Groundwater Awareness Week Pledge to Test Campaign

National Groundwater Awareness Week is an annual, weeklong observance established by the National Ground Water Association to highlight the responsible development, management, and use of water. Established in 1999, National Groundwater Awareness Week provides an opportunity for people to learn about the importance of groundwater and how the resource saves lives.

This year’s theme of “Test. Tend. Treat.” was established to encourage a more holistic approach to sustain an adequate supply of quality water. Just as you check your furnace or smoke detector batteries seasonally, spring is a good season to have an annual water well checkup and sample your well water quality before the peak water use season begins, according to the National Ground Water Association (NGWA). For example, testing your water might prompt well inspection and maintenance, and water treatment can mitigate naturally occurring contamination revealed by the test.

As part of the “Test. Tend. Treat.” theme, the Richland County Health Department and the Private Well Class are encouraging folks to test their well water through the Pledge to Test Campaign. Well owners are invited to pledge to submit a water sample for testing to a lab in their area by March 31, 2018. One Pledge to Test Campaign participant will be randomly selected to be reimbursed for the cost of testing the private well water at their residence, up to $200. The pledge form can be found at http://privatewellclass.org/pledge.

You can get FREE sampling supplies from the Richland County Health Department. And if you volunteer to share your sample results with the Health Department, we can provide additional educational materials that are specific to your results as well as provide you with information regarding local maintenance and treatment resources.

For additional information please contact the Health Department at 406-433-2207 or come visit us at 1201 West Holly, Suite 1 in Sidney.

 

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