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DNR
Recommends
Checking Private Well Water Safety in Northeast Iowa
Posted 27 July 2010
Private drinking
water wells in flooded areas in northeast Iowa could potentially be
contaminated and should be checked for safety.
“Most important, if floodwaters overtopped the well and flowed into it,
well owners should call an Iowa-certified well contractor to make sure
it’s safe to operate the pump and the well, said Russ Tell, an
environmental specialist with the DNR’s private well program. They can
also help you determine what other work needs to be done so that your
well stands the best chance to recover from the rain and flood event.”
Trying to operate a flooded well can result in electrical shock, injury
or damage to the well.
A flooded well also means the water is unsafe to drink. “Don’t use the
water for drinking, cooking, bathing or livestock until the water has
been tested,” he said. “You should find an alternative source for your
water needs.”
Even if the well hasn’t been flooded, it could be contaminated with
human pathogens. If a private well is close to one that was flooded,
contaminants could enter the unflooded well through the ground water.
Well owners can contact their local county sanitarian or county health
department for testing. Testing may be available at reduced or no cost
under the Grants to Counties Well Program.
If tests show the well has been contaminated, the DNR advises pumping
the well until the water is clear, and then shock chlorinating the
well. Well owners should flush the chlorinated water through all of the
pipes, running chlorinated water out every faucet, toilet, livestock
waterers and other points of use. Then the test should be repeated to
ensure the well water is safe.
Instructions for shock chlorination, a list of county sanitarians and
more information are available on the DNR website here.
With the recent heavy rains and flooding in northeast Iowa, the private
wells most likely to be affected are in the following counties: Black
Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Jackson
and Jones counties. Karst terrain is common in some of these counties,
allowing flood waters a direct conduit to ground water.
“Depending upon how the well was constructed, the shallower wells
located in karst terrain may be more vulnerable to contamination,” he
said. “If there’s any doubt, you should test your well water. We
recommend that all private well owners test their well water at least
once per year, or more often if you notice changes in the water clarity
or quality.”
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