|
 Whether water is supplied by your own private well
or a city supply, all the drinking water in Logan County comes from
groundwater. The National Groundwater Association (NGWA) has
determined that 44 percent of the U.S. population depends on
groundwater for its drinking water supply regardless if it comes
from a public source or private well. Groundwater is vital to
everyday life and it is important to keep it safe and protected.
If your drinking water comes from an on-site well, you can do the
following to help ensure the underground water supply source is
protected and the water you drink is safe.
-
Have your water tested routinely (annually). LCDPH has test kits
available for $8.00. For more information regarding water
quality and testing, contact the LCDPH environmental health
staff.
-
Seal any abandoned wells on your property. Abandoned wells can
act as a direct route for contaminants from the ground surface
to enter the underground water supply or aquifer. It is a state
law that all wells be sealed within 30 days after abandonment.
If a homeowner seals their well, a permit is required and LCDPH
must be notified in advance; otherwise, a licensed water well
driller can seal a well. Regulations can be found on the health
department website at
WWW.LCDPH.ORG.
-
Be
sure to store chemicals above ground in safely sealed containers
at a safe distance from a water well to prevent any risk of
contaminating the soil around the well. Chemicals that spill at
any location onto the ground surface can leach into the
groundwater supply, thus contaminating the water. It’s extremely
important to prevent chemical spills.
-
Make sure your septic system is located at the required distance
from a well and that the system poses no risk of contaminating
your water supply. Septic system installations are only allowed
by permit from the health department. If you plan to install a
septic system, you must first contact the health department or a
licensed septic system installer.
-
If
your well draws water from the Mahomet Aquifer, be aware that
arsenic has been detected throughout parts of the aquifer at
levels that exceed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
maximum allowable limit of 10 parts per billion. The aquifer is
located throughout much of northern Logan County. Arsenic can be
tested in your drinking water through use of a private
laboratory. For a map of the Mahomet Aquifer and more
information regarding arsenic, you can visit the LCDPH website.
[to top of second column] |
For more water well information including
construction regulations, you can contact LCDPH Division of
Environmental Health at 217-735-2317 or you can visit the health
department website at WWW.LCDPH.ORG.
Information Source: NGWA, ISWS
 |
