nearby wells indicates the need. Changes in
color, taste or smell of your water may also
indicate the need for testing.
Testing Can
Help Babies
Private well owners should also consider
testing for nitrate, especially if you live in
an agricultural area.
Nitrate in drinking
water above the national standard poses an
immediate threat to children under three
months of age. In some infants, excessive
levels of nitrate have been known to react
with hemoglobin in the blood to produce an
anemic condition commonly known as “blue
baby syndrome,” whereby the infant is
literally starved of oxygen, sometimes
resulting in death. After an initial satisfactory
test, the well should be retested for nitrate
every three to five years.
Lead
Lead in drinking water usually is the
result of the use of lead piping, lead
solder, or other lead containing
components of your plumbing system, not
the well water itself.
Like nitrate, lead is
especially dangerous to young children.
Excessive amounts of lead in the blood
(above the national standard of .015 mg/L)
may result in nervous system disorders,
>>>
Is yours safe?
resulted in thousands of cases of illness each
year. Although public water supplies are
required to test for a variety of contaminants
such as pathogenic organisms, radioactive
elements, and toxic substances, the water
quality of private water wells is the
responsibility of the owner. Routine testing
for a few common contaminants is strongly
recommended for the owners of private water
systems.
The most common and widespread
contaminants in Florida are bacteria,
nitrates and lead.
Other chemicals like
ethylene dibromide (EDB), tetrachlorethylene
(PCE) and temik have also been found in
isolated areas. Contaminated drinking water
can cause a number of diseases, and is
sometimes fatal to vulnerable people.
Take the Test
The most common test for bacteria in
water is the coliform test.
Coliform
bacteria in themselves are not harmful. They
are found in the intestinal tract of warm-
blooded animals. But their presence is an
indication that other harmful bacteria may
also be present. Diarrhea is one of the most
common symptoms of drinking water that is
contaminated with bacteria. After initial
satisfactory testing, wells should be tested
again for coliform bacteria after any well
repairs, if the well was flooded, or if testing of
Florida’s water–what you should know.
Ground Water
Many places in the United States rely on
surface water for their drinking water
supply. Because we live in Florida, we are
lucky to have a plentiful source of ground
water.
Ground water wells supply over
ninety-two percent of the water we need to
drink, bathe, flush toilets, wash laundry and
water our lawns. The majority of these wells
produce water that tastes good and is free of
harmful contaminants. Unfortunately, certain
chemicals and bacteria that may cause disease
have been found in some wells in Florida.
Chemicals have gotten into ground water
because of leaking gasoline storage tanks,
pesticide applications, landfills, im-proper
disposal of toxic wastes, and ignorance or
disregard for our water resources. Bacteria
can get into drinking water through poorly
maintained septic systems, livestock areas, or
as a result of poorly constructed wells.
Private Wells
About 80% of Florida’s residents are
served by public water systems covered by
the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The
other 20% receive their water from
smaller, limited-use public, or private
water systems.
The Centers For Disease
Control and Prevention in Atlanta have
reported that consumption of contaminated
drinking water in the United States has
water brochure 04 6/15/04 4:39 PM Page 1
z
drinking
water
>>> or brain or kidney damage. Water
should be tested for lead initially and again
after any plumbing work every three to five
years.
Even though these three contaminants are
the most common threats to the health of you
and your family, your water well may also be
susceptible to other drinking water
contaminants, depending on present and past
land use activities near your well.
Chemical
Contaminants
Agricultural activities and commercial
facilities have also had a significant
impact upon Florida’s groundwater quality.
Pesticides such as ethylene dibromide (EDB)
have been detected in water wells within
citrus growing areas, and other rural areas of
the state. But perhaps the largest source of
groundwater contamination has been leaking
underground petroleum storage tanks, which
the state is currently addressing in its SUPER
Act clean-up program.
As a private well owner you need to be
familiar with these potential problems.
Periodic testing of your well through a
certified laboratory is highly recommended.
The Florida Department of Health has a
program which offers water testing through
your local county health department for a set
fee.
Is
yours
safe
HEALTH
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
Collecting Samples
Samples must be collected in a certain
way using special containers in order for
the results to be valid.
Contact the health
department for current fees and sampling
instructions.
Private laboratories (certified by the state)
are also available to perform water quality
testing, although the fees and time required
varies from lab to lab.
The Department of Health wants to ensure
that all residents and visitors to the state have
water that is safe to drink. If you have any
questions or concerns regarding the safety of
your private water system, or desire further
information regarding the testing of your
water well, please contact your local county
health department at the address listed below:
Florida Department of Health
DH 150-383, 6/04 Stock No. 5730-383-0150-2
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