When have you tested your private well?
Private Water Wells should be tested annually. Kimble County Groundwater Conservation District and the Real-Edwards Water Conservation and Reclamation District are sponsoring a water well screening day for area residents on Tuesday, May 19th at the Kimble County Courthouse. Samples must be turned in on the morning of May 19th by 10:00 a.m. and will be run that day.
This well screening day is designed to inform private water well owners and users on the condition of their well water of possible contamination from common contaminants. These contaminants are fecal coliform, salinity and nitrate. The cost is $5 per sample.
The presence of fecal coliform in water indicates that feces (bodily waste from humans or animals) may have contaminated the water. Water contaminated with feces have microorganisms present that can cause a number of “waterborne” diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and dysentery.
Nitrates in ground water at levels of 10 milligrams per liter mg/L or parts per million) is considered unsafe for human consumption. Nitrate levels above 10 mg/L can disrupt the blood’s ability to carry oxygen throughout the body. Nitrate is converted to nitrite which combines with hemoglobin, the chemical that carries oxygen in the blood, to form methemoglobin. Oxygen can not bind with methemoglobin, therefore, oxygen is not carried throughout the body. As a result, oxygen starvation occurs. This condition is called methemoglobinemia. If left untreated, death may result. Infants less that 6 months in age and young livestock are most susceptible.
Salinity in the form of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) will also be determined on each sample.
You will need to pick up a sample bag and instructions from the Kimble County Groundwater Conservation District office. You can contact the Kimble County Groundwater Conservation District Office by calling 325-446-4826 to receive an approved water sampling bag and instructions for taking your well water sample. It is very important that only sampling bags from the Water District Office be used and all instructions for proper sampling followed to insure accurate results.
