The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) Office of Water Quality (OWQ) is offering eligible residential well owners the opportunity to have their water tested as part of the statewide Ground Water Monitoring Network.
For 2016, we are seeking eligible well owners in all 92 counties in Indiana to take part in the GWMN. Testing for metals, nitrate-nitrite, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Synthetic Organic Compounds (SOCs), alkalinity, pesticide degradates, and general chemistry will be conducted free of charge for 400 qualified well owners across the state. Copies of the analytical results will be provided to the resident at the end of the study, and the resident’s name, mailing address, and specific well location will not be included in publications as part of this sampling effort.
To ensure the quality of the water data collected statewide, there are some requirements to be considered for this opportunity. To be eligible for this program, the well must have been entered in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) water well database (which can be checked by IDEM staff, or is available online), be screened at a depth that is representative of the primary aquifer in the area, and have an outside spigot that does not go through a water softener or other treatment and is accessible to IDEM staff. Unfortunately, because this is a statewide ground water study that is focused on determining ambient water quality, not all sampling requests can be accommodated. Wells that are eligible will be selected for inclusion in the monitoring effort based on their suitability to represent the ground water in the area. Well owners that are selected to take part in this study will be notified in late spring 2016. Sample collection is expected to begin in summer 2016.
The signup period for the Ground Water Monitoring Network is closed. If you have an immediate concern about the quality of your well water, search a list of certified Drinking Water Labs. The Indiana State Department of Health Lab can also perform Arsenic, Nitrate-Nitrite and Bacteriology (E. coli) testing at low cost. Water Test Kit Order forms (available on the IDEM Forms page) and sampling instructions are available online. Your local health department may provide additional resources to help you get your water tested.