If there are livestock or farming in the area, nitrates can be found in areas where there is livestock waste or where fertilizers have been applied. If there are children drinking the water on a regular basis, fluoride levels should be between 1 and 2 milligrams per liter. An odor of rotten eggs indicates the presence of sulfide. This is more of an aesthetic problem than a health concern and can be easily treated with chlorine. Red or rust colored stains indicate iron is present.
Black stains indicate manganese or zinc.
Uranium is naturally occurring in granite formations which are found throughout Colorado especially in the foothills. It can be found dissolved in the waters of wells sunk in these areas. Each possible contaminant must be evaluated individually. Sampling bottles are specially prepared by the laboratory and are required for performing any testing. Samples taken in any other bottles are not accepted because they may be contaminated and ruin the test.