Allison Roderick issued a warning and a promise to rural residents in her county: Their well water may be contaminated, but the government can help keep the water safe.
Roderick is the environmental health officer for Webster County in north-central Iowa, where thousands of rural residents live among vast corn and soybean fields. Many people get their water from private wells, which are exempt from most federal testing and purity regulations. Roderick spreads the word that they are not immune.
More than 43 million Americans Rely on private well, these are subject to state and local regulations, including standards for new construction. But in most cases, residents are free to use older wells without having them tested or inspected. The practice is common despite concerns about runoff from farms and industrial sites and the potential for carcinogenic minerals to contaminate groundwater.
“You use it to cook. You use it to clean. You bathe in it — right now, there are a lot of things that can make you sick,” Roderick said.
federal experts It is estimated that more than one-fifth of private wells have pollutant concentrations above safe levels.
Like many states, Iowa provides assistance to homeowners who use well water. The state provides about $50,000 a year to 99 counties to pay for testing and help fund well repairs or treatment. The money comes from agricultural chemical purchase fees, but about half goes unused each year, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Roderick starts her job in 2022 with a goal of spending every penny allocated to her county. Last spring, she secured an additional $40,000 that other counties had not yet used. She promoted the program online and by mailing stacks of postcards. She travels the countryside in the Sheriff’s Department’s older model SUV, collecting water samples from outdoor faucets and sending them to labs.
When she discovers contamination, she can provide state grants of up to $1,000 to help with remediation, or up to $500 to cover abandoned wells.
Experts urge all private water well users to get tested at least once a year. Even if wells meet modern building standards and have been tested clean in the past, they can become contaminated as the water table rises or falls and conditions above the water table change. Defective septic systems or excessive application of chemical fertilizers or pesticides can quickly contaminate groundwater.
Sidney Evans, a senior science analyst at the Environmental Working Group, a national advocacy group that studies water pollution, said too many residents think everything is fine “as long as the water comes out of the tap and doesn’t smell bad.” .
The primary focus varies and depends on the geology and industry of the region.
For example, in agricultural areas of the central and western regions, the main pollutants including bacteria and nitrates, It may be present in agricultural runoff. In rural Nevada and maine, arsenic and uranium often contaminate water.And, nationwide, concerns about the health effects are growing PFAS chemicals, a widely used product also known as “forever chemicals.” A recent federal research It is estimated that at least 45% of tap water in the United States contains them.
Evans says filters can help ensure safety, but only if the filter is chosen to address the specific issues affecting your home’s water supply. The wrong filter can give a false sense of security.
People wondering about possible contaminants in their area can ask to see test results from wells that feed nearby community water systems, Evans said. These systems need to test water quality regularly and the results should be made public, she said: “This is a great place to start, and it’s free and easy.”
She also said people who rely on private wells should ask their local health officials if they qualify for help paying for testing and possible repairs or filters. Subsidies are often available but not disclosed, she said.
a study Emory University researcher A report released in 2019 found that all states have standards for new well construction and most require permits. However, “even in states with water quality testing standards, little or no testing is often performed,” the researchers wrote.
Some long-term rural residents live in houses that have been in their families for generations. They often have little knowledge of water sources. “They’ll say, ‘This is the well my grandfather dug. We’ve been using it ever since and no one has had any problems,'” said David Cwiertny, director of the Well at the University of Iowa. Environmental Pollution Health Effects Center. He said they may not realize that impure water can damage health over time.
Some states require that private wells be inspected and tested when a property is sold. Iowa does not enforce such measures, but Webster County does. Eric Day, who directs the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ private water well program, said it’s a good idea for homebuyers anywhere to ask. He also recommends hiring a technician who can use a flexible oscilloscope downhole to visually inspect conditions inside.
Day estimates that less than 10 percent of private well owners in Iowa get tested annually, even though testing is free under a state grant program.
In Webster County, Larry Jones conducted a free well test on a weathered ranch house he recently purchased west of Fort Dodge, in a subdivision adjacent to a large soybean field. Jones lives next door to the 54-year-old house and is renovating it to serve as a residence for his relatives.
County Health Officer Roderick took samples from the well and found the water was contaminated with bacteria. She offered Jones a $1,000 state grant to help fix the problem. He added a few thousand dollars of his own money and hired a contractor.
“This is an investment in the future,” he said. “You’re talking about your family.”
The old well was made of 2-foot-diameter concrete casing that was sunk vertically into the ground in sections about 60 feet. A smaller plastic tube runs from the middle of the housing to the water at the bottom. A water pump moves water into your home through smaller pipes.
Lynn Rosenquist, who owns a local well repair company, told Jones the well may be original to the house and was likely up to standard when it was built. But at least one piece of concrete broke off and fell into it.
Rosenquist and his brother, Lanny, the third generation in their family to maintain the well, spent two days doing the grueling repairs. The brothers used a backhoe and a small crane to remove much of the concrete shell. They replaced it with narrower PVC pipe and sealed it with a cement mix to prevent surface leakage. Once completed, they “shocked” the system with a bleach-water solution, then rinsed and tested again.
Such modern architecture is less susceptible to contamination, Roderick said. “If it’s not sealed, bacteria can get in there and it’s disgusting,” she said.
Vulgarity wasn’t the only thing on Roderick’s mind.Apart from E. coli She tested for nitrates and sulfates (which may be present in farm or lawn runoff or from natural sources) as well as arsenic and manganese (which may be present in rock formations) and other bacteria. She plans to increase testing for PFAS chemicals soon.
She collects the water in small plastic bottles and mails them to the lab. She enters information about each well into a state database. If testing reveals contaminants, she will advise homeowners on options.
Roderick said she enjoys the routine. “I met a lot of people and I met a lot of dogs,” she said with a smile. “I love the feeling that I’m actually helping people.”
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