State and community organizations are equipping private water well owners with resources to maintain their wells and test their water for safety during a free seminar this coming Tuesday.

The Private Well Water Seminar for Food Safety and Family Wellness will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. November 5 at Central Louisiana Technical Community College’s Downtown Campus, 516 Murray Street, in Alexandria.  

Free water sampling kits (total coliform/E.coli) and instructions will be available for well owners at the event. Well owners must collect the sample and return it to the nearest available public health unit for testing.

The samples will be analyzed for total coliform and E. coli bacteria by the Louisiana Department of Health’s Office of Public Health laboratories. Participants will receive results via mail or email along with a follow-up phone consultation to discuss their results. 

Private water wells are not regulated by state or federal officials. Well owners will benefit from having accessible guidance on how to maintain and protect their water and health for years to come.

Sponsors include the Louisiana departments of Health, Agriculture and Forestry and Natural Resources, Louisiana State University, Southern University and several other community organizations including the Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance and Communities Unlimited.

To pre-register for a kit or learn more about participating in this free seminar, email PWI@la.gov or call 504-568-8146.