On Fair day, April 25, from 11 am to 3 pm, DEQ and the Idaho Rural Water Association will offer free well water testing for nitrate. Samples are analyzed on the spot, the process usually takes less than five minutes, and results are given directly to the homeowner. If the nitrate level in a sample is elevated, the homeowner can get information on health concerns, where to get additional testing done, or on the available treatment options.

Sampling your water is simple and should be done on the same day as the Fair (April 25, 2009). Take a clean jar or “zipper-type” baggie and label the outside with your name or address, date, and well name (garden well, house well etc.). Use a water source that is not connected to any treatment device (water softener, carbon filter, or other filtration system). An outside faucet or hydrant works best. Allow the water to run 10 to 15 minutes to empty the pressure tank so water comes directly from the aquifer. This will give more accurate results. Rinse the bottle and lid in the water to be sampled (if using a jar). Fill the container with about 1 cup of water. Keep your sample cool until you arrive at the Fair.

Nitrate can enter your well or water system through natural and human sources. The natural sources include animal wastes and decomposing plant material. Human sources of nitrate are sewage (septic tanks, municipality discharge, and storm overflow), fertilizers from lawns and golf courses, and agricultural runoff from feedlots and cropland. Excess amounts of nitrate in your drinking water can cause low levels of dissolved oxygen (hypoxia) in animals, brown blood disease in fish, blood poisoning in infants, hypertension in children, gastric cancers in adults, fetal abnormalities, and spontaneous abortions. In addition, nitrate reacts directly with the hemoglobin in red blood cells to reduce oxygen levels in the bloodstream which results in methemoglobinemia or blue baby syndrome. This is a potentially fatal condition in infants under the age of 6 months. Homeowners who rely on private wells for their drinking water supply should, at a minimum, have their water tested annually for nitrate and coliform bacteria. Wells located near an intensive agricultural area should be tested for pesticides, in addition to nitrate and bacteria. Wells located near a landfill or factory should also be tested for volatile organic compounds. In addition, pay attention to changes in the taste, odor, or appearance of well water especially after the well system has been serviced or after a flooding event.

For more information, contact Shannon Ansley at the Department of Environmental Quality, 236-6160.