Well owners can get water tested for nitrates for free

Washington County residents on private wells can get their water tested for nitrates at no charge  as part of Groundwater Awareness Week.

 The Southwest District Health District is offering the testing and officials reccomend that private well owners get their water tested annually. In Idaho, nearly 95 percent of the population depends on groundwater for their drinking source, primarily through private wells. 

 The SWDH will provide no-cost nitrate screening on Tuesday, March 19, from 9 a.m. to noon at the SWDH office in Weiser at 46 W. Court St. Participants can bring a sample of their water in a clean container. A pint size or larger is recommended. There is no charge for the nitrate screening. 

 If well owners want to send water samples to the state laboratory to test for other contaminants, there are additional costs involved. The cost will depend on the tests being requested. 

 In general, southwest Idaho has elevated levels of arsenic, fluoride, and uranium in many areas. 

 Washington County groundwater problems fluctuate throughout the county. High levels of nitrates, fluoride, and arsenic have been found intermittently across the county, SWDH officials said. 

 Nitrates in Washington County have been a major concern in shallow wells, especially around the Weiser Flat area. Nitrates are normally caused by fertilizers, herbicides, and human and animal sewage. Infants may be at serious risk of developing health problems from elevated levels of nitrate. 

 According to Brian Crawford, director of Environmental and Community Health Services for SWDH, with well ownership comes the responsibility to test your well water by a state-certified lab each year and ensure all potential contaminants on your property are kept away from your drinking source. Unlike city water systems, water from private wells is not regulated by any public entity, or monitored and tested. It is also recommended that testing well water be done whenever there is a change in taste, odor, appearance, or when the system is serviced.

 “As a private well owner, you act as a steward to protect groundwater and your own drinking water. The only way to know if your well water contains contaminants is to have it tested,” Crawford said. “Spring is an ideal time to test your well water each year before peak use occurs.”

 Fluoride has mostly been seen at high levels near areas of geothermal activity in Washington and Adams counties. Some wells in the Mann Creek and Crane Creek areas of Washington County have tested at some of the highest levels seen in the U.S.  

 A check of your well by a qualified well professional may include:

 • A flow test to determine system output, along with a check of the water level before and during pumping (if possible), pump motor performance (check amp load, grounding, and line voltage), pressure tank and pressure switch contact, and general water quality (odor, cloudiness, etc.).

 • A well equipment inspection to assure it’s sanitary and meets local code. 

 • A test of your water for coliform bacteria and nitrates, and anything else of local concern. SWDH recommends that all private well owners test their water for coliform bacteria each year and if work has been done on the water system. The test is relatively quick and inexpensive. Most coliform bacteria is harmless to people, but some like E. coli can be extremely dangerous. If coliforms are present, there may also be other more dangerous contaminants.

 • Check the lead and copper levels in your water if you have old plumbing with lead soldering. If you have problems with staining, water appearance, and odor, you may want to test for iron, manganese, water hardness, and sulfides.  

 • If you need help in deciding what to test, locating a certified lab, or understanding your water test results, call Southwest District Health at (208) 455-5400.