| Private well owners should test their well for bacteria and nitrates EVERY YEAR. In partnership with the Lake County Health Department and Barrington Area Library, BACOG hosts a Private Well Water Testing Event. Each year, staff from the Lake County Health Department comes to the BACOG community to collect water samples and answer questions. Additional BACOG Community Partners also will be on-site with information about their offerings. Water testing is provided for residents of BACOG communities who get their water from a private well. (If you are on municipal water, your water is maintained and already routinely tested according to IEPA guidelines.) For those on a private well, it is recommended that you test your water annually. This testing looks for contamination including Coliform Bacteria, E. Coli, and Nitrates. Typically, 14-17% of BACOG water samples have been found to be contaminated with bacteria. |
Residents also have the option to test their water for bacteria and nitrates throughout the year at the following public health departments:
Cook County Public Health (847) 818-2841 (bacteria testing only)
To obtain a water testing kit from the Cook County Public Health Department, contact their office in Rolling Meadows to schedule an appointment for pick up. Residents will be responsible for mailing the test kit and paperwork to the IDPH lab in Chicago.
Lake County Health Department: http://www.co.lake.il.us/health/ehs (847) 377-8020 (bacteria and nitrates testing)
To obtain a water testing kit from the Lake County Health Department, stop by their office in Libertyville or pick one up at one of the following participating locations below. Residents will be responsible for delivering the test kit to their lab in Libertyville.
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- Village of Barrington Hills (847) 551-3000
- Village of Deer Park (847) 726-1648
- Village of Lake Barrington (847) 681-6010