Free testing for well water and surface water until May 31st

What’s in your water?  Water that looks and tastes good may not necessarily be safe to drink.

David Miesbach, groundwater section supervisor with the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, said, “The only way to tell if your drinking water is safe is by having it tested by a certified laboratory.  Harmful bacteria are invisible to the naked eye, and certain chemical contaminants, sometimes found in a water source, can cause long-term health problems that take years to develop.”  He added, “If a well owner has a treatment system in place, yearly checkups are also needed to ensure the system is treating the water to a satisfactory level.  The upper limit for nitrate is 10 milligrams per liter in drinking water.”

Julie Wragge, information and education specialist with the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) said, “Water quality may change over time, and annual testing will help well owners track these changes.  There’s an opportunity for all Nebraskans to get well water and surface water tested from now until May 31st.  Citizen Science and water quality come together in a FREE testing program sponsored by the University of Nebraska (UNL).”

To sign up for this FREE Water Quality Testing program for plant nutrients (nitrate, nitrite, phosphate) in well water and surface water, visit:  go.unl.edu/wqcs   The program is open to ALL Nebraska residents from May 1st through May 31st, 2022.  If you have any questions about this FREE program, contact Shannon Bartelt-Hunt, UNL Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at:  sbartelt@unl.edu

Remember to sign-up in May for the FREE Water Quality Testing program at:  go.unl.edu/wqcs