\\n\\nAuthor(s): Flanagan, S. V.; Gleason, J. A.; Spayd, S. E.; Procopio, N. A.; Rockafellow-Baldoni, M.; Braman, S.; Chillrud, S. N.; Yan Zheng\\n\\nSource: International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 221 (6):929-940; 10.1016/j.ijheh.2018.05.008 2018\\n\\nAbstract: Arsenic, which occurs naturally in groundwater, is a real health worry, especially for homes that use private wells because those aren’t regulated. Right now, the biggest hurdle to cutting down on arsenic exposure is that many private well owners just don’t test their water. It’s tough to get people to take action. Rules and policies that require testing could really help us screen all private well water and reduce arsenic exposure. New Jersey’s Private Well Testing Act (PWTA) says you have to test for arsenic during real estate sales. But, the rules don’t actually require you to fix the problem if arsenic levels are too high. We sent a survey to residents whose homes had arsenic levels above the state limit in PWTA tests. The results, from 486 people, showed a range of actions. Some did nothing to cut down exposure (28%), while others reported using treatment and doing the right maintenance and monitoring (15%). Even though 86% remembered their well was tested when they bought their home, only 60% said their test showed an arsenic issue. About 63% of households use treatment systems, but half of those were put in by a previous owner. For the 308 people treating their water, 57% said they were doing the recommended maintenance. However, only 31% had tested their treated water in the last year. How susceptible people felt and what barriers they saw strongly predicted if they’d take action. For those treating for arsenic, how serious they thought the problem was tied to recent monitoring. Their commitment level related to doing proper maintenance. If someone mentioned a treatment service agreement, they were much more likely to monitor and maintain correctly. On the flip side, if a previous owner installed the treatment, it was less likely to be maintained. So, even though the PWTA requires well testing, this study found that not all current well owners know the test happened or understood what their arsenic results meant. And for those with arsenic treatment, poor monitoring and maintenance could undo their efforts to reduce exposure. These findings suggest we need more effort, resources, and support to make sure home buyers pay attention to, understand, and act on test results when they’re done. This could really improve how we manage arsenic water problems long-term and boost the PWTA’s public health impact.\\n\\nhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1438463918302797?via%3Dihub\\n\\nThe post Health protective behavior following required arsenic testing under the New Jersey Private Well Testing Act. appeared first on Facts About Water.\\n\\nSource: Water Feed