• Login
    View Item 
    •   Shocker Open Access Repository Home
    • Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
    • Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs
    • HWS Faculty Publications
    • View Item
    •   Shocker Open Access Repository Home
    • Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
    • Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs
    • HWS Faculty Publications
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Need for transparency and ongoing communication after residents with contaminated water wells are connected to city water

    Date
    2018-10
    Author
    Ablah, Elizabeth
    Olson, Cora
    Brown, Jack
    Merriman, Virginia
    Lee, Carla A.
    Konda, Kurt M.
    Bronleewe, Tonya K.
    Buzard, Angela
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Ablah, Elizabeth; Olson, Cora; Brown, Jack; Merriman, Virginia; Lee, Carla A.; Konda, Kurt M.; Bronleewe, Tonya K.; Buzard, Angela. 2018. Need for transparency and ongoing communication after residents with contaminated water wells are connected to city water. Journal of Environmental Health, vol. 81:no. 3:pp 26-31
    Abstract
    In 2009, groundwater contamination was discovered in a west Wichita neighborhood; the contamination was later attributed to the disposal of tetrachloroethylene (also called PERC or PCE) from dry cleaning facilities. Although the dry cleaning businesses were in operation for approximately 50 years, the extent of resident exposure to the contamination is unknown. Many residents in the affected area relied on nonpublic water wells for drinking, cooking, bathing, and irrigation. The residents were not aware that their wells had become contaminated by PERC at levels exceeding the Safe Drinking Water Act standard of 5 ppb. In 2014, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment connected these homes to the City of Wichita's public water system. In 2015, our team conducted focus groups with area residents to address any lingering needs and concerns. Participants reported general satisfaction with their homes' connectivity to city water. Participants reported poor communication, however, regarding the initial notification about the groundwater contamination in their neighborhood; most were notified through the media. This communication failure continued after their homes were connected to Wichita's public water supply. Participants shared many potential health concerns and requested that a health study be conducted of their neighborhood. Needs and concerns are ongoing among focus group participants, most of which could be addressed through regular communication with affected residents.
    Description
    Click on the URL link to access the article (may not be free).
    URI
    https://www.neha.org/node/60345
    http://hdl.handle.net/10057/15519
    Collections
    • HWS Faculty Publications

    Browse

    All of Shocker Open Access RepositoryCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsBy TypeThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsBy Type

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2023  DuraSpace
    DSpace Express is a service operated by 
    Atmire NV