Free webinar series for private well and septic system owners

Do you know what is in your drinking water? If you own a private well or have a septic system, maintaining these systems is your responsibility, and your first line of defense in protecting your family’s health, your property and our shared water resources. 

That is why UF/IFAS Extension Florida Well Owner Network is offering a free four-part webinar series designed to help homeowners understand the basics of well and septic care. Whether you’ve lived with these systems for years or just bought your first rural home, this series is for you.

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will host a free webinar series for private well and septic system owners to learn how to maintain and protect these systems, including after hurricanes.

Webinar series via Zoom will be held on the following dates:

• Aug. 21 — Private Wells, 2 – 3 p.m. Eastern Time
• Aug. 28 — Septic Systems, 2 – 3 p.m. Eastern Time

• Sept. 4 — Hurricane Preparedness, 2 – 3 p.m. Eastern Time

• Sept. 11 — Water Treatment Systems, 2 – 3 p.m. Eastern Time

For information,  email Stella Canfield, marketing and communications specialist for the UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, stellacanfield@ufl.edu.

Registration: Register at https://2025FWON.eventbrite.com. The webinar series will be hosted on Zoom. Registrants will receive the link one week prior to each webinar. 

This webinar series covers the essential topics every well and septic owner should know. 

• Session 1: Basics of Private Wells – How wells work, how to protect your drinking water and common mistakes to avoid.
• Session 2: Basics of Septic Systems – Understand how your system functions and what it takes to keep it working properly for years to come.
• Session 3: Hurricane Preparedness for Well & Septic System Owners – Florida’s storms can stress or interrupt these water systems. Learn how to protect your systems before, during, and after a storm.
• Session 4: Home Water Treatment Systems – When is home treatment necessary? Learn about common systems, how they work and what to look for in selecting and maintaining them.   

Instructors will inclue:  Yilin Zhuang, Water Resources Regional Specialized Agent, UF/IFAS Extension Central District, Mid-Florida Research and Education Center; and,  Andrea Albertin, Water Resources Regional Specialized Agent, UF/IFAS Extension Northwest District, North Florida Research and Education Center

For more resources on protecting Florida’s water and managing private wells and septic systems, visit: https://water.ifas.ufl.edu/well/  

Each webinar attendee will be entered into a drawing to win a comprehensive water testing kit from Tap Score, valued at approximately $200. These kits test for 54 analytes, including bacteria, metals and more, helping homeowners better understand their drinking water quality. 

Please note: This educational event is not sponsored by, nor does UF/IFAS endorse Tap Score. The testing kits are provided solely as educational incentives for participants.