Private water well owners whose wells flooded from the recent rains should assume that their well water is contaminated until tested, according to Dr. Diane Boellstorff, water resource specialist, College Station. “You should not use water from a flooded well for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing your teeth or even bathing until you are satisfied it is not contaminated,” Boellstorff said.
She said owners should send their water to a laboratory for testing. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality provides a list of certified laboratories that analyze drinking water samples at http://www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/certified_labs. The Texas Department of State Health Services website also lists local public health organizations that may offer well water testing at https://www.dshs.texas.gov/regions/lhds.shtm.
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