Press Releases
Year
Private Wells Should Be Tested Regularly To Check for Contamination
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2008
Contact
Jeff Blackford, Program Coordinator Environmental Health
(217) 531-2919
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
Private Wells Should Be Tested Regularly To Check for Contamination
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Encourages Residents of Champaign County with Private Wells to Test Water Annually
Champaign, IL – In recognition of Ground Water Awareness Week, March 9 – 15, 2008, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) encourages residents of Champaign County with private wells to test their water annually for certain contaminants. Private water wells should be tested every year for evidence of coliform bacteria and nitrates, and should be tested more frequently if there are recurrent incidents of gastrointestinal illness or there are changes in taste, odor or appearance. Private well water test kits are available at the Environmental Health Division of CUPHD located at 201 West Kenyon Road in Champaign from 8:00am – 4:00pm; Monday through Friday. Each test kit is $20.00.
“Private well water safety is often overlooked by the general public”, said Jeff Blackford, Program Coordinator of Environmental Health at CUPHD. “The water from a homeowner’s private well is not checked by any agency. It is the homeowners responsibility to ensure that their drinking water is free of contaminants.”
In Illinois, there is an estimated 400,000 private water wells that serve 1.3 million people. It is extremely important that water wells be located and constructed in such a manner that they yield safe water at all times and under all conditions. If a resident has questions or concerns regarding the location or construction of a private well, they should contact a Licensed Illinois Water Well Contractor. Local Licensed Water Well Contractors are listed in the telephone book under Well Drilling.
To ensure a safe water supply, residents are also encouraged to follow the following simple guidelines:
- Keep hazardous chemicals, such as paint, fertilizer, pesticides, and motor oil far away from the well.
- Maintain a proper separation (at least 50 feet) between the well and private septic systems, kennels, livestock operations, and chemical storage areas.
- Seal abandoned water wells.
- Periodically check the well cover or well cap on top of the casing to ensure it is in good repair and securely attached. This seal should keep out insects and rodents.
There should be no openings into the cap, except for a factory installed vent.
- Keep your well records in a safe place. These include construction reports, annual water well system maintenance and water testing results.
For questions or concerns involving arsenic in your private water supply or water quality, contact the Illinois State Water Survey at 217-333-9234.
For more information on testing private well water or any other CUPHD program, please contact CUPHD at (217) 352-7961 or visit CUPHD on the web at www.c-uphd.org.
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Urbana School Health Center Offers Students School Physicals for Spring Break Exams Offered to District 116 Eighth-Graders
Urbana School District 116 News Release
Jean F. Burkholder
Administrative Service Center
www.usd116.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2008
Contact
Mark Schultz 217-384-3650
Urbana School Health Center Offers Students School Physicals for Spring Break Exams Offered to District 116 Eighth-Graders
Eighth-grade students and parents can take care of the mandatory physical for ninth-grade this coming spring break. The Urbana School Health Center (USHC) is offering physicals for eighthgraders March 18, 2008, from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., by appointment only. Doctors at the Health Center will also review the student’s immunization record. The Health Center’s dentist will also be on hand to provide dental exams. This service on March 18 is for all Urbana School District #116 eighth-graders and costs $20 for all patients who do not have a medical card.
“We thought it would be a good idea (to hold) a one-day clinic to help eliminate some of the last minute rush right before school starts next fall. If parents wait until the last minute, it will be more difficult to get an appointment in a timely fashion. By offering (exams March 18), we can begin getting students in early for their physicals so that students can be ready for their first day of High School,” says Heidi Britton, Director of the Urbana School Health Center. She adds, “All physicals given on that day will be good for both (the student’s) ninth-grade school and sports physical as long as all paperwork is completed by the parent before their child’s appointment time.” Britton stresses that NOW is the time to complete the fall-sports physical—before practice begins in the fall.
Britton says the Student Health Center, located on the Urbana High School Campus, is a onestop health source. “USHC consists of a seamless professional medical, dental and mental health team from local agencies. Medical professionals from Frances Nelson Health Center will be administrating the school physicals, dental professionals from the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District will be administering the dental exams, and mental health professionals from the Mental Health Center of Champaign County will be available by referral,” Britton explains.
Parents can make an appointment for their child by calling the Student Health Center at 2394220.
Members of the media wishing to interview Britton may contact her at 239-4220.
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Outstanding schools in an outstanding community!
Urbana School District • 205 North Race St. • P.O. Box 3039 • Urbana, IL 61803-3039
Churches in the “Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28, 2008
Contact
Candi Crause, Interim Director of Infectious Disease
(217) 531-5372 /
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Joins Local
Churches in the “Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS”
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and Local Churches Hope Event Will Shine a Light on the AIDS Crisis in African American Communities
Champaign, IL – March 2 – 8, 2008 marks the 16th Annual Black Church Week of Prayer for the healing of AIDS. This national program event, produced by The Balm in Gilead, is a week long education and awareness campaign highlighting the role of the Black Church in addressing the AIDS crisis. This campaign serves to pave the way for the continuous delivery of prevention education and services to the African American community via faith communities.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) has joined with local Black Churches to provide HIV/AIDS educational materials, clinic services information and support resources to the African American Community. Local events are scheduled for March 2, 2008 at the Crossroads of Life Community Church in Rantoul, Glory International Center in Champaign, and New Covenant Fellowship in Champaign. The New Life Church in Danville hosted an event earlier on February 24, 2008. CUPHD would like to encourage all local Black Churches to participate, and would be happy to send supporting materials to any interested churches. Free program materials may be requested by calling 217-531-5372.
“HIV is 100% preventable,” said Candi Crause, Interim Director of Infectious Disease for CUPHD. “The key to overcoming this crisis in the African American community is to not only to educate people on the facts as they relate to HIV / AIDS, but to open the door of communication. Like most infectious diseases, HIV spreads through silence and ignorance. Only by working openly together, can we hope to stop this epidemic.”
72 African Americans are infected with HIV everyday. African Americans make up approximately 13 percent of the population of the United States, yet almost half of the total AIDS cases reported in the Country are among members of the African American Community. In 2007, HIV / AIDS was one of the top ten leading causes of death for African Americans between the ages of 25 and 44. African American women are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, and HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death among African American women ages 25-34. Of the estimated new AIDS cases, 61% are among African American teen girls ages 13-19.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District’s Infectious Disease Division offers HIV education, prevention, testing and treatment at their new location at 201 West Kenyon Road in Champaign. Appointments are available Monday thru Friday; 8:00am – 4:00pm by calling 217239-7827. CUPHD also offers “Rapid Testing Tuesdays” from 4:00pm – 5:30pm – no appointment is necessary.
For more information on HIV / AIDS education, prevention, testing and treatment or any CUPHD programs please contact CUPHD at (217) 352-7961 or visit CUPHD on the web at www.c-uphd.org.
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