplement this by offering sample collection and an extended menu of testing options not covered in the over-the-counter kits to well owners who participate. To participate in the study, you must be 18 years of age, own or manage a well in Mobile or Baldwin counties, and have regular access to the Internet.

Access to reliable and accurate over-the-counter water quality testing kits will help empower well owners to protect their home water systems, while also allowing researchers to better understand risks to groundwater quality in coastal areas. Results from this study will be translated directly to outreach materials to be used by the APWP.

About the Alabama Private Well Program

The APWP started in 2020 to deliver education and materials to well owners across Alabama. Part of the initiative includes educational workshops intended to educate communities about water testing options for private well owners while also introducing groundwater basics, best practices for well care, and resources on well water testing in the region. Resources on how to sample private wells, how to interpret sample results, and what individuals can do to protect their well and its source water from contamination are shared during these events. Well owners are also able to ask questions and meet well water contacts in Alabama.

More Information

If you have questions about these workshops, contact Jessie Curl, APWP Coordinator, at jcurl@auburn.edu. For resources and upcoming events, visit the Alabama Extension calendar or www.aub.ie/wellwater.