EHHD offering Free Private Well Water Testing

From the Eastern Highlands Health District: The Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH), in conjunction with the Eastern Highlands Health District, is conducting Private Well Water Fairs at the Chaplin Public Library on Monday, August 28, 2017 from 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM & at the Babcock Library in Ashford on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. CT DPH will be distributing information on private well testing and free testing kits to private well owners. The free test kits will allow homeowners to collect a sample from their private well, which will be analyzed for two naturally occurring metals: arsenic and uranium. The samples will be analyzed by the CT DPH Laboratory.

“A recent report published by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Connecticut
Department of Public Health revealed that water from some private wells across the state has registered
high levels of arsenic and uranium. As part of the joint research project, it was determined that seven
percent of the private well samples tested at levels higher than Maximum Contaminant Levels for arsenic
or uranium” said Ryan Tetreault, CT DPH Private Well Program supervisor. “These metals have no taste
or odor so the only way to know if either toxic metal is present is to have your private well water tested.”
This water fair is a good way for area well owners to find out more information about the quality of their
drinking water.

This water fair is part of a statewide project funded by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) to educate private well owners and users about the need to regularly test private drinking water
wells.

Private well owners can bring a photo of their well cap and any past water testing results and have our
professionals look at them for possible problems. Please do not bring your own water sample to the
session. Sampling containers will be provided on a first come, first serve basis. The water samples will
be analyzed and test reports obtained from the CT DPH laboratory in Rocky Hill. Also, the CT DPH
Private Well Program will provide a follow up report with an explanation of the test results to all
participants.

The water fair will take place in the community room of the Chaplin Public Library on Monday, August
28, 2017 from 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM & at the Babcock Library in Ashford on Wednesday, September 20,
2017 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. For more information about the water fair, call the CT DPH Private
Well Program at 860-509-7296 or the Eastern Highlands Health District at (860) 429-3325.

Image via the Eastern Highlands Health District