The following was in the Interlake Spectator, re well water testing.  Note free testing ends Aug. 30th, contact number for more information is below.

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East Interlake well water suspect

The East Interlake Conservation District's summer Green Team has been busy testing wells since May 3 and the results are not good.

As of Aug. 4, the Green Team tested 313 wells across the district that runs from St.Andrews in the south to Arborg in the north. Results from 234 wells have been received and indicate that 86 or 36.7 percent have failed the guidelines for drinking water quality.

Out of all the wells sampled, 33 per cent had total coliform counts that exceeded the guidelines while six percent had high e-coli counts and 17 percent had an excess of nitrogen in the samples.

The EICD has also sealed a number of abandoned wells in the district.

Of the 18 wells sealed eight were flowing wells and the others were identified as old and unused.

The Manitoba government has extended it's well water testing program to Aug. 30. They will continue to cover 100 per cent of the costs of precautionary bacterial tests for well-water users. Water testing bottles can be picked up at most municipal offices.

Water samples should be marked 2010 Flood and sent to Maxxam Analytics, Unit D, 675 Berry St., Winnipeg, MB R3H 1A7. More information is also available at 204-772-7276 or toll-free at 1-800-665-8566.

For further details on water testing, contact the local Manitoba Water Stewardship or Manitoba Conservation office, the Manitoba Office of Drinking Water at 204-945-5762 or 1-888-315-9257 (toll-free) or Health Links-Info Santi at 204-788-8200.