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Private well users urged to protect drinking water

Spring runoff causes risk of bacterial contamination
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Well users are encouraged to protect their drinking water. (Black Press file photo)

With the annual spring melt underway, Interior Health is advising all homeowners with private wells to take appropriate steps to safeguard their drinking water.

When spring runoff flows into a well and mixes with the source water, there is significant risk of bacterial contamination.

Homeowners should:

· Consider whether their well is equipped to ensure their tap water is clean and safe.

· Ensure their wells are properly protected from flooding.

· Take appropriate water treatment measures and test their well water regularly to prevent water-borne illnesses caused by contamination of water with harmful bacteria such as E.coli.

For information related to well water testing, please visit https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthlinkbc-files/well-water-testing.

The list of laboratories approved by the B.C. Provincial Health Officer for drinking water microbiology testing is available here:http://lmlabs.phsa.ca/Documents/PHO%20Approved%20Laboratory%20List.pdf.

The Interior Health website’s Drinking Water page also has a variety of information related to clean, safe, and reliable tap water, which can be found here:https://www.interiorhealth.ca/YourEnvironment/DrinkingWater/Pages/default.aspx.

HealthLinkBC Well Water Testing file attached.

Interior Health is committed to promoting healthy lifestyles and providing a wide range of quality health-care services to more than 740,000 people living across B.C.’s vast interior. For more information, visit www.interiorhealth.ca, follow us on Twitter @Interior_Health, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/interiorhealth.ca.