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Test your well water for free until the end of the month

CDC.gov

The state is encouraging Delawareans with private wells to test them— particularly before the end of the year. 

The state Department of Health and Social Services’ partnership with the nonprofit  Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc. (SERCAP) ends Dec. 31.

Until then, Delawareans with private wells can request free kits to test their water. Testing assistance is also available.

“Times that people aren’t able to collect the samples on their own, the team there at SERCAP will actually make arrangements to go out and collect the sample,” said Sandi Spiegel of the Division of Public Health.

There are a variety of ways to get the kits.

“They can either be picked up at SERCAP— the Southeast Rural Assistance Community Project— or you can contact them and they’ll mail it to you,” Spiegel said. “You can contact Public Health, we’ll give them your address, they’ll send it to you.”

The free test kits are the same as those the state normally provides for $4 each.

They test for things including pH, nitrate, nitrite, iron, fluoride and sulfate—but not PFAS, the industrial pollutants that have been found in water supplies inNew Castle, Doverand Blades.

The EPA and CDC recommend yearly testing of private wells. Public drinking water is regulated, but it’s the responsibility of private well owners to make sure their own water is safe.

The Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project can be reached at (866) 928-3731.

The Delaware Public Health Laboratory can be reached at (302) 223-1520.

Sophia Schmidt is a Delaware native. She comes to Delaware Public Media from NPR’s Weekend Edition in Washington, DC, where she produced arts, politics, science and culture interviews. She previously wrote about education and environment for The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, MA. She graduated from Williams College, where she studied environmental policy and biology, and covered environmental events and local renewable energy for the college paper.
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