Here are answers to some questions about well water safety. Please read them carefully to protect your family's health. Well water is not always pure. Chemicals and germs can get into your well from the ground. Also, substances called nitrates can get into the water and cause serious health problems for small babies and for people with some existing health conditions.
Nitrates are chemicals that are found naturally in small amounts in the soil.
Fertilizers and animal waste are also nitrate sources. Nitrates can mix with the water in the ground and then seep into your well. If you live near a poultry, cattle, or hog farm, or near areas where a lot of fertilizer is used, the groundwater may contain high levels of nitrates. Recently, when 1500 wells next to hog, turkey and chicken farms were tested, the water in about 150 of them had nitrate contamination above acceptable levels. This means that the babies' blood can not carry enough oxygen throughout their bodies.