Town Is Offering Greenwich Water Well Testing

The Greenwich Health Department is offering a program to test the well water of town residents.

Nearly 8,000 homes in Greenwich rely on private wells for drinking water and homeowners with those wells are responsible for the quality of their own drinking water. Generally, residents aren't required to test their well water once they move into a house.

The health department says testing is a good idea, even if a problem is not suspected because testing is the only way to ensure that the water is safe to drink. Once the water supply proves to be clean and safe to drink, annual testing is recommended. This will establish a record of water quality that may help identify and solve future problems.

To encourage residents to perform annual well water testing and determine that their well water supply is safe to drink, the Greenwich Department of Health Laboratory is offering water analysis for $42 for the test until the end of September, with the help of a state grant.

Water samples will be analyzed for coliform bacteria, pH, color, turbidity and odor, which is a basic potability screen. The laboratory’s Director, Doug Serafin, said, “this is a great opportunity for residents to test their well water supply at more than a reasonable price. Well water should be tested at least once a year or any time there is a change in taste, odor, appearance or after the water system has been serviced by a licensed well driller."

Serafin added, "Heavy rains can also make it important to check wells for contamination, since runoff can get into the water supply.”

For more information, call the Department of Health Laboratory at 203‑622‑7843. Well water testing kits wand instructions on collection methods are available at the laboratory, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. The lab is located on the ground floor in Greenwich Town Hall, 101 Field Point Rd.