Well Water Program

Oregon State University

Protecting the groundwater that provides our drinking water through education.

Approximately 23% of Oregonians rely on domestic wells, or private wells, as their primary source of potable water

The goal of the Well Water Program is to help Oregonians protect the groundwater that supplies their drinking water through education. Information available at Well Water Events is now available for your use on this web page.

If you have a well or septic system, look over the many publications available to help you maintain these facilities in good working order; it could save you costly repairs, protect your family's health, and insure the continued safety of your groundwater supply.

If you have questions and don't know where to turn, or can't find the answers to your questions you can contact the program coordinator.

County newsletter news

Well water study signs up Jackson County homeowners

 July 13, 2022 | The Jefferson Exchange

There are many benefits to country living, but water treatment is not among them. Pulling your household water out of a well can bring a few surprises in with the water, and it's up to the homeowner to deal with those surprises.

That can be a big issue in Jackson County, where substances like arsenic and lead have shown up in levels above federal clean water standards.

Oregon State University's Extension Service got federal funding to study wells in the county, and is now recruiting families to take part in the study. We get details on the program and its goals in a visit with Chrissy Lucas, who coordinates the Small Farms and Groundwater Outreach Programs, and Kara Baylog from Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center (SOREC).