Nearly everyone in Anoka County depends on groundwater. Private well owners must take measures to regularly test their drinking water. Municipal water users must cooperate to protect the source of the community’s water from pollution. That includes protecting the groundwater that is drawn into private (home) and public (municipal) supply wells.

National Groundwater Awareness Week (March 5-11) brings attention to the important role that groundwater plays in the health and wellbeing of people. Anoka County Environmental Services and the Minnesota Department of Health recommend all home and cabin well owners follow the “three C’s” of well maintenance :

Cap – ensure the well cap is securely attached and not broken or missing, and the connections through the cap are watertight.

Casing – check the well pipe for cracks or corrosion damage. The casing should extend 12 inches above ground level.

Conduit – confirm that the conduit for the electric service wire to the well is securely connected to the well cap.

Anoka County Environmental Services provides water testing services  to residents and recommends that private well owners test their well annually for total coliform bacteria and nitrate-nitrogen. If a private well owner does not have an arsenic test result – they are encouraged to test the water once to determine if concentration of arsenic it is above the safe drinking water standard.

For more information contact Anoka County Environmental Services at 763-422-7063.