FLOODS of 2008


Other key sites to visit for flood recovery updates: Iowa DNR Iowa Department of Public Health Iowa State Extension	______________________________________________________________________ What should I do if my well was flooded? Contact a DNR Certified Well Contractor for assistance in determining your well’s safety. Do no attempt to work on the well pump as there is a danger of electrical shock and pump damage. Do not drink or wash with the well water until it has been cleaned, pumped, shock chlorinated, sampled and tested by an Iowa DNR certified drinking water laboratory. Can I use the water if it hasn’t been checked by a certified well contractor? It should be avoided because flood waters contain many contaminants dangerous to human health. Use a known safe source of water such as bottled water or from a neighboring public water system. If you do not have a source of safe water, you can boil your clear well water for at least 1 minute at a rolling boil and then let the water stand until cool before use. Because boiling water can increase the concentration of some contaminants, you should only consume boiled water if a safe source of water is not available. If my well wasn’t flooded, is there anything I need to be concerned about? High groundwater levels and poor well casings or well construction may cause contamination of a well even if the well wasn’t flooded from the surface. Bacteria are present in all soil and surface water. Water should be tested by an Iowa DNR certified drinking water laboratory to ensure its safety. Wells in frost pits may be flooded even if the surface wasn’t flooded, so do not enter the frost pits to avoid electrical shock. Finding an Iowa DNR Certified Well Contractor on the web at: http://www.iowadnr.gov/water/wells/concert.html or by calling DNR staff: Russ Tell,515-725-0462 or Brian Anderson, 515-725-0346 The Iowa Water Well Association list of members who are certified well contractors: http://www.iwwa.org/ or http://www.iwwa.org/members.htm Find a certified lab to test drinking water: DNR list of certified labs Where can I get free well test kits? Free water test kits are being offered to residents of counties that are included in the Governor Culver's disaster declaration. These kits are available through local county health departments. The best point of contact would be your county sanitarian. How can I evaluate the long-term safety conditions of my well? Iowa FarmASyst (FAS) is available to to any Iowa citizen at www.iowafarmasyst.com. With the Assessing Your Water Well Condition & Maintainence and other FAS units, , you can evaluate your farmstead’s site characteristics to determine the potential for groundwater and surface water contamination. You cannot change the features of your farmstead, but once you are aware of them you can modify your activities to minimize the potential for groundwater contamination. For addition resources, consult the following: Iowa Department of Public Health Iowa Department of Natural Resources Iowa State University Extension
Please read the Privacy and Legal Notices. ©2008 www.iowafarmbureau.com. All rights reserved.

Other key sites to visit for
flood recovery updates:

Iowa DNR

Iowa Department of Public Health

Iowa State Extension

______________________________________________________________________

What should I do if my well was flooded?
Contact a DNR Certified Well Contractor for assistance in determining your well’s safety. Do no attempt to work on the well pump as there is a danger of electrical shock and pump damage. Do not drink or wash with the well water until it has been cleaned, pumped, shock chlorinated, sampled and tested by an Iowa DNR certified drinking water laboratory.

Can I use the water if it hasn’t been checked by a certified well contractor?
It should be avoided because flood waters contain many contaminants dangerous to human health. Use a known safe source of water such as bottled water or from a neighboring public water system. If you do not have a source of safe water, you can boil your clear well water for at least 1 minute at a rolling boil and then let the water stand until cool before use. Because boiling water can increase the concentration of some contaminants, you should only consume boiled water if a safe source of water is not available.

If my well wasn’t flooded, is there anything I need to be concerned about?
High groundwater levels and poor well casings or well construction may cause contamination of a well even if the well wasn’t flooded from the surface. Bacteria are present in all soil and surface water. Water should be tested by an Iowa DNR certified drinking water laboratory to ensure its safety. Wells in frost pits may be flooded even if the surface wasn’t flooded, so do not enter the frost pits to avoid electrical shock.

Finding an Iowa DNR Certified Well Contractor on the web at:
http://www.iowadnr.gov/water/wells/concert.html or by calling DNR staff: Russ Tell,515-725-0462 or Brian Anderson, 515-725-0346

The Iowa Water Well Association list of members who are certified well contractors: http://www.iwwa.org/ or http://www.iwwa.org/members.htm

Find a certified lab to test drinking water: DNR list of certified labs

Where can I get free well test kits?
Free water test kits are being offered to residents of counties that are included in the Governor Culver's disaster declaration. These kits are available through local county health departments. The best point of contact would be your county sanitarian.

How can I evaluate the long-term safety conditions of my well?
Iowa Farm*A*Syst (FAS) is available to to any Iowa citizen at www.iowafarmasyst.com. With the Assessing Your Water Well Condition & Maintainence and other FAS units, , you can evaluate your farmstead’s site characteristics to determine the potential for groundwater and surface water contamination. You cannot change the features of your farmstead, but once you are aware of them you can modify your activities to minimize the potential for groundwater contamination.

For addition resources, consult the following:
Iowa Department of Public Health
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Iowa State University Extension