UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Owners Of Wells, Springs And Other Private Water Systems In Pennsylvania Can Get Information On Maintaining A Safe Water Supply By Viewing A Satellite Videoconference, 7-8:30 P.m. On May 3.

Sponsored by Penn State's Master Well Owner Network and the Pennsylvania Ground Water Association, the program will originate from Penn State's University Park campus and will air live at more than two dozen Penn State Cooperative Extension offices around the state.

The program will cover well construction, maintenance, water testing, wellhead protection and water treatment.

"The program will mark National Drinking Water Awareness Week," says Stephanie Clemens, coordinator of the Master Well Owner Network. "There will be a period for questions and answers with the experts in the studio and master well owners will be on hand at downlink locations to answer questions before and after the satellite program. Contact the Penn State Cooperative Extension office in your county to find out if it is hosting the satellite program, to sign up to attend, or to find out where the closest viewing site will be."

At this writing, extension offices in Bradford, Cambria, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clinton, Crawford, Cumberland, Elk, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Lancaster, Lawrence, Luzerne, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Potter, Susquehanna, Wayne and Westmoreland counties are planning to air the program.

"The Master Well Owner Network, Pennsylvania's volunteer network for private water source protection, is a group of trained volunteers dedicated to promoting the proper construction and maintenance of private water systems in Pennsylvania," says Clemens. "To date, there are 244 trained Master Well Owner volunteers in 55 counties in Pennsylvania. They have provided assistance to more than 4,000 homeowners with private water systems. Master Well Owners have gone through an eight-hour training on private water system management. Each master well owner's job is to go out into his or her community and spread that new information to at least 100 people over a two-year period."

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For more information, visit the Web at http://mwon.cas.psu.edu/satelliteprogram.htm, contact Clemens at 814-865-2250 or reach her by e-mail at mwon@psu.edu.

Jeff Mulhollem Office 814-863-2719 FAX 814-863-9877