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Newfoundland & Labrador government issuing free test kits to private well owners

St. John’s, NL – More than 2,000 free well water chemistry test kits are still available to private well owners throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. So far, more than 3,000 test kits have been distributed and more than 1,000 samples have been tested for potential contaminants.

The pilot initiative, which was first launched in December 2022, provides well owners with detailed information about chemical levels in their drinking water and is part of a pilot project to collect baseline groundwater data in Newfoundland and Labrador. The goal of this project is to help lower health risks related to consuming groundwater with naturally occurring contaminants. Examples include arsenic, uranium and fluoride.

The kits are available through various Digital Government and Service NL regional offices. To benefit from this service, participants will be asked to fill out a sample record form, collect water in the bottle provided and return the completed kit to the nearest regional office. A listing of government service centres can be found here.

Residents are also reminded that the owner or user of a private well is responsible for the maintenance and water testing of that well. If lab reports from any form of water testing indicate exceedances in health parameters, well owners are advised to refrain from consuming water from the source, submit a second sample to an accredited lab for testing, and seek professional advice towards appropriate filtration or treatment.

This pilot project is a collaboration between the Water Resources Management Division with the Department of Environment and Climate Change, the Department of Digital Government and Service NL, and the Department of Health and Community Services, as well as the Geological Survey Division with the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology.

More information on well water and risks associated with notable naturally occurring contaminants can be found here.

In addition, a free bacteriological testing service is currently available for all well owners. The service provides results of either the presence or absence of total coliform bacteria or E. coli. For more information, visit: www.publichealthlab.ca/water-testing/