Sydney Hedmark, an Area Health Education Centers intern, in the Florence County Health Department certified water lab.

Florence, Wis. — When most people think of drinking contaminated water, they imagine drinking water straight from the source or in areas with poor public sanitation — not drinking out of their faucet at home. However, it is estimated that 20-25% of Wisconsin’s wells have bacterial contamination. Drinking water that contains certain kinds of bacteria can cause illness, especially in immunocompromised people.

The Florence County Health Department recommends testing private wells annually or every six months if an infant or immunocompromised person is drinking the water to ensure water continues to be safe to drink. If any new off odor, color, or taste is noticed the water should be tested as well. Even if the well was tested the year prior, there are several ways the well can become contaminated in that time period. The Florence County Health Department offers on-site testing for total coliforms and E. coli bacteria for $30. Through a partnership with UW-Oshkosh, the Florence County Health Department also offers other lab analysis offsite. Fees vary depending on test type.

Bacterial sample bottles, with instructions for sample collection, can be picked up at the Florence County Health Department Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 pm. For any questions about well water testing or the Florence County Health Department water lab, please contact Amber Kolberg at 715-582-3428 or akolberg@florencecountywi.gov. The Florence County Health Department is located in the Courthouse at 501 Lake Avenue or go to http://www.florencecountywi.com/.