Residents in Van Buren County with private wells for drinking water can have their water tested by bringing an unfiltered sample to the Van Buren Conservation District in Paw Paw all next week. Technician Kyle Mead says they will test for nitrates and nitrites in your water, which is basically nitrogen that can occur naturally or from lawn treatments and farm fertilized fields.
“Nitrogen does a couple different things to your body,” says Mead. “Things like blue baby syndrome, which mostly affects the super young and elderly. But it’s my understanding that it ties up your oxygen and can turn people physically blue.”
There will be a brief survey to take regarding your well. Information on taking proper samples of your water and what to do with it can be found on the web at VanBurenCD.org or by calling 269-657-4039, extension 5. The testing is being done for free.
