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Abstract Atalay, A., S. Pao, M. James, B. Whitehead, and A. Allen. 2008. Drinking water assessment at underserved farms in Virginia’s Coastal Plain. JEMREST 4:00-00 Homeowners in rural communities, especially those classified as “underserved” by federal and state education and extension services, face a greater risk of drinking water contamination from various sources than the general public. Identification of contaminant sources of drinking water in these communities is sorely needed. This study assessed the chemical and microbiological qualities of well water samples collected from 185 locations covering 22 counties along the Coastal Plain of Virginia. All samples were collected from rural wells or springs where underserved farms and families in the region obtain their drinking water. They were screened for selected biological and chemical indicators. Total coliform, fecal coliform, and Escherichia coli were detected in 34, 11, and 6% of the samples, respectively. Chemical analysis showed that 25% of the total wells surveyed were near the Atlantic coastline and the Chesapeake Bay; their pH ranged from 4.5 to 8.5 depending on location. Approximately 10% of the wells had salt-water intrusion, as indicated by higher sodium content than allowed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). Shallow wells in close proximity to agricultural fields would be expected to be high in nitrate and phosphorus; however, most of the values obtained in this study were not considered detrimental to human health based on U.S. EPA’s drinking water standards. A survey questionnaire filled out by the homeowners indicated that most concerns were related to aesthetics, such as color and turbidity.

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