The Eau Claire City-County Health Department is offering discounts on tests of water samples from private wells in the county as part of a national effort to encourage annual water well testing and maintenance.
That national effort is highlighted by the designation of Sept. 1 as “Protect Your Groundwater Day,” under the umbrella of the National Ground Water Association (NGWA). The annual observance is intended to highlight the responsible development, management and use of groundwater, and to serve as a platform to stress the need for yearly well tests.
The local testing discounts are being offered to celebrate that occasion, according to a press release from the Health Department.
Water sample bottles are available from the Health Department and may be returned there for testing. The department has requested that people delivering samples for testing use the main entrance Oxford Avenue entrance.
Discounts of $6 each are available for nitrate and bacteria tests for private well samples that are taken to the health department by the end of the day on Friday (Sept. 11). Eau Claire County families with a pregnant woman or a child under a year living in a home with a private well can have their water tested at no cost.
Nearly 25% of county residents rely on private wells
Nearly one in four Eau Claire County residents rely on private wells for drinking water, according to the Health Department. City water systems are tested regularly but private well owners are responsible for testing the water in them.
Well checkups should be done each year, according to the Health Department. They are also needed if the well water changes in color, taste or smell, or if there is any work being done on a well.
Nitrate is a common pollutant in the county and can enter groundwater through leaky septic systems or runoff from lawns or fields, according to the press release. In both Eau Claire County and throughout Wisconsin, as many as one in five wells may be over the safe level of nitrate in water.
“Private wells in subdivisions with septic systems or heavily farmed areas tend to have higher chances of nitrate pollution,” according to Matt Steinbach, Environmental Science Division manager. “Yearly well checkups and testing can identify pollution and help us protect our drinking water.”
Nitrate levels above 10 parts per million are most harmful for pregnant women, unborn babies and infants. High nitrate levels make it harder for the blood to carry the oxygen that bodies need. And high levels of bacteria in drinking water make it safe for anyone. The NGWA is a community of groundwater professionals working together to advance groundwater knowledge through education and outreach, advocacy, cooperation, information exchange and enhanced professional practices, according to its website.
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