Safety
AROUND YOUR HOME

For your family's health — test your well water

George Czapar

Although we sometimes take a safe and abundant water supply for granted, it is everyone's responsibility to maintain this most important natural resource. Protecting groundwater and surface water from contamination should be a top priority for both rural and urban areas.

If the main source of your drinking water is from a private well, it is a good idea to test the well on a regular basis. Water testing can done by the Illinois Department of Public Health or by private labs. A basic test analyzes water for two common contaminants, coliform bacteria and nitrate. The best time to test for these contaminants is during spring or summer following a period of heavy rainfall. These tests should also be conducted after repairing or replacing an old well and after installing a new well or pump.

Coliform bacteria is an indicator of overall water quality. If coliform bacteria is detected in a water sample, there is some degree of contamination, and other organisms may also be present. A survey of private drinking water wells in Illinois found that 44 percent of the wells tested positive for coliform bacteria.

Although chemical disinfectants such as chloride tablets or bleach can be used to treat wells, it is important to identify potential sources of contamination. It might be due to contamination from soil or surface water or may indicate problems with well construction or location.

Occasionally, public water supplies may issue a "boil order" if bacterial contamination is suspected. Five minutes of vigorous boiling is an effective way to kill most pathogens.

High nitrate levels in water are a concern for pregnant women and infants under six months of age. The standard for nitrate-nitrogen in drinking water is 10 parts per million. Boiling the water will not reduce nitrate levels, and actually makes the problem worse.

If tests show that nitrate-nitrogen levels exceed 10 parts per million, water should not be consumed by pregnant women or infants under the age of six months. Use an alternate water source, such as bottled water.

Two publications about water testing are available from your local University of Illinois Extension office. Planning Your Well: Guidelines for Safe, Dependable Drinking Water (Land and Water Publication Number 14) provides information about water quality, planing and installing a well, and understanding geologic conditions that affect groundwater.

Safe Driving Water: Testing and Treating Home Drinking Water (Land and Water Publication Number 17) contains information about water testing, types of contaminants, and treatment devices that are available. This publication also includes a list of labs that are certified by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to test home drinking water.

Water testing is only part of a well owner's responsibility. Septic systems, for example, should be properly maintained to minimize the chance of groundwater contamination.

Pesticides and fertilizers applied to the lawn and garden should be used carefully. Always follow the label directions for use and properly dispose of excess material. Similarly, used motor oil always should be recycled to prevent contaminating water supplies.

Finally, abandoned wells are a threat to water quality and a significant health and safety concern. It is estimated that there are between 50,000 to 80,000 abandoned wells in Illinois. An abandoned well may allow contaminants to bypass the natural filtering process that takes place in the soil. To prevent this direct contamination of groundwater, abandoned wells should be properly sealed.

George Czapar is an Extension Educator, Integrated Pest Management at the Springfield Extension Center, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Illinois. Telephone:(217) 782-6515. E-Mail:czaparg@idea.ag.uiuc.edu

14 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING APRIL 1998