Extension Office Friday: NSV Drinking Water Testing Clinics

Our conversation today is full of details for the 2024 Northern Shenandoah Valley Drinking Water Testing Clinics from Karen Poff, Senior Extension Agent, Family & Consumer Science, Virginia Cooperative Extension office who is based in the Warren County office, but serves all five surrounding counties. She also manages the Northern Shenandoah Valley Financial Education Program. Hannah Copp, also joins us. Hannah is an Associate Extension Agent in Family and Consumer Sciences, focusing on food, nutrition, & health. They explain the importance of these clinics, which are held every couple of years to help residents test their private water supplies at a more reasonable cost. Karen and Hannah underscore the educational aspect of these clinics, which aim to inform people about improving water quality and choosing appropriate treatment systems. Our conversation covers various aspects of the clinics, such as different contaminants tested (e.g., bacteria, iron, lead, and arsenic), and the importance of proper sample collection to ensure accurate results. Hannah delineates the process for picking up sample kits, attending kickoff meetings (either in-person or virtually), and delivering samples for testing. Karen highlights that the clinics are specifically for those on private water supplies, like wells, springs, and cisterns, not for those connected to municipal systems. We discuss the importance of attending results meetings to understand both individual and county-wide water quality and the importance of educational support from the Extension Office for managing and treating private water supplies. We also touch upon the cost of testing kits and available subsidized options for those who need them. Karen and Hannah share details about the registration deadlines, the necessity of timely sample submissions, and where to find more information about the clinics.  Please register by Thursday, July 11, for Week 1 (Clarke, Shenandoah & Warren Counties) and by Thursday, July 18, for Week 2 (Frederick & Page Counties). After those dates, please call Virginia Cooperative Extension-Frederick County, 540/665-5699, to check on kit availability. Kits are limited! Register online (credit/debit card payment): https://warren.ext.vt.edu/news/NSV-Water-Clinics.html  Click here to see/share the Facebook post we mention for more details as well. Click here to download a flyer with more details, dates and locations.