2019 Wellness

Page 18 2019 Wellness Expo LINCOLN DAILY NEWS Thursday, February 21, 2019 CONTINUED T he Logan County Department of Public Health (LCDPH) would like to recognize March 10-16, 2019 which is National Groundwater Awareness Week. 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. National Groundwate r