FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2005
For additional information contact:
Amy Morris, Community Relations Coordinator
(616) 336-2220
Kent County Health Department Recognizes Ground Water Awareness Week March 13-19, 2005
(Grand Rapids, Mich.) - - In observance of the National Ground Water Association’s Ground Water Awareness Week, the Kent County Health Department reminds residents to test their water well.
Just as you seasonally check your furnace or smoke detector batteries, spring is a good season to have a water well checkup before the peak water-use season begins. The Health Department recommends annual maintenance checks to ensure proper operation of water wells.
Testing should include bacteriological testing for the coliform group of bacteria and nitrates. Partial chemical analysis includes screening for: Fluoride, Chloride, Nitrate, Nitrite, Hardness, Iron, Sulfate, and Sodium. Bacteriological and partial chemical analysis of water is available at the Health Department’s Regional Laboratory for $12-$14. Sample request forms and containers are available at the Health Department’s, Environmental Health Division, at 700 Fuller N.E., between 8:00am and 5:00pm, Monday through Friday.
About half of the United States population receives its drinking water from wells. Ground Water Awareness Week spotlights ground water as a valuable and renewable resource.
For more information on water well testing contact the Kent County Health
Department’s, Environmental Health Division at 616.632.6900 or visit
www.accesskent.com/health.
For more information on Ground Water Awareness Week and the National Ground
Water Association visit www.ngwa.org.
