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SCOTTVILLE — Mason-Lake Conservation District will be hosting a free well water screening event to help homeowners ensure that they have safe drinking water. There will be three testing dates during the week of July 27 for those in the counties listed.
Screenings will take place Monday, July 28 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Mason-Lake Conservation District in Scottville, 655 N. Scottville Rd.; Tuesday, July 29 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Manistee Conservation District, 8840 Chippewa Hwy # 1, Bear Lake; and Wednesday, July 30 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Pure Markette Farmers’ Market in downtown Baldwin.
The screening is only to detect nitrate or nitrites in well water. There is no need to bring in samples from municipal water systems, as they are already being tested.
There are several factors that could result in well water being contaminated. With nitrate or nitrite water contamination, factors to consider include potential nitrogen sources that are present on the surface, the type of soil and bedrock, and the depth and construction of the well. Nitrate sources could include fertilizer (from farming and homeowners’ yards), animal wastes, faulty septic systems or municipal and industrial sewage treatment systems.
All infants under the age of 6 months could be at a risk of nitrate poisoning if present in the water. Using water that is high in nitrate and/or nitrite for feeding or formula mixing, can lead to a condition called blue baby syndrome and can be fatal. Infants exposed to nitrates will ultimately lose the oxygen carrying capacity of their blood, depriving them of oxygen. Blue baby syndrome symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, and/or being sluggish or tired. In serious cases, a bluish color will appear on skin, lips, and around fingernails. This can also cause health issues for elderly adults.
Nitrate poisoning isn’t only a concern in humans; it can also happen in livestock, especially ruminant animals, such as cattle and sheep. Therefore, it is important to get your water tested for contaminants for not only the home, but the farm as well.
Nitrates cannot be detected through sight, taste, or smell. The only way to test for nitrates is by chemical testing. Once a year, the Mason-Lake Conservation District hosts a free, private well water testing day for this purpose. It is recommended to have well water tested annually.
Water sample forms can be completed in person at the time of testing or can be printed from the Mason-Lake Conservation District website. Samples can be collected using any small container that has a lid and must be collected within 48 hours of dropping off the sample. Samples must be at least a 1-ounce sample and must be kept cool (refrigerated or in ice in a cooler) until time of testing. Before taking a sample, water must be run for at least 20 minutes prior to collecting the sample to ensure accuracy. To help with this, a homeowner could collect a sample after having watered the lawn or washed dishes for 20 minutes, to flush water through the plumbing system and ensure water has come directly out of the well. If nitrate levels are at or above the state health standard of 10 ppm, well owners will be provided with information concerning the risks of nitrates and further steps to take.
If well owners wish to do additional testing, the local health department can test for bacteria and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has additional tests available for other drinking water contaminants. Call the Mason-Lake Conservation District office at (231) 757-3707 ext. 5 or visit www.mason-lakeconservation.org for further information.
The program is made possible through the Mason-Lake Conservation District and the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP), a state-funded grant program held at Mason-Lake Conservation District.
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