Henrico Extension to offer water-testing clinic for residents on private wells

The Henrico County office of Virginia Cooperative Extension will offer for the first time a three-part clinic to help residents test their private wells, springs and cisterns for potentially dangerous levels of contaminants.

A meeting to distribute testing kits and to provide an overview of the Well Water Testing Clinic will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18 at the Eastern Henrico Recreation Center, 1440 N. Laburnum Ave.

Participants will drop off their water samples between 8 and 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20 at the Extension office in the Human Services Building, 8600 Dixon Powers Drive.

A meeting to provide residents with a copy of their confidential test results and to share information on water-system care and maintenance will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24 in the Extension office. Staff also will be available to discuss the results privately after the meeting or by phone.

The water-sample tests will be conducted at Virginia Tech and will include an analysis of the presence of iron, manganese, nitrate, lead, arsenic, fluoride, sulfate, pH, total dissolved solids, hardness, sodium, copper, total coliform bacteria and E. coli bacteria.

“Wells and other private water supplies are not regulated in Virginia,” said Ed Olsen, Henrico’s Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources. “Homeowners are responsible for testing the water quality, maintaining the water system and addressing any problems that arise. Henrico Extension is pleased to offer affordable, confidential water tests and information to our residents.”

The cost to participate in the clinic is $55 per water sample, with payment and registration due by Friday, Sept. 8. For more information, call (804) 501-5160. For information on the Virginia Household Water Quality Program and private water systems, go to wellwater.bse.vt.edu.

 
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