photo by: Adobe Stock

Water from a faucet is pictured in this Adobe Stock photo.

A study found that more than one in five private wells nationwide contained contaminants exceeding human-health benchmarks, yet little is known about the quality of well water in Douglas County.

Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health is looking to change that and has launched a local initiative to collect private well data countywide.

LDCPH is offering free, voluntary well-water testing for property owners across Douglas County. Residents and LDCPH will be collecting samples for a comprehensive analysis with screenings for nitrates, bacterial coliforms and E. coli.

“This is the first time our health department has made such an effort, in part because we do know that one in five statistic that’s used often,” Vicki Collie-Akers, faculty liaison for the Academic Health Department, told the Journal-World. “First of all, it’s substantially high when you really think about it … and we’ve not been able to access data that tells us more about Douglas County.”

This program is similar to the existing Kansas Geological Survey’s free well water testing program, which is offered statewide. According to KGS data, less than 10 private wells were sampled between 2024 and 2025 in Douglas County. Collie-Akers said LDCPH wanted to make an effort to see the private well water quality in the local community and how often the community is testing their water.

The contaminants LDCPH will be screening for can pose health risks for rural residents. Nitrates threaten infants by reducing blood oxygen, while E. coli and coliforms mean there could be bacterial contamination that can cause gastrointestinal illness.

“In addition to offering the free tests, we ask our community members to complete a survey that includes answering questions about the age of their well, the kind of well that they have, the last time that they recall having their water well tested, and then any actions that they take to prevent contamination,” Collie-Akers said.

The Center for Disease Control recommends private well owners should test for basic contaminants like coliform bacteria or nitrates at least once a year, and Collie-Akers said that while it’s still very early in the department’s data collection, LDCPH has already started receiving some data suggesting that’s not happening at many wells in Douglas County.

Collie-Akers said the department has reached out to 260 property owners they have identified with private wells to inform them about the free water testing initiative. While it’s only the start, 12 people have completed an initial survey for the program and LDCPH has already completed some testing.

“Right now, about 25% of those … indicated that it’s been more than 10 years since they had their well water tested,” Collie-Akers said, out of those 12 people. “And only 8% indicated they’ve done it within the last year.”

“We did ask the question about if they had their well water treated for contamination within the last year, and a small portion, about 17% indicated that yes, they had,” Collie-Akers said.

When staff conduct testing on the wells, they will collect two different samples: one from the well itself and one from inside the household. Collie-Akers said the findings will then be shared with residents as quickly as possible. If a well tests positive for any of the contaminants, LDCPH will direct residents toward resources and recommend treatment practices for the wells.

While this is the first time LDCPH has offered a program like this, Collie-Akers said the department is hopeful in testing 30% of the private well owners they initially reached out to.

“But we really are just glad to have the opportunity and the resources to be able to do this,” Collie-Akers said.

Collie-Akers said the goal with the initiative is to produce a local sample large enough to see if the one in five national statistic from the U.S. Geological Survey holds true for Douglas County or if there’s more variation.

“I also think we are hoping to answer questions about geographic distribution around contaminated well water,” Collie-Akers said. “And lastly, we are hoping to understand household practices around well water testing and treatment so we can understand if there are opportunities for increased education.”

Collie-Akers added that LDCPH acquired $50,000 in state funding for the well initiative and to repair and improve septic systems for rural homeowners.

LDCPH has until the end of June to make use of the funding awarded for the septic system repair and replacement grant, and Collie-Akers encourages any low-income households experiencing a failing septic system to apply for the grant program.

“Those resources end at the end of this month,” Collie-Akers said. “Which does not leave a lot of time, but we really would love for that to be used locally. We would really welcome any family or household to reach out to us to see if they qualify and could make use of that septic repair or replacement fund.”

Homes may qualify for septic repair or replacement based on their income relative to the 2024 Federal Poverty Level. Households with incomes at or below 200% of the poverty level are eligible for grants covering 100% of eligible septic system repair or replacement costs. Households with incomes between 201% and 250% of the poverty level may receive funding covering 85% of eligible costs, while households with incomes between 251% and 300% of the level may receive funding covering 75% of eligible costs.

The eligible homeowners can receive funding to cover the cost of necessary septic system repairs or full system replacement. Failing systems can pose urgent public health and environmental risks, and the program is meant to help residents maintain safe living conditions and protect local water quality.

County residents interested in free private well testing can fill out a form on LDCPH’s website at https://ldchealth.org/541/Well-Water.

Homeowners interested in LDCPH’s septic system program can discuss needs and required documentation (i.e., proof of income such as W-2s) by emailing ehinfo@ldchealth.org.