The Henrico County Office of Virginia Cooperative Extension will offer a three-part clinic to help residents test their private wells, springs and cisterns for potentially dangerous levels of contaminants.
After registering online, participants will pick up a testing kit from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 2 through Thursday, June 4 at the Extension Office located at 6800 Staples Mill Road. Each kit will include a link to a virtual presentation explaining how to draw water samples for testing.
Participants will drop off their samples from 7 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, June 10 at the Extension Office. In about five weeks, they will receive their test results by mail or email with a link to a virtual presentation explaining how to interpret the findings. Staff also will be available to discuss the results privately by phone.
All tests will be conducted at Virginia Tech and will include an analysis of the presence of iron, manganese, nitrate, lead, arsenic, fluoride, sulfate, pH, total dissolved solids, hardness, sodium, copper, total coliform bacteria and E. coli bacteria.
“Residential water sources are not regulated in Virginia,” said Kimberly Edmonds, Henrico Extension’s unit coordinator and extension agent for Family and Consumer Sciences. “The responsibility for testing water quality and maintaining the water system lies with homeowners. Henrico Extension is pleased to offer affordable, confidential water tests, along with other resources to help residents.”
The cost to participate in the clinic is $70 per water sample, with registration and payment due by noon Thursday, June 4.
For more information, call 804-501-5160. For information on the Virginia Household Water Quality Program and private water systems, go to wellwater.bse.vt.edu.