Stearns County Offering Free Private Well Testing

(KNSI) – Ever wonder what’s in your drinking water? You can find out at a free water testing event for private well owners in Stearns County. The water testing will occur on Thursday, September 9th, at St. Joseph Township Hall, 935 College Avenue South, St. Joseph.

The free test will give instant results on contaminants such as arsenic, bacteria, or nitrates. Officials say nitrates are a common contaminant found in many wells throughout Minnesota. Shallow wells or dug wells, and wells with damaged or leaking casings are the most vulnerable to nitrate contamination. Only nitrate testing will be free.

Major sources of nitrate contamination can be from fertilizers, animal waste, and human sewage. Stearns County says it’s highly recommended to test your drinking water supply regularly.

How this works:

Find a clean sample container such as a plastic sandwich or freezer bag, glass jar, etc., that can hold at least 1 cup of water. Collect a water sample from your well by running the cold water tap for 5 minutes before taking the sample.
While the water is running, use a permanent marker to label your container with your first and last name. If you wish to remain anonymous, label the container with a number or a code you will easily remember. If you have more than one sample, add an identifier like Sample #1 and Sample #2.
Collect a minimum of a ½ cup of water in the container within 24 hours of arriving at the event. The water sample should be cool upon arrival so keep the sample refrigerated until you leave for the event.
If you have water treatment equipment installed (other than a water softener which does not affect nitrate levels), we recommend taking a sample “before” and “after” to determine if your treatment equipment is working correctly.
Bring your water sample to the St. Joseph Township Hall between the hours of 2:00 and 7:00 PM on Thursday, September 9th. The address is 935 College Avenue South, St. Joseph, MN.
Once you arrive at the event, we will ask you to fill out a short survey about your water, your well, and your water treatment system. Bring a picture of your well and treatment system. It will help experts advise you on water quality issues that may show up in the testing.
Your sample will be collected from you and analyzed while you wait – usually no longer than 10 minutes. Our water experts will bring you the results and gladly answer any questions you may have about your well or well water.
There will be a cost-share opportunity for advanced water testing, a $90.00 value for $40.00.

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