2018 Wellness Expo

2018 Wellness Expo LINCOLN DAILY NEWS Wednesday, February 21, 2018 Page 19 Assure safe drinking water The Logan County Department of Public Health (LCDPH) would like to recognize March 11-17, 2018 as National Groundwater Awareness Week. Whether your water is supplied by your own private well or you are connected to 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 you consume water from your own private well, it is suggested to have your water analyzed at least once a year. Through the LCDPH, you can have your water tested for coliform bacteria and E.coli. The actual water test is conducted at the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) laboratory but the kit to collect the sample is available at LCDPH for a fee of $8.00. Coliform is an “indicator” organism that if found to be present in your water sample is a sign your well is contaminated. If your well tests positive for coliform, the lab will further test for E. coli. There are many ways in which wells can become contaminated and just because your well tested satisfactory at a given time does not provide assurance that your water will forever be safe. Be sure to follow the test kit instructions to assure your sample does not become contaminated and arrives to the lab on time. If your well is contaminated, the health department will provide instructions for how to disinfect the well. In addition to bacteria, nitrate and nitrite levels should be routinely monitored and private laboratories can provide testing for such since this service is no longer available through the IDPH laboratory. The health department promotes SAFE CONTINUED → drinking WATER