Peer Reviewed Private Well Research

The NJ Department of Environmental Protection, along with partnerships with the NJ Department of Health and Columbia University, have conducted many research projects in New Jersey throughout the years on private wells with a focus on outreach, treatment, arsenic, coliform bacteria, and gross alpha. Bolded names indicate members of the NJDEP and NJDOH.

Rockafellow-Baldoni, M., Spayd, S. E., & Robson, M. G. Microparticles of arsenic water treatment media and water softener resin observed in treated water at private wells. Water Environment Research, 96(6) (2024) e11067. Abstract | Read-only PDF

Gleason, J.A., H. S. O’Neill, R. I. Schwartz, and N. A. Procopio. Twenty years of private well testing at real estate transfer in New Jersey: A review of the United States’ most comprehensive well water testing regulation. Water Policy. 26(3). (2024) Abstract

Schwartz, Rebecca I., Gleason, J. A., H. S. O’Neill, N. A. Procopio, S. E. Spayd. Targeted Education and Outreach to Neighbors of Homes with High Gross Alpha Radioactivity in Domestic Well Water. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. 259-260 (2023):107124 Abstract

O’Neill, Heidi S., Sara V. Flanagan, Jessie A. Gleason, Steven E. Spayd, Rebecca I. Schwartz, and Nicholas A. Procopio. Targeted private well outreach following a change in drinking water standard: Arsenic and the New Jersey Private Well Testing Act. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. 29(1) (2023): E29-E36. Abstract

Seliga A., S.E. Spayd, N.A. Procopio, S.V. Flanagan, J.A. Gleason; Evaluating the impact of free private well testing outreach on participants’ private well stewardship in New Jersey. J Water Health 1 January 2022; 20 (1): 1–11. Abstract

Flanagan, S. V., N. A. Procopio, S. Spayd, J. A. Gleason, and Y. Zheng. (2020). Improve private well testing outreach efficiency by targeting households based on proximity to a high arsenic well. Science of the Total Environment. V738:139689. Abstract

Flanagan, S.V., S. Braman, R. Puelle, J. Gleason, S. Spayd, N.A. Procopio, G. Proswimmer, A. Navas-Acien, J. Graziano, S. Chillrud. (2020). Leveraging healthcare communication channels for environmental health outreach in New Jersey. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. Abstract

Gleason, J.A., E. Taggert and B. Goun (2020). “Characteristics and Behaviors Among a Representative Sample of New Jersey Adults Practicing Environmental Risk-Reduction Behaviors.” Journal of public health management and practice. V27:6, 588-597. Abstract

Mailloux, B. J., N. A. Procopio, M. Bakker, T. Chen, I. Choudhury, K. M. Ahmed, T. Ellis, M. R. Mozumder, S. Chillrud and A. van Geen. (2020). Recommended sampling intervals for arsenic in private wells. Groundwater. 59(1):80-89. Abstract

Rockafellow-Baldoni, M., B. L. Lubenow, N. A. Procopio, J. A. Gleason, S. E. Spayd. (2020). School-based private well testing outreach event for arsenic and boron in New Jersey. Journal of Environmental Health. V83(2):26-32. Abstract

Qiang Y, Flanagan S, Chillrud S, Ross J, Zeng W, Culbertson C, Spayd S, Backer L, Smith AE, Zheng Y. (2020). Reduction in drinking water arsenic exposure and health risk through arsenic treatment among private well households in Maine and New Jersey, USA. Science of The Total Environment, V738:139683. Abstract

Flanagan, S.V., J. A. Gleason, S. E. Spayd, N. A. Procopio, M. Rockafellow-Baldoni, S. Braman, S. N. Chillrud, and Y. Zheng. (2018) Health protective behavior following required arsenic testing under the New Jersey Private Well Testing Act. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. 221:929-940. Abstract

Rockafellow-Baldoni M, Spayd SE, Hong JY, Meng Q, Ohman-Strickland P, Robson MG. (2018). Arsenic Exposure and Cancer Risk Reduction with Local Ordinance Requiring Whole-House Dual-Tank Water Treatment Systems. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 24: 1256-1267. Abstract

Atherholt, T. B. and N. A. Procopio. (2017) Domestic well coliform tests results: A positive coliform test result may not always tell you what it is supposed to tell you. Well Water Journal. Nov:19-22. Abstract

Atherholt, Thomas B., Nicholas A. Procopio, and Sandra M. Goodrow. (2017) Seasonality of coliform bacteria detection rates in New Jersey domestic wells. Groundwater. 55.3 2017: 346-361. Abstract

Procopio, Nicholas A., Thomas B. Atherholt, Sandra M. Goodrow, and Lori A. Lester. (2017) The likelihood of coliform bacteria in NJ domestic wells based on precipitation and other factors. Groundwater 55.5: 722-735. Abstract

Flanagan, Sara V., Steven E. Spayd, Nicholas A. Procopio, Robert G. Marvinney, Andrew E. Smith, Steven N. Chillrud, Stuart Braman, and Yan Zheng. (2016) Arsenic in private well water. Part 3 of 3: Socioeconomic vulnerability to exposure in Maine and New Jersey.” Science of the Total Environment 562: 1019-1030. Abstract

Flanagan, Sara V., Steven E. Spayd, Nicholas A. Procopio, Steven N. Chillrud, James Ross, Stuart Braman, and Yan Zheng. (2016). Arsenic in private well water. Part 2 of 3: Who benefits the most from traditional testing promotion? Science of the Total Environment 562: 1010-1018. Abstract

Flanagan, Sara V., Steven E. Spayd, Nicholas A. Procopio, Steven N. Chillrud, Stuart Braman, and Yan Zheng. (2016). Arsenic in private well water. Part 1 of 3: Impact of the New Jersey Private Well Testing Act on household testing and mitigation behavior. Science of the Total Environment 562: 999-1009. Abstract

Atherholt T. B., L. R. Korn, J. B. Louis, and N. A. Procopio. (2015). Repeat sampling and coliform bacteria detection rates in New Jersey.”  Ground Water Monitoring and Remediation. 35:2 70-80. Abstract

Spayd SE, Robson MG, Buckley BT. (2015). Whole-house arsenic water treatment provided more effective arsenic exposure reduction than point-of-use water treatment at New Jersey homes with arsenic in well water. Science of the Total Environment. 505: 1361-1369. Abstract

Szabo Z, Louis JB, Spayd S, Kraemer TF, and Parsa B. (2015). Contribution of Naturally Occurring Radioisotopes to Gross Alpha-Particle Activity in Ground Water in Bedrock Aquifers of Northern New Jersey. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science, Research, and Environmental Health, Research Project Report.

Spayd SE, Robson MG, Xie R, Buckley BT. (2012). Importance of Arsenic Speciation in Populations Exposed to Arsenic in Drinking Water. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment, 18:1271-1291. Abstract

Louis J, Szabo Z, Spayd S, Serfes M, Carter G. (2008). Northern New Jersey Radionuclide Investigation: Determination of Uranium, Radium and Radon in Ground Water with High Gross Alpha-Particle Activity, and Implications for Future Monitoring Efforts. N. J. Dept. of Environmental Protection, Division of Science, Research and Technology, Research Project Summary.

Coppola E, Szidarovszky F, Davis D, Spayd S, Poulton MM, Roman E. (2007). Multiobjective Analysis of a Public Wellfield Using Artificial Neural Networks. Ground Water. 45(1):53-61. Abstract

Serfes ME, Spayd SE, Herman GC. 2005. Chapter 13 – Arsenic Occurrence, Sources, Mobilization, and Transport in Groundwater in the Newark Basin of New Jersey. In: Advances in Arsenic Research Integration of Experimental and Observational Studies and Implications for Mitigation (O’Day PA, Vlassopoulos D, Meng X, Benning LG, eds). Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, 175-190. Abstract

Spayd, SE, Johnson, SW. (2003). Guidelines for Delineation of Well Head Protection Areas in New Jersey. New Jersey Geological Survey Open File Report OFR 03-1.

Spayd, SE. (1985). Movement of Volatile Organics Through a Fractured Rock Aquifer. Ground Water 23(4):496-502. Abstract