GREELEY — Last September, a trillion gallons of water swept through mountains, industrial and agricultural areas, urban communities and water treatment plants and surged through Weld County.

Because of this, the Weld County Board of Commissioners are reminding county residents on well water that the Department of Public Health and Environment provides water testing to determine if there are unhealthy bacteria levels and if nitrates are present in county residents’ well water.

This testing is available, along with testing for other compounds, for a fee.

“We want to remind residents that the county provides water testing to those on well water, especially after the flood waters that swept through Weld County during September 2013,” said Weld County Commissioner Chairman Doug Rademacher. “Now is a good time for county residents with concerns about water quality to have this testing done.”   

There are several businesses throughout the state that provide water testing, but some tests can be costly for individuals.

The Department of Public Health and Environment began providing free volatile organic compound (VOC) testing for county residents using well water in 2012.

The department can also test for metals, ions, pH and bacteria for an additional fee. Municipal water is already tested for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and contaminants by the individual municipal water suppliers. 

County residents interested in having their well-water tested should call the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment at 970-304-6415 and provide their name, address and phone number. A Weld County staff member will contact the resident to set up an appointment to collect the sample.

The sample must be collected by a member of the Department of Public Health and Environment to ensure the sample isn’t inadvertently contaminated in the collection process. 

Once the sample is collected, it will be tested and a report will be generated and made available to the resident.

For more information, visit the Department of Public Health and Environment page at www.weldhealth.org.