Homeowners with private wells in flooded counties have an opportunity to get their well water tested.
Wells are at risk from flooding or heavy rainfall when contaminants such as waste, dirt and nutrients like nitrogen seep into the wells.
The Minnesota Department of Health advises that if flood water reached your well or covered the top of your well casing, it is safe to assume the well is contaminated. In this case, testing should be completed after the well is cleaned and disinfected.
If floodwaters came within 50 feet of the well, testing should be done as a precaution. In this instance, homeowners do not need to disinfect their wells before submitting a sample.
While the test itself is free, residents are responsible for the cost of shipping the samples. Public health departments in storm impacted counties like Crow Wing and St. Louis offer these testing kits, and financial assistance may be available for the overnight shipping costs.
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