Is my well water safe to drink?
Nitrate and coliform bacteria are common contaminants in wells. They can seep into wells from septic tanks, manure, or fertilizers.
These contaminants can be harmful to your family especially babies, pregnant women and older adults. High levels of nitrate in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Without medical treatment, this illness can be fatal. Drinking well water with coliform bacteria can cause diarrhea or other illnesses.
What can I do to protect my water?
- Test your well water. Yakima Health District recommends that you or your landlord test every year for nitrate and total coliform bacteria.
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Read your results to find out if your well water has high nitrate or total coliform bacteria. Yakima Health District can help you understand your results.
If your well has high nitrate or total coliform bacteria:
- Do not drink your well water. Bottled water is a safe option for drinking and cooking.
- Address the problem. Here are some of your options:
- High nitrate
For a long-term solution, drill a new well or connect to a city water system. For a short-term solution, install a reverse osmosis system. This filter removes nitrate from water.
- Total coliform bacteria
Add bleach to your well. Call Yakima Health District to find out how much you should add.
- High nitrate
PNASH Resources in English
Understanding Your Well Water Report – Total Coliform & E. Coli
Test results and potential solutions
VIEW PDF
PNASH Resources in Spanish
Cómo entender los resultados de agua de su pozo / Nitrato
Resultados de la prueba y posibles soluciones
VER PDF
Cómo entender los resultados de agua de su pozo / Bacterias coliformes y E. coli
Resultados de la prueba y posibles soluciones
VER PDF
Partner resources
- Washington State Department of Health fact sheet:
- Lower Yakima Valley Groundwater Advisory Committee fact sheets:
- The Private Well Class – Provides classes and resources for everything you need to know about private wells.
- Drinking Water Interpretation Tool - Explains water test results for many different types of contaminants.
- Certified Testing Laboratories
More Information
Where can I find financial support?
The Yakima County HOME Consortium program can help well owners pay for well water system repairs with loans and grants. Call Andrea Reyes, Program Manager, at 509-574-2300.
If I have questions, who can I contact?
If you live in Yakima County, you should contact: Yakima Health District.
If you live outside of Yakima County, contact your local health district.