Any money not expended by a county stays in the fund and is available for future year distributions. The counties may use the funds for any of the three described programs. There is no specific minimum requirement for any particular portion of the program. The goal of the private water well testing program is to promote public awareness and to increase the amount of information on the quality of private water supply systems. Tests for the presence of coliform bacteria and nitrates are performed by certified laboratories through county contracts.
Financial assistance is available through the county grant.
All well tests are to be reported to the Department for inclusion in the state data base. Approximately 13,000 water samples per year, tested for bacteria and nitrates, are reported to the department under this program. Owners of wells which have unacceptable levels of contaminants are offered advise on how to improve their water supply.