The Douglas County Health Department, Sarpy - Cass Health Department, Midwest Labs and the Papio - Missouri River NRD are partnering to offer a limited number of free well water testing kits to private homeowners affected by the flood.
Anyone in Douglas County who suspects their private well may have been compromised by the flood is asked to go to the Waterloo Fire Department at 405 South 7th Street in Waterloo on Wednesday, March 27th, between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to pick up a kit.Those in Sarpy or Cass County can go to the Sarpy - Cass Health Department office in Papillion or the Louisville Senior Center during those hours.
The kits can be returned to that location between the hours of 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in Waterloo, from 9 a.m. until noon at the Sarpy - Cass Health Department or from 9 to 11 a.m. in Louisville.Those who can't return the samples the next day will have to take them to Midwest Labs, 13611 B Street in Omaha within 24 hours of the sample being collected.
All test kits include detailed instructions on how and when to collect the samples as well as procedures for disinfecting the wells. Additional instructions and information are available by contacting the Douglas County Health Department at 402-444-7481 or the Sarpy - Cass Health Department at 402-339-4334.
Until the results of the testing are completed, everyone who gets their drinking water from a well should continue to use bottled water. Please be aware that if a contaminated well has been disinfected, it will require a second test to confirm the unhealthy elements have been removed.
Midwest Laboratories and the Papio-Missouri NRD are covering the testing costs.