In honor of Safe Drinking Water Month (Aug.), McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) will offer reduced fee water testing for individual well water users for the entire month of Aug. Residents can have their well water sampled for coliform bacteria and nitrate for $18.
Testing well regularly is the only way to determine whether well water is safe to drink as many contaminants are colorless and odorless. Water from a public or municipal water system is regularly tested for contaminants regulated by Federal and state standards.
Bacteria and chemicals can get into well water and contaminate it in different ways. Some bacteria and chemicals occur naturally. Contaminants such as nitrate can come from animal waste, wastewater, flooded sewers, polluted storm water runoff, fertilizers, agricultural runoff or decaying plants. High levels of nitrate in drinking water can cause illness in young children and pregnant women. Coliform bacteria are microbes found in the digestive systems of warm-blooded animals, in soil, on plants and in surface water.
For a nominal charge, MCDH will also sample private wells for nuisance chemicals resulting in water hardness, iron, discoloration and odor. Sampling kits can be picked up at MCDH in Woodstock or at one of eight drop-off centers. Samples can be dropped off for testing on Tuesday mornings between 9 a.m. and noon at the following centers:
• Algonquin Townships Office, 3702 Route 14, Crystal Lake, (847) 639-2329;
• Dorr Township Office, 140 Newell Street, Woodstock, (815) 338-0125;
• McHenry Township Office, 3703 Richmond Road, McHenry, (815) 385-5605;
• Nunda Township Office, 3510 Bay Road, Crystal Lake, (815) 459-4011;
• City of Marengo, City Hall, 134 E. Prairie Street, Marengo (815) 568-7112;
• City of Harvard, Police Department, 201 W. Front Street, Harvard, (815) 943-4431;
• Richmond Township Office, 7812 South Route 31, Richmond, (815) 678-0077;
• Grafton Township Office, 10109 Vine Street, Huntley, (847) 669-3328.
For more information, contact MCDH’s Environmental Health Division at (815) 334-4585 or visit www.mcdh.info.