Middletown Well Owners Urged to get Water Tests

The state Department of Health is urging some residents of Middletown to get their wells tested after a well on Wapping Road was found to have "nitrate levels above the National Primary  Drinking Water Standards" as set by the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection Agency.

In a release, the health department said it is advising nearby homeowners with private wells to get their water tested by a private lab.

The health department said it has no evidence to believe that other wells in this area have amounts of nitrate at this level.  Nitrate levels change seasonally, and can be related to septic systems, lawn and agricultural fertilizer use, and runoff.

The health risks for high nitrate concentrations are principally for infants under the age of 6 months.  Water with high nitrate should not be given to infants under the age of 6 months or used to make infant formula.    

This action comes out of an abundance of caution from the health department, which reminds all Rhode Island residents who use wells to get them tested annually.