Free Nitrate Water Testing Event for Stearns County Private Well Owners
Do you get your drinking water from a private well?
If so, get your water tested for FREE in about 10 minutes depending on how many people show up!
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Date: Tuesday, August 16th
Time: 2:00PM - 7:00PM
Location: Greenwald Pub
310 1st Ave N, Greenwald, MN
Early Drop-Off Available starting at 7:00 AM Day of Event​
Nitrate-nitrogen (referred to as nitrate) is a common contaminant found in many wells throughout Minnesota. Shallow wells, dug wells, and wells with damaged or leaking casings are the most vulnerable to nitrate contamination. Major sources of nitrate contamination can be from fertilizers, animal waste, and human sewage. It is highly recommended to test your drinking water supply on a regular basis.
How this works?
1. Find a clean sample container that can hold at least 1 cup of water. Collect sample from the cold water tap in your kitchen sink.
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2. Use a permanent marker to label your container with your first and last name. If you wish to remain anonymous, label the container with a number or a code you will easily remember. If you have more than one sample, add an identifier like Sample #1 and Sample #2.
3. Collect a minimum of 1 cup of water in the container within 24 hours of arriving at the event. The water sample should be cool upon arrival so keep the sample refrigerated until you leave for the event.
4. If you have water treatment equipment installed (other than a water softener which has no effect on nitrate levels), we recommend taking a sample “before” and “after” to determine if your treatment equipment is working properly.
5. Bring your water sample to the Greenwald Pub between the hours of 2:00 and 7:00 PM on Tuesday, August 16th. If you can't make it between 2pm and 7pm then you can drop off your water sample before the event after 7am in a cooler outside of the Greenwald Pub. The address is 310 1st Ave North, Greenwald MN.
6. Once you arrive at the event, we will ask you to fill out a short survey about your water, your well, and your water treatment system. Your sample will be transferred into one of our leakproof containers. If you can, bring a picture of your well and treatment system, it will help us advise you on water quality issues that may show up in the testing.
7. Your sample will be collected from you and analyzed while you wait – Hopefully no longer than 10 minutes. Our water experts will bring you the results and gladly answer any questions you may have about your well or well water.
8. There will be a $20 coupon available for additional certified water testing. ($90.00 value for $70.00)
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9. Presentations will occur on water topics at the top of each hour from 3:00 to 6:00 PM.
Certified Water Testing Discount Opportunity
Discount Details: A $20 dollar coupon will be available for further certified water analysis through Traut Companies for those that bring a water sample to be tested at this event. Samples would have to be tested for bacteria, nitrate, and arsenic to be eligible to use the coupon. The water sample would also need to be submitted to Traut Companies by September 1, 2022. It ends up being a $90.00 value for $70.00. Again, this option is only available for those who get their primary drinking water from a private well and bring in a water sample to the nitrate testing event. Traut Companies will be on site to provide water sample bottles and instructions on how to collect a water sample for further testing.
Deadline: Submit water samples to Traut Wells by Thursday, September 1st. Their new location is 32640 County Road 133 in Saint Joseph.
For more information, contact Wayne Cymbaluk (Stearns County SWCD) @ 320-345-6492
Can't make the event, but still interested in getting your water sampled?
There will be a cooler located outside the main door of the Greenwald Pub (310 1st Ave N, Greenwald, MN) the morning of the Event. Complete the short survey, label both the water sample and survey with the same unique identification number and then place sample in the cooler. ​
More Information on Nitrates
At a minimum, private wells should be tested for coliform bacteria once a year and for nitrate every two or three years. If nitrate has been detected previously, the well should be tested for nitrate every year.
Every private well should be tested at least once to determine if arsenic is present in the water, and at what levels (language provided by the Minnesota Department of Health).
MN Department of Agriculture: https://www.mda.state.mn.us/water-testing-nitrate
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MN Department of Health: https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/wells/waterquality/nitrate.html
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Well Owner's Handbook - A Consumer's Guide to Water Wells in Minnesota: https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/docs/wells/construction/handbook.pdf
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