Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Chambers County residents will get a chance to have their well water tested for bacteria next month at the Chambers County Community Health and Wellness Center. Containers will be available for pickup from the CCCHWC at 404 Ninth Avenue SW in LaFayette until Nov. 11.

The program is a partnership between the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Auburn University’s Rural Health Outreach Project and the Chambers County Commission. The commission announced the service at Monday night’s business meeting. 

Though the service is free, registration is required. A free screening will include educational topics like the geology of Chamber County, the importance of testing well water, test result interpretation and where to test well water.

According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, groundwater is the main source of drinking water for about 2.1 million people in the state, which is about 44 percent of the total population. 

A large portion of rural Chambers County relies on well water for their homes and farmland.

Regular testing is highly recommended by the ADPH for those who currently rely on well water. Regular testing can help establish a record of water quality. For information about how to disinfect well water, residents can visit the ADPH website on Groundwater Testing. 

Those interested in the program can register at aub.ie/chamberswells or they can call the Chambers County Extension office to get set up.