BUENA VISTA, Va. – Nancy Carr sits in front of the radio microphone, explaining the importance of source water protection in Rockingham County. Mass communication is the latest tool that Carr, a source water protection specialist with the Virginia Rural Water Association, is using to increase involvement in her programs.
                “It is quite a tool,” she said of local radio interviews. “Local people, especially agricultural people, listen to these shows. They follow their county government very closely.”
                Carr was beginning work and a protection plan for two wells in Rockingham County. She was discussing the project with County Administrator Joe Paxton, when he suggested participating in a local radio show.

                “About once a month this station has a one hour show with topics for the county board of supervisors,” Car explained.
                Carr agreed hoping to spread awareness of about the water protection needs in the area. The show was hosted on WSVA in Harrisonberg, Va.
                “We had a panel interview,” she said. “After about ten minutes of discussing swine flu, we got to talk about source water protection.”
                “It was fun,” Carr said. “The questions were good. I got to talk about my favorite subjects. We talked about protecting on-site septic systems. We talked about how protecting a private well protects a public well, and the same measures that protect public wells protect private wells.”
                The radio show was only the first step to creating a committee that would help plan and execute a source water plan. After the show, Carr met with the full board of county supervisors and hosted a barbeque dinner to reach out to the public.
                “We already have a local action committee,” Carr said. “They’ll be meeting regularly the first years, and they’ll be the ones to put this plan into action.”
                The project has started well, but it is far from complete.
                Source water protection in the area is a complex problem. Carr explained that the county sat on karst topography, a landscape that featured layers of limestone and dolomite that dissolved by rain.
                “The soil is relatively thin,” Carr said. “Surface water gets into the ground water without being filtered.”
                The area is also prone to sinkholes. When the water table drops, because of droughts or heavy pumping of wells, it leaves cavities that can cave in. Aside from the physical damage the sinkholes cause, they pose a special problem for source water protection.
                “The sinkholes provide a direct conduit to the water table,” Carr said.
Carr is applying for grants to help support the program including dye tests to map the water recharge area and brochures for the local action committee to use.
                “It would provide information specific to the area,” she explained. “It’s something for the committee members to hand out and start a one-on-one conversation about water protection.”
                “Source water protection is complex because there are so many pieces,” Carr said.
                The fast start of this effort, though, has convinced her to use radio in every area working on source water protection programs.
                 “That was a great beginning,” Carr said.

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