Water

The Mason County Health Department highly recommends having your well water tested on a regular basis – at the very least annually – for bacteria, nitrates, and other contaminates that may seep into the water through various sources. As a result, there are a few reasons why one would consider more frequent well water testing, such as…

• A change in taste, odor, or appearance of the water
• The water well has a long history of contamination
• The septic system recently had a malfunction
• Gastrointestinal illness has begun to spread within the vicinity
• An infant is now living within the home
• To monitor how efficient home water treatment equipment is running

Nitrate Testing

The Illinois Department of Public Health Laboratories no longer offers nitrate testing. If homeowners want their wells tested for nitrates, please contact the Mason County Health Department for a list of private laboratories that can conduct nitrate tests on water well drinking water. Nitrate testing is recommended for homes that have infants under the age of 6 months because high nitrate levels can cause methemologlobinemia or “blue baby syndrome”. For more information on nitrates in drinking water, please contact the EH staff.

What You’re Testing For

Land owners will find multiple good reasons for testing their well water. Most of these reasons include health purposes. For instance, if you’re on the lookout for the following:

• Coliform bacteria
• Fecal matter
• E. Coli

A simple water test will be able to provide all of the results you require once the Health Department’s lab results have come back in. And the testing does not take long to perform. Your results will indicate any long-term problems in the water supply that need to be rectified before moving forward or allowing anyone to drink from the source.

For more information on well water testing, contact the Health Department at 309-210-0110. You can also visit the Illinois Department of Public Health’s website to learn more.