North Cook News

Rep. Martin McLaughlin reminded his constituents in Barrington of a well water testing opportunity with the Barrington Area Council of Governments (BACOG), saying, "Mark your calendars." He made the statement in a July 29 Facebook post.

"Mark your calendars - Barrington Area well owners," said Martin J Mclaughlin, State Representative for 52nd District (R), according to Facebook.

In his Facebook post, McLaughlin shared a link to a BACOG Facebook page. According to the organization, "BACOG’s annual private well water testing event is Tuesday, October 1, 11a.m. - 6:30p.m. Kits available for purchase September 16-30 at BACOG member village and township offices: BACOG Office, Barrington Hills Village Hall, Barrington Township office, Deer Park Village Hall, Lake Barrington Village Hall, South Barrington Village Hall, and Tower Lakes Village Hall." The graphic included on the post indicates that BACOG’s annual private well water testing event will be at the Barrington Area Library.

Screenshot of Rep. Martin McLaughlin's July 29 facebook post | State Representative Martin McLaughlin's Facebook post

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that individuals whose water comes from private wells test the water at least annually for bacteria, nitrate, and other contaminants like volatile organic chemicals. The Illinois EPA notes that if bacteria are found in a well, the well should be disinfected and the water boiled before drinking or cooking. They also recommend looking into continuous chlorination treatment. Annual testing helps identify issues and allows for timely treatment.

Regarding nitrates, according to the Illinois EPA, the maximum contaminant level for nitrogen is 10 milligrams per liter. Water should not be boiled if it has high nitrates because boiling further concentrates them. Solutions for high nitrates may include reverse osmosis or distillation treatments.