As usual it tickles us pink when we hear that a Health Department has taken a pro-active step and offered reduced water testing rates to local residents. Why? Because sometimes the only way we, as budget conscious citizens in a Capitalist society will get up and DO anything… is when we see the words ‘free’, ‘discounted’ and/or ‘sale’.
In this case the community leaders in a part of Illinois decided to make certified well water testing available to residents right as the snows (hopefully) will begin to start melting.
The Lake County Health Department/Community Health Center will offer reduced water testing rates in observance of National Ground Water Awareness Week in March. Water samples can be brought to the Lake County Central Permit Facility and Environmental Laboratory, 500 W. Winchester Road in Libertyville between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays from March 7 through 17. During this time, the normal $16 analysis fee for testing for bacteria and nitrates will be reduced to $10 for well owners.
“Safe drinking water is something that many take for granted, but every year instances of contaminated drinking water occur in Lake County,” said Irene Pierce, the Health Department’s Executive Director. “The Health Department encourages all users of private wells to take this time to have their drinking water tested, and to test it at least annually to see if it meets the minimum drinking water standards.” ( source )
Excellent timing! Most people don’t give a second thought to the effects runoff water can have on local drinking water supplies.
- Runoff water from heavy rains or melting snow causes aquifer levels to rise. When that happens, the aquifer has the opportunity to come in contact with previously undisturbed pockets of underground contaminants.
- Localized flooding may jeopardize the quality of well water if the well head becomes submerged and flood water seeps down into the well.
Other possible reasons for concern over well water quality exist as well, but for now we believe those two ought to make well owners curious enough to find out if the Health Department in their own community has made discounted, free, or reduced well testing available.
Testing our own well water?
We’ve said it once, we’ve said it a hundred times: It’s your water, your health… and ultimately your LIFE!
Plenty of do-it-yourself well water test kits exist and you can find a few examples of well water test kits here.
