Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/655200
Another valuable resource, Understanding Hydrogeology and Its Impact on Large-Scale Ground Source Heat Pumps Systems, was published in 2015. These guidelines bridge the gap between existing HVAC literature and geothermal heat pump (GHP) industry training, and provide a useful ongoing reference for those involved in planning or site assessment for a large-scale GHP project. To learn more about both resources, visit the NGWA Online Bookstore at www.NGWA.org. New Tools Developed by NGWA to Help Private Well Owners For the third consecutive year, with the assistance of fed- eral grant funds, NGWA is developing new and additional ed- ucational tools to help private well owners be good stewards of their well systems and groundwater. Currently in the works are: • A well financing video, which covers a range of financing options for new well construction or major maintenance. The video is expected to be completed in the spring. • A smart phone app which will allow well owners to receive action prompts on well maintenance and water testing, and access key information related to well ownership. The app should be completed in the spring. • A full-page color ad promoting grant-related well owner educational tools in the Old Farmer's Almanac Garden Guide which comes out in May (another full-page ad will run in the Old Farmer's Almanac 2017 edition that comes out in September 2016). • Thirteen weeks of promotion on the rural programming network RFD-TV that includes repeated airings of six 2- minute video segments on different facets of well owner- ship. This promotion will run July through September. • New online well owner lessons and/or webinars covering well inspections, disinfection, treatment system mainte- nance, lead, iron and manganese, iron bacteria, fluoride, hydrogen sulfide, methane, perchlorate, uranium, and sep- tic system maintenance. These will be phased in through- out the year. • New monthly tip sheets going out to more than 6000 people. • New and improved content to WellOwner.org, which has had nearly half a million page views since the start of the current grant period on August 1, 2015. Other partners in the grant are the grant lead, the Rural Community Assistance Partnership, as well as the National Environmental Health Association, the University of Illinois, and the Water Systems Council. Most of these well owner tools ultimately will be accessi- ble through WellOwner.org. Certification exams administered by the National Ground Water Association in January, with 28 of those passing. Also administered were 25 licensing exams, with 18 of those passing. Newly NGWA-certified individuals in January: Firas Mishu of M & W Drilling LLC in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Orlando Crenshaw of Griffin Dewatering Corp. in Katy, Texas. Both earned the Certified Well Driller (CWD) designation. New members NGWA registered in January. The total consisted of 91 scientists and engineers, 57 contractors, 13 manufacturers, 13 students, 12 associates, 11 government/academic professionals, 3 suppliers, and 2 manufacturer representatives. NGWA's WellOwner.org is your customers' one-stop resource for information relating to water well systems and groundwater. Throughout, the importance of regular well maintenance and water testing is demonstrated again and again. The site also has a Contractor Lookup, which enables users—and potential customers— to search for NGWA-member and NGWA-certified contractors in their area. Other useful tools, including the Water Use Calculator that calculates a family's water footprint, are available to download at www.WellOwner.org. 2 51 202 NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION WWJ April 2016 15 Twitter @WaterWellJournl