ECD & MAEAP Offering Free Well Water Testing at Eaton Co. Fair

Free Drinking Well Water Screening!!

Monday, July 11

The Eaton Conservation District and the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) will sponsor a free domestic drinking water well screening on Monday, July 11th from 4pm-7pm. Those that wish to have their well water screened for nitrates, free of charge, can bring water samples with them to the Eaton County Fairgrounds. MAEAP will be water testing as part of the Eaton Food and Ag Fest in Kardell Hall. This event takes place on "Farm Bureau Day" and is free and open to the public. Eaton Food and Ag Fest is sponsored by Eaton County Farm Bureau and the Eaton Good Food Policy Council.

Samples from drinking water wells will be screened for nitrate and nitrite. The screening is open to everyone who uses a personal well for drinking water. This service is for private drinking water wells only. Public water supplies are tested regularly. Please do not bring samples from public water supplies or non-drinking water sources. Only drinking water well samples will be tested. You do not have to use a special bottle for this screening. Any small clean jar will work—one ounce of water is enough.

Please follow the directions below to sample your well. Collect samples just before bringing them to the sample drop-off. Samples must be less than 48 hours old for a valid nitrate result.

1. Pick a tap that supplies water that has not run through any treatment devices (water softener, carbon filter, etc.). An outdoor faucet often works well.

2. Run the water for 20-30 minutes before collecting the sample. This will give the pump time to flush the water pressure tank and plumbing so you can collect a valid sample. Disconnect any hoses before collecting the sample; do not sample through a hose. Rinse the sample bottle and lid thoroughly in the water to be sampled; then fill and cap the bottle.

3. Label the bottle clearly with your name, the sampling date, and the well name (cottage well, Mom's well, etc.) using a waterproof pen.

4. Keep the sample dark and cold (on ice or refrigerated) until it is dropped off.

Please fill out this form and bring it with you along with your water sample when you come to the fair.

All results are confidential. You will get your results onsite as well as information on what to do should nitrite or nitrates show up in your drinking water. If you are pursuing MAEAP verification, bring your water samples in for screening. If no nitrates are detected you may be exempt from having to pay for nitrate sampling at the State Lab.

For more information, contact the Eaton Conservation District Office at 517-543-1512 ext 5.