Land Conservation sponsors well water testing program

Taylor County well owners are invited to test their well water at reduced rates, learn more about their water quality, and potentially receive aid for water treatment. Taylor County Land Conservation Department (LCD) annual discounted well water testing program is scheduled for early September. Additional components for this year’s voluntary program include an educational program in November and financial incentives for home treatment devices for wells testing high in arsenic or manganese. The LCD is offering two packages for $40 each: Homeowners Package (regular $68) and the Metals Test (regular $60). Designated sample bottles for the tests can be picked at the LCD Office in Medford at 925 Donald St., Room 104 during the week of September 8 – 12. Pick up times are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In addition, residents and landowners may also obtain bottles on Wednesday, September 10 at Gilman Village Hall from 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. and at Rib Lake Village Hall from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Participants must then fill the bottles, per directions, on Monday, September 15 and then return them to the LCD that day. Collection will be at the Medford LCD office from 8:00 – 4:30, Gilman from 9:00 – 10:30 a.m., and Rib Lake from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. The Homeowner’s Package tests for coliform bacteria, nitrate, pH, alkalinity, hardness, chloride, conductivity, and corrosiveness. The Metal Test checks levels of arsenic, calcium, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium, sulfate, and zinc. Testing is performed by the Water and Environmental Analysis Lab at UW-Stevens Point. Residents should receive a report by mail by the beginning of November. Those with positive coliform samples will be notified by the laboratory within a few days. After receiving their results, participants as well as the general public are encouraged to attend an educational program on Thursday, November 13 at 6 p.m. in the Community Center at the county fairgrounds in Medford. A groundwater education specialist with the UW-Stevens Point Center for Watershed Science and Education will be presenting a seminar about groundwater basics, groundwater quality in Taylor County, well construction and its influence on water quality, and how to interpret individual test results. The program will last about an hour and include time for questions. New this year, the LCD is offering a financial incentive of up to $250 for water treatment devices for test results of at least 0.01 mg/l arsenic or 0.3 mg/l manganese. Arsenic is a known carcinogen and has no health benefits. Manganese is a necessary nutrient but in high doses it can cause serious damage to the nervous system over time. It is also of concern to infants, the elderly and those with health problems. Testing is recommended for private wells annually for coliform bacteria and nitrates, every 5-10 years for metals, or any time there is a change in how the water looks, tastes, or smells. Water testing is an investment in the well users’ long-term health and well-being. For more information, contact the Taylor County Land Conservation Department at 715/748-1469 or email lcd@co.taylor.wi.us.