Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District
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  • Home
    • About >
      • Staff & Supervisors
      • Strategic Plan
      • COVID-19
    • Contractor List
    • Donate/Affiliate Membership
    • Jobs & Internships
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Newsletter >
      • News articles
    • Community Hero- Emergency
  • Programs & Services
    • Ag Stewardship/INfield Advantage
    • Cost Share Programs
    • Invasive Species >
      • Hamilton County Invasives Partnership (HIP) >
        • HIP Past Mtg. Notes
    • Map Resources
    • Native Plant Sale
    • Native Tree Sale
    • Rain Barrel Info & Sales >
      • Noblesville Rain Barrel Program
    • Soil Maps & Surveys
    • Soil Testing
    • Outdoor Lab Grants
    • Photo Contest
    • Well Capping
    • Well Water Testing
    • Report a Polluter
    • Tool Loan Program
    • Video Resources
    • Stony Creek Feasibility Study
  • Urban Conservation
    • Backyard Conservation
    • Urban Agriculture >
      • COVID-19 Garden Vegetable Donation Guidelines
      • Donate Your Vegetables
      • Garden Resources
    • Financial Assistance/Cost Share >
      • BYC Cost Share
      • Heartland Backyard Conservation Program & Cost Share
    • Pollinator/Native Garden Info >
      • Site prep
    • Rain Garden Info
    • Seed pack
    • Tree Info
    • Where to buy native plants
  • Rule 5 Submission
  • Events
    • Workshops & Events
    • Envirothon >
      • Past Resources
    • Rain on Main
    • Sustainability Workshop
    • Water Fair
    • Past events
  • Online Store

​Our water sampling service is now available with Limited Capacity.
​Please look below for other testing options.  Thank you for your patience.

Private Well Water Program

Well Assessment
Just like a car's maintenance record, you should keep a log of all work done to a well.  Creating a record of maintenance, repairs, testing, and changes to the well helps users from the headache of having to dig up records and information. If problems arise, diagnosis and treatment may be easier and swifter with access to the well history.  Buyers will see more value in a well that has a record than one that does not.

Prior to having your water tested, you should assess potential contamination sources to the well. The Great Lakes Rural Community Action Partnership (RCAP) is partnering with our SWCD to provide FREE private well assessments. Learn more about well water assessment here: Private Well Assistance   

Sign-up for an assessment here:
Well Assessment Sign Up
Well Assessment Includes:
  • Visual well assessment to identify the potential threats to your well, including:
    • Potential sources of well contamination including septic systems.
    • Visual in-person inspection of your well, including inspection of proper sanitary seals, well cap screen, and well casing to reduce the risk of well water contamination. 
    • Review of well construction relative to state standards to note any concerns. 
    • Evaluation of water source to identify potential vulnerability. 
    • Additional helpful information to ensure well water safety and reliability. 
  • Technical Assistance Providers can help recommend feasible solutions for identified issues. 
  • Water Screening
    • Collection of water quality characteristics best looked directly(pH, oxidation reduction potential, and total dissolved solids).
    • Indication of what may be present.
    • Suggestions for follow-up testing.

Additional Resources
The Private Well Class- Free Well Care Classes for private well owners  http://privatewellclass.org/
 
The National Groundwater Association- General information, videos, lessons, and resources for well owners http://www.wellowner.org/
 
Indiana State Department of Health- Water Supply information- Information on certified labs, ISDH Laboratory and other great information  http://www.in.gov/isdh/20408.htm
 
Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water- Groundwater/Wells Frequently Asked Questions- Information on well construction, well drillers, and water rights 
http://www.state.in.us/dnr/water/3482.htm

Indiana Department of Environmental Management - Information and links covering groundwater protection, contaminants of concern, sampling, disinfecting, and others 
www.in.gov/idem/cleanwater/2452.htm
 
Indiana Geological Survey-Groundwater and geology of Indiana https://igs.indiana.edu/groundwater/

Hamilton County Health Department Well Drinking Water Testing
All new or repaired wells in Hamilton County are required to be permitted. Once a well is drilled or repaired, it must be sampled to ensure a safe drinking water supply. The Hamilton County Health Department will sample the well using the Indiana State Health Department laboratory or applicants may use a state certified laboratory for water sample analysis.

Visit the Hamilton County Well Water Supply Program website for more info or call (317) 776-8500.

Cap Unused Wells
One of the key ways to protect our groundwater from contamination is to seal and close wells that are not in use.  Open and abandoned wells are a direct conduit of surface contamination to make it into our groundwater without the benefit of moving through our soil filter first.  We have a well capping grant program for those interested, please contact our office to learn more about this opportunity.
How to get your water tested?
Stop by our office to pick up sample bottles.  We are located on the Fairgrounds in Noblesville next to the Humane Shelter and Hazardous Waste Facilities.
​
Samples must be collected according to a specific procedure and in special bottles.  
​

Samples need to be dropped off by 12 pm on Thursday for delivery.  Bacteria samples will not be accepted if they are not collected according to directions.  This includes collections from the tap on Thursday and immediately brought to office for delivery.  

Annual sampling for Bacteria, Nitrogen, Arsenic, pH, total dissolved solids, and anything detected high in previous or baseline sampling.

Every 5 years conduct baseline testing including inorganics, metals, bacteria (total coliform & E. coli), and anything else of concern.

Tests and Fees

The Annual Well Testing Package Cost $65 includes:
Certified Bacteria 
Certified Nitrate+Nitrite
Certified Simple Metal
SafeWell Check in-home testing kit 
Includes $10 Handling Fee

Certified Laboratory Sampling
Bacteria — Cost  $15
total coliform and Escherichia coli (E. coli)
-positive or negative results

Nitrates — Cost  $15
nitrate + nitrite as N

Simple Metals — Cost  $25
arsenic, lead, and copper

Radionuclides — Cost  $105
screen for gross alpha & beta particles, Uranium, and Radium-228
 
+ Handling Fee $10
​
We ship or deliver the test straight to the lab, so you don’t have to worry…just drop samples off by Thursday 12 pm for delivery

Service fee of $70 when we take the water sample from the source for you.  This is waved in conjunction with a well assessment appointment.
 
SafeWell Check in-home testing kit available for $5.  
Other testing options
State Department of Health water test kit form


Indiana Certified Microbiological Laboratories, click here

Indiana Certified Drinking Water Laboratories, click here

The Hamilton County Health Department lobby is a pick-up and drop off location for Hoosier Microbiological Laboratory (HML) 


Treatment
Treating for health concerns or for taste an odor should be followed up with a service provider you trust.  Your results will indicate if the water exceeded any primary or secondary standards.  Any primary standard that is exceeded indicated a health risk and treatment options should be researched.  Any value that exceeds a secondary standard indicated that taste, odor, or plumbing issues may arise, but will not create any adverse health effects. 

You can determine if a filter or treatment unit will treat the waterborne contaminant you can check these two organizations that test and certify water filters and treatment units to industry standards. Click on Logo below for their websites:
Picture
Picture
Different water filters have different functions. Some can make your water taste better, while others can filter out harmful chemicals or germs. No single filter can keep every type of contaminant out of your drinking water, and not everyone needs a water filter. There are some benefits to raw water that can be lost with filters or treatments. Talk to your health care provider to determine if you should consider treatment or if supplements should be added. 

Most water can be treated if it contains something of concern.  Here is a helpful guide for treatment technologies
CDC Treatment Technologies (pdf)​​
Your SWCD

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soil.water@hamiltoncounty.in.gov
317.773.2181
1717 Pleasant St. Suite 100
Noblesville, IN 46060
Established in 1968
© COPYRIGHT 2019. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.