The WaterSafe Challenge
Water is a precious resource, and one that we need to protect. This is why Water Watchers and the Lummi Island Heritage Trust have come together to create the WaterSafe Challenge, a new partnership dedicated to helping islanders protect Lummi Island’s precious water supply.
We know rising seas and hotter and drier summers pose potential threats to our drinking water. As the island population grows and we welcome more vacationers, we’ve seen our water consumption patterns change – especially in the summer. To make sure we have clean, safe, and adequate drinking water in the future, we need to take measures now – and we mean actual measures. We need data, and that is what the WaterSafe Challenge is all about.
We’ve asked superstar volunteers (like you!) to submit anonymized well data every three months so we can start to see how weather, water use, and a changing climate affect our drinking water over time so we can protect it for our kids and grandkids. And yes, we’ll be there with resources and support to help you along the way.
Have questions? Please ask them. Or to learn details on how to safely measure the water levels in your well and look for indicators of seawater intrusion, contact watersafe@liht.org
Isaac Colgan and Mike Skehan discuss previous studies and concerns about the future, with two guest hydrogeologists: Sheryl Howe from the WA State Dept. of Health and Jay Pietraszek from Aspect Consulting. Learn about the island aquifers and steps islanders can take to protect their private wells.
Watch as a playlist here, or in short parts below.
Resources
Free online class for private well owners
PrivateWellClass.org is a collaboration between the Rural Community Assistance Partnership and the University of Illinois, with funding from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.