The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and North Carolina health authorities are urging residents to test their private wells for bacterial contamination in areas affected by Hurricane Helene. This initiative is crucial for those whose wells were impacted by flooding.
Acting Regional Administrator Jeaneanne Gettle of the EPA emphasized the importance of testing well water, stating, "Testing your well water is the only way to know if the storm caused harmful contamination." She highlighted that testing is free and essential for family health protection. The EPA has deployed two mobile water laboratories in Western North Carolina to facilitate quick and accessible testing.
Mary Penny Kelley, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, expressed gratitude for the collaboration with the EPA, noting that clean drinking water access remains a top priority. "We appreciate the partnership of the EPA and their work to use these mobile labs to support public water systems and residents with drinking water wells," she said.
Jennifer Greene, Health Director/CEO of AppHealthCare, also thanked the EPA for its efforts in expanding local testing capacity. She urged individuals to assess their wells for damage and test them post-Hurricane Helene impacts. Greene offered assistance through contact details provided by AppHealthCare.
Residents with flooded or damaged wells should reach out to local health departments for testing requests. The EPA will analyze samples for total coliform and E. coli, indicators of potential fecal contamination. Nearly 900 samples have been processed so far, with mobile labs remaining operational until no longer needed by North Carolina.
Further information on response efforts can be found on various official pages dedicated to Hurricane Helene's impact on well water quality and disinfection procedures.
