More than one million homes and farms across Pennsylvania rely on private wells and springs for their drinking water—yet many owners are unaware of the steps needed to safeguard these vital supplies. The "Safe Drinking Water Clinic" is designed to empower private well and spring owners with the knowledge and tools to protect their water source, their property, and their health. Learn how to properly test your water, explore treatment options, and understand essential maintenance and inspection practices to ensure long-term water quality and system reliability. During this no-cost, ninety-minute workshop, participants will also have the opportunity to test their home’s drinking water and gain practical insights into protecting both their family and the shared groundwater resources beneath their feet.

Free water testing is frequently offered to a limited number of households at these workshops. Septic system management is also sometimes covered. Instructions for collecting your water sample can be found under the More Info tab on the website.

Testing for any of the following may be offered: bacteria, pH, total dissolved solids, and nitrate nitrogen. Test results are not official; rather, they are intended to help participants determine how soon additional testing by a state-accredited laboratory should be considered. At a minimum, Penn State recommends testing every 12 to 14 months for bacteria (total coliform and E. coli) and every three years for pH and total dissolved solids.

Collecting Your Water Sample

Below are instructions for collecting a sample of your household water. We will test your water for pH (acidity), total dissolved solids (TDS), nitrate, total coliform bacteria, and E. coli bacteria. Please note that these results will be for educational purposes to help you make further testing decisions and are not from a PA DEP-accredited laboratory. A list of local DEP-accredited laboratories will be provided at the workshop.

Your sample bottle will be assigned a number when you arrive at the workshop. Some results will be provided at the workshop and others will be sent a few days later. When you sign in at the workshop, please make sure we have an accurate email or mailing address to send your results. Please contact us if you have any questions about water samples or the workshop.

If you have questions about water samples or the workshop, please contact the Event Leader using the information on the Contact Us/Instructors page.

How To Collect Your Drinking Water Sample

If you have water treatment equipment, you may get different results depending on where you collect the sample (before or after treatment). There is no right or wrong place to analyze, but think about where you want to collect the sample. Call us for advice if needed.
Collect your sample as close to the start of the workshop as possible. If you must collect it in the morning, keep it cool in a refrigerator or small cooler with an ice pack.
Purchase a new 12 or 16 oz container of bottled water from your local grocery or convenience store. Leave the bottle sealed until you are ready to collect your sample, and then pour out the contents so you can use the container. Please do NOT bring water samples in glass jars, plastic food containers, etc. as this may affect the water test results and makes sample processing more difficult.
Be careful not to touch the bottle lip or inside of the cap with your fingers as this could contaminate the sample.
If the faucet where you are collecting your water sample has an aerator, remove it by carefully unscrewing it from the faucet.
Run the cold water from the faucet for a few minutes and then rinse the bottled water container three times with your own water. After you have triple rinsed the container, fill the bottle to the top with cold water and carefully replace the cap.

Support provided by the Master Well Owner Network grant from PA Dept. of Environmental Protection and PA Ground Water Association. Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences research and extension programs are funded in part by PA counties, the Commonwealth of PA, and U.S.D.A.

This publication is available in alternative media on request.

Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Funding for this event is provided by the Master Well Owner Network grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

This event is being offered at no charge to participants thanks to the Master Well Owner Network grant.

Space is limited - preregistration is required!

Who is this for?

Anyone who gets their drinking water from a private water supply (well, spring, cistern)

What will you learn?

Groundwater basics
Proper well construction
Protecting your water supply
Water testing and treatment

Write Your Own Review

Only registered users can write reviews. Please Sign in or create an account

FAQs

What happens after I register for a workshop or conference?

A message including your registration confirmation number and a link to the workshop or conference description will be sent to the email address you provided. The workshop or conference description will provide additional information.

How long are workshops and conferences?

Every workshop and conference is different. You can find the length of a workshop or conference by viewing the workshop or conference description.

What materials will I need to bring to a workshop or conference?

Please refer to the workshop or conference description to learn about any materials you need to bring to a workshop or conference.

How should I dress for a workshop or conference?

If particular attire is recommended, dress code information will be found in the workshop or conference description.

Where will the workshop or conference take place?

Please refer to the workshop or conference description to learn where a workshop or conference will take place.

When will the workshop or conference take place?

Please refer to the workshop or conference description to learn when a workshop or conference will take place.

Where can I learn about the agenda for a workshop or conference?

Please refer to the workshop or conference description to learn about the agenda for a workshop or conference. Any optional sessions you have selected will appear in your confirmation email and online confirmation page.

What is included with my registration for a workshop or conference?

Please refer to the workshop or conference description to learn more about what is included with your registration for a specific workshop or conference.

If a workshop or conference is at maximum capacity, can I be added to a waitlist?

Some workshops and conferences offer a waitlist option when they are at maximum capacity, and some do not. When the waitlist feature is offered, and a workshop or conference is at maximum capacity, you will be taken to a waitlist form after you click on the registration link. As spots become available, we offer them "first come, first served." If a spot becomes available, you will be contacted using the information you provided.

Are workshops and conferences accessible for people who require special needs or services?

We strive to make our workshops and conferences accessible to everyone. If you require special needs or services, please indicate your audio, visual, or mobile disability during registration. We will work with you to ensure your needs are met.