The public health impact of a school-based citizen science effort to assess well water for arsenic in Maine and New Hampshire
Taylor A, Bieluch K, Zoellick B, Buckman K, Lust H, Munoz I, Bailey C, Farrell A, Jackson B, Stanton B, Disney J. The public health impact of a school-based citizen science effort to assess well water for arsenic in Maine and New Hampshire
From the abstract: "Exposure to arsenic in well water is a well-documented public health issue for Maine and New Hampshire, as well as other New England states. Arsenic contamination of well water in these locations may be attributed to historic use of arsenical pesticides in agricultural areas or to metasedimentary bedrock that leaches arsenic into groundwater. These groundwater reserves often exceed the EPA limit of 10 ppb. Arsenic exposure is known to cause cardiovascular disease, reduced resistance to infections, bladder cancer, and reduced IQ in children. Despite these known health impacts, many people still do not test and treat their wells. We approached this problem by developing the All About Arsenic project, that involves engaging secondary- school teachers and students in collecting well water samples for analysis and providing support for outreach to their communities about their findings. We have assessed the public health impact of this project by analyzing the contribution of the student data relative to the existing well water quality data in both states. Students have collected nearly 3,000 water samples; the additional data more than doubles the amount of information available to the public about well water quality in multiple municipalities across both states. In addition, we have surveyed private well owners who contributed well water samples to the project to determine the actions taken to mitigate arsenic in well water. Preliminary results indicate that participation in the project is a significant factor in well owner decisions to mitigate arsenic in their drinking water."
- Type
- Poster
- Authors
- Taylor, Ashley; Bieluch, Karen; Zoellick, Bill; Buckman, Kate; Lust, Hannah; Munoz, Isidora; Bailey, Cait; Farrell, Anna; Jackson, Brian; Stanton, Bruce; Disney, Jane
- Units
- ACAD