02-13-1996 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• " s* . , —• * 4 ts- i • W9llh0Mdnn0S 0«cf(nb«f 1M4 WHP Surveys Show Concerns about Contamination and Training Needs Surveys of public water suppliers and the general public were distributed by MDH in 19V3 The purpose w as to: 1) mexsure concerns about ground- water protection. 2) determine knowledge and attitudes towards WHP. and 3) determine whai edu cational methods may be ettective for these groups Sixty-five percent of suppliers indicated they had heard of W HP. but only 35 percent said they had moder ate or much knowledge of it. Large community suppliers had much more know ledge than the smaller com munity or noncommunity suppliers. two most important barriers. Ninety- three percent said they were of mixier- ate or great importance. Legal and jurisdictional issues ranked next in concern. One survey was disinbuied to all 954 community water suppliers in the state and to about SIX' noniransient non community suppliers. The response for this survey wa.s about 50 percent Contaminants of Concern to Public Water Suppliers Another survey was distributed to a sample or 600 •varer supp! v cu.stoincrs m tour cities ot (littering sizes (Rochester. LakeviUe. St. Peter. Randolp! , The ci'mliincd resp<'.ri'>e rate v. .i- .iver 47 percent in three cities w h.-:-.- the survey was mailed and UX) p-r. ent in St. Peter where it was brouthi door to door Surveys of Water Suppliers The survey of w ater suppliers indi cated that 43 percent believe that (here IS moderate or great concern about groundwater contamination in theit communities. Large community suppliers, serving more than 5.1XX) residents, indicated more concern. Sixteen percent of the suppliers indicated that contaminants had been disciivered in their wells Agricultural chemicals were the number one concern of suppliers Fitty-two percent of ihe suppliers said they had a mtrderaie or great concern Chemical spills and improper use and disposal ot chemicals were next in concern. Agrtcuituf3< C3lS Non Agnc Chemicals UHi'efgf'* ‘Hd Tanks Chemical GpiHs Abandoned Wells Landfills. Dumps Lawn. Garden Chemicals Septic Tanks Feealots Manure 50 60 %•0 10 20 30 40 •Percent indicating rr.oderate or great concern Water suppliers indicated they needed training m all areas ot W’HP. especially idcniitNiiig and managing contaminant sources. Over percent iCidicated this was - ' ^derate or great need. Communil> suppliers said that workshops were the most ettective method of education Over 90 percent said they would be moderately or greatly effective. Noi.communiiy suppliers preferred individual techni cal assistance more than workshops. Pamphlets and brochures were viewed as effective by about iwo-ihirds ot both groups Written res{K)nses to an open-ended “ question about what the state should do to help water suppliers protect wells indicated that edu cation Nvxs the most important thing the state could provide for suppliers. Nearly half the comments mentioned this need About 25 percent also mentioned the need for more enforcement of pollution laws ::: the need lor the state tc make new laws to control c )iiiumi- nation simrces that may aMcct their water supplies. Surveys of the General Public Thirty-seven percent of all re spondents said groundwater con tamination was a moderate or big problem in their communities. This concern was consistent in all four of the cities surveyed. Com. on next page General Public View of Contamination The sur\ ey also asked about barriers to implementing WHP Cost to the community and cost to contaminant source owners to correct contami- naiion problems were seen as the Randolph Rochester if St. Peter 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45%* •Percent indicating "moderate" or "big" problem.