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Free Well Water Testing at Farm Technology Days
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 06/26/2008

All visitors at Farm Technology Days in Brown County next month will have the chance to test their well water for nitrate, the most common health-related contaminant found in Wisconsin's groundwater. University of Wisconsin-Extension will offer the free on-the-spot test, and it will only take a few minutes to get the results.

If you would like to take advantage of this free and easy water testing, please bring one pint of your well water in a clean container to the Progress Pavilion. While you're there, you can visit other educational displays and ask questions regarding topics such as drinking water and health, water treatment options and water conservation provided by UW-Extension, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Department of Health and Family Services and Department of Commerce.

In 2007, over 200 nitrate screens were performed on water samples from 25 Wisconsin counties during the three-day show in Green County. Sixteen percent of the samples showed unsafe nitrate levels, nitrate-nitrogen greater than 10 milligrams per liter. The average nitrate-nitrogen value found was five milligrams per liter, and the highest was 34 milligrams per liter, over three times the drinking water standard.

High levels of nitrate in drinking water have been linked to "blue baby" syndrome in infants less than six months of age. Infants less than six months of age and women who are trying to conceive or who are pregnant should not drink water with high levels of nitrate.

While nitrate occurs naturally at very low levels, the elevated levels found throughout much of Wisconsin indicate that human activities have impacted groundwater quality. Sources of elevated levels of nitrate include crop and lawn fertilizers, manure storage and spreading, other bio-solid applications, and septic systems. Elevated levels of nitrate are often an indication of other contaminants as well.

In Wisconsin, about one out of every 10 private wells may contain unsafe levels of nitrate. Because water quality can change over time, private well owners are encouraged to have a bacteria and nitrate test performed each year to determine if their water is safe to drink.


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