Water

Water

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uled day of the test, allow water to run a few minutes, take a sample in the bottle and return it to the Extension office on Gay Street in Washington.

The results are returned in a few weeks and will be explained by Virginia Tech specialist in a meeting held at Rappahannock County High School.

Rappahannock County Extension office, in conjunction with Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, is able to offer these tests to private rural households in Rappahannock through a $10,000 grant, shared with Page County, provided by The United States Department of Agriculture Extension, Water Qualify Initiative project.

Two hundred and fifty wells, 50 in each magisterial district in Rappahannock County, can be tested.

“We encourage people to sign up,” Extension agent, agriculture, Tommy Williams said, adding nearly 100 county residents have signed to have their wells tested.

Besides the free test exploring the well’s general water chemistry - including tests for things like total nitrates, chloride, floride, sulfites, copper lead, iron, hardness, manganese and others - county residents can sign for two other optional tests.

Option one includes a total coliform and fecal coliform tests for the cost of $12. For this test, the homeowner receives a small plastic bag inwhich the sample is placed, besides the plastic bottle for the general water chemistry test. Both are brought to the office on the assigned day and results are delivered in a few weeks.

These results show if bacteria from animal or human sources have reached the water source and if they are a threat to the consumer of the water.

Option Two includes a free scan for 20 commonly used pesticides. It is offered to only 20 percent of the 250 wells. The owner must opt for the scan to be performed - testings are selected and contacted in July and August.

“This is an educational survey,”