对于缅因州和新罕布什尔州以及美国和国外的其他州来说，井水中砷 (As) 的暴露是一个有据可查的公共卫生问题。这些地点井水的砷污染主要归因于变沉积岩基岩将砷浸入地下水。然而，砷也可以从历史上使用含砷农药污染的土壤进入地下水储备。缅因州和新罕布什尔州大约一半的家庭依赖私人水井，其中许多水井的砷含量都很高。砷暴露与儿童患癌症、心血管疾病、感染抵抗力降低和智商降低的风险增加有关。尽管存在这些已知的健康影响，但井水检测和处理并不普遍。我们通过开发 All About Arsenic (AAA) 项目解决了缅因州和新罕布什尔州社区井水检测率低的问题，该项目吸引了中学教师和学生作为公民科学家收集井水样本以分析砷和其他有毒金属，并支持他们对其社区的推广工作。我们通过分析与这两个州现有井水质量数据集相关的学生数据来评估该项目的公共健康影响。此外，我们还调查了向项目提供井水样本的私人井主，以确定为减轻井水中的砷而采取的行动。学生们收集了 3,070 个饮用水样本进行金属测试，其中 752 个样本超过了新罕布什尔州 5ppb 的砷标准。 AAA 数据使公共卫生机构可获得的有关两个州多个城市井水质量的信息量增加了一倍多。学生还收集了有关井类型和处理系统的信息。他们的数据显示，一些房主不知道他们拥有什么类型的水井或是否有过滤系统。那些拥有过滤系统的人通常不知道系统的类型、系统过滤的目的是什么，或者系统是否旨在去除砷。通过对试点调查参与者的采访，我们了解到，一些人已经开始减少接触砷和其他有毒金属，以响应 AAA 项目的测试结果。基于学校的收集和分析私人井水样本的方法可以成功地到达社区砷和其他金属等有毒元素的检测率较低。重要的是，通过该计划生成的信息可以影响家庭决策，学生可以通过在社区中共享信息来影响地方和州的决策。 https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13421。

Exposure to arsenic (As) in well water is a well-documented public health issue for Maine and New Hampshire, as well as for other states in the United States and abroad. Arsenic contamination of well water in these locations is primarily attributed to metasedimentary bedrock that leaches As into groundwater. However, As can also enter groundwater reserves from soils contaminated by the historical use of arsenical pesticides. Approximately half of the households in Maine and New Hampshire rely on private wells, many of which have elevated As. Arsenic exposure has been associated with an increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, reduced infection resistance, and lower intelligence quotient in children. Despite these known health impacts, well water testing and treatment are not universal.We have approached the problem of low well water testing rates in Maine and New Hampshire communities by developing the All About Arsenic (AAA) project, which engages secondary school teachers and students as citizen scientists in collecting well water samples for analysis of As and other toxic metals and supports their outreach efforts to their communities.We assessed this project's public health impact by analyzing student data relative to existing well water quality datasets in both states. In addition, we surveyed private well owners who contributed well water samples to the project to determine the actions taken to mitigate As in well water.Students collected 3,070 drinking water samples for metals testing, and 752 exceeded New Hampshire's As standard of 5 ppb. The AAA data has more than doubled the amount of information available to public health agencies about well water quality in multiple municipalities across both states. Students also collected information about well types and treatment systems. Their data reveal that some homeowners did not know what type of wells they had or whether they had filtration systems. Those with filtration systems were often unaware of the type of system, what the system was filtering for, or whether the system was designed to remove As. Through interviews with pilot survey participants, we learned that some had begun mitigating their exposure to As and other toxic metals in response to test results from the AAA project.A school-based approach to collecting and analyzing private well water samples can successfully reach communities with low testing rates for toxic elements, such as As and other metals. Importantly, information generated through the program can impact household decision-making, and students can influence local and state policymaking by sharing information in their communities. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13421.