Successful
Projects
AKIMA BASIN DRINKING WATER
PROTECTION PROJECT
(Fall, 1995)
 Objective: To promote drinking water awareness to inhabitants on the Yakama
Indian Reservation and in the Granger Drain area of the Yakima River
Basin.
Partners Involved: Environmental Protection Agency Region 10, Washington
Department of Ecology; Washington State University, Yakama Indian
Nation, Northwest Service Academy/AmeriCorps, Washington State Department
of Agriculture.
Funding: Monies to support project came from a variety of
sources including a water quality mini-grant through WSU's Water
Quality Management Team and through 319 CWA grant that supports
Washington's Home/Farm*A*Syst programs.
 Training
Volunteers: A team
of 12 AmeriCorps members were trained over a four day period by
representatives from major state agencies, WSU, and the Yakama Indian
Nation. Sessions included in-class presentations and field trips
to local homes and farms. Each received a Water Quality Resource
Notebook developed by the Home/Farm*A*Syst office.
 Volunteer
Activities: AmeriCorps volunteers conducted a drinking
water protection campaign in the Yakima Basin of Washington. AmeriCorps
staffed a water quality booth at a local water festival and offered
Home/Farm*A*Syst risk assessment screenings, free nitrate tests
for well water, and other drinking water protection information.
Another activity involved going door-to-door in the Granger Drain
and Yakama Indian Reservation area offering this same information.
Impacts: Close to 100 residents on the Yakama Indian Reservation
and Granger Drain area were contacted and offered risk assessment
materials and free nitrate tests. The success of this project led
to more projects using AmeriCorps and additional funding.
CHEHALIS BASIN DRINKING WATER
PROTECTION PROJECTS, LEWIS COUNTY
(Winter, 1996)
Objective: To promote drinking water awareness to inhabitants
of Lewis County.
 Partners
Involved: WSU Cooperative Extension, EPA Region 10, Lewis
County Environmental Health Services, Lewis County Conservation
District, Chehalis River Council, Northwest Service Academy/AmeriCorps.
Funding: Funding was provided through an EPA grant and supplemented
with 319 monies that support the Home/Farm*A*Syst program.
 Training
Volunteers: A team of 12 AmeriCorps members were trained
over a four day period by representatives from major state agencies,
local health agencies, and WSU. Sessions included in-class lectures,
field trips to local farms and homes, case studies using simplified
Home and Farm risk assessments, discussing volunteer responsibilities
and roles, conducting nitrate tests and providing result information
to the public. Each received a Water Quality Resource Notebook developed
by the Home/Farm*A*Syst office.
Volunteer Activities: AmeriCorps promoted drinking water awareness by offering
educational materials, Home/Farm*A*Syst risk assessments, free well
water nitrate screenings, groundwater and watershed model demonstrations,
and county contact lists. Delivery strategies involved setting up
drinking water protection mini-fairs, store front info booths, and
going door-to-door in selected areas of Lewis County.
Impacts: In three days, a total of 140 people were contacted.
Most received drinking water information packets. Out of this number
68 had their water tested and 22 completed an assessment.
COLUMBIA BASIN DRINKING WATER
PROTECTION PROJECT
FRANKLIN AND GRANT COUNTIES
(Spring, 1996)
 Objective:
To promote drinking water awareness in communities of Franklin and
Grant Counties of the Columbia Basin. This area is known for having
documented nitrate contamination in groundwater from extensive agricultural
activities.
Partners Involved: WSU Cooperative Extension, Franklin Conservation
District, Benton/Franklin Health Department, Grant Health Department,
local governments, and EPA Region 10, Northwest Service Academy/AmeriCorps.
Funding: Money to support the project came from a WSU Water
Quality Mini-Grant with additional support through the 319 CWA supporting
the WSU Drinking W.A.T.E.R. Project.
Training Volunteers: The
same trained team (from Yakima Project) was utilized and rebriefed
prior to project as to area's issues, economics, communities, and
delivery logistics.
 Volunteer
Activities: AmeriCorps volunteers conducted a drinking
water protection campaign in communities of Franklin and Grant Counties.
AmeriCorps staffed water quality mini-fairs at various locations
around the two counties. At these locations, AmeriCorps offered
visitors assistance with completing risk assessments, free nitrate
tests for well water, drinking water protection information, handouts
on best management practices, and local resource and contact lists.
Another activity involved going door-to-door in communities of the
area and offering this same information to area farmers and home
owners.
Impacts: Out of 125 direct contacts with area residents, 95
nitrate tests were run, 57 assessments were completed, and 45 evaluations
returned. Based on evaluations, 86% stated program was very helpful
and at least 40% identified a high risk area and said they would
most likely make a change in the next year. Most changes indicated
were in management and not structural. The areas of greatest concern
were fertilizers, pesticides, and septic systems.
FARM FORUM WATER QUALITY BOOTH
IN TRI-CITIES
(January, 1997)
 Objective: To promote drinking water awareness and provide educational
materials and resources to the farming and non-farming communities
of the Columbia Basin.
Partners Involved: WSU Cooperative Extension, Franklin Conservation
District, Benton-Franklin Health District, and EPA Region 10, Northwest
Service Academy/AmeriCorps.
Funding: EPA Region 10 provided funds to develop and deliver
AmeriCorps/Home*A*Syst project. Additional monies came through the
WSU Drinking W.A.T.E.R Project.
Training: The same volunteer team was used in Lewis County/Chehalis
Basin project. However, the team was briefed on this specific project
prior to delivery .
 Volunteer Activities: AmeriCorps staffed a booth at the Columbia Basin
Farm Forum and Agriculture Show in Pasco, Washington. At the booth,
they provided free drinking water protection information, "Home
and Farm Water Quality" risk screenings, free nitrate tests,
and local resource lists. AmeriCorps also went door to door in neighboring
communities and offered the same information.
Impacts: In two days, over 155 people/homes were contacted.
Most received drinking water protection information. Out of 155
people contacted, 58 had their water tested for nitrates. Nearly
40 completed sections of the simplified assessment booklet. Returned
evaluations (around 30) stated that nearly 97% felt assessments
were educational and helpful. Most recommended others do an assessment,
about 45% said it helped them identify a high risk and most planned
to make a change to reduce the risk within the year.
GRANT COUNTY/WIC PROGRAMS
AND DRINKING WATER PROTECTION PROJECT (June, 1998)
 Objective: To provide drinking water protection information (in both English
and Spanish) to underserved and low income audiences through Grant
County's Women, Infant and Children Clinics (WIC). This area is
known to have documented nitrate contamination in ground water.
The WIC clinics provided a means of reaching that portion of the
population most affected by nitrate contamination, i.e., nursing
mothers and infants.
Partners Involved: EPA Region 10, Grant County Health Department, Moses
Lake Community Health Center, WSU Cooperative Extension, Groundwater
Management Area, Washington State Department of Health, Northwest
Service Academy/AmeriCorps, White Trail Grange.
Funding: Through EPA and Drinking WATER Project(319).
Training Volunteers: AmeriCorps were trained over a two day period by
the Home*A*Syst Coordinator. Training involved going through assessments,
slide presentations on groundwater and surface water connections,
non-point source pollution, training on demonstrating groundwater
models, delivery logistics, WIC program orientation, etc. Each volunteer
received a Water Quality Resource Notebook developed by the Home/Farm*A*Syst
office.
Volunteer Activities: AmeriCorps worked with Grant Health Department's
WIC programs and followed the clinics to various meeting sites around
the community. At each clinic a table was set up and AmeriCorps
offered Home and Farm Water Quality risk screenings in both English
and Spanish, free nitrate tests, and additional drinking water protection
information.
Accomplishments and Impacts: Around 78 nitrate tests were conducted, many received
assessment booklets but due to lack of time and communication problems,
assessments were difficult to complete. Project report outlined
recommendations for future projects and interest is there in expanding
this type of partnership program between Home/Farm*A*Syst and local
health departments.
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