Oregon DEQ offering free water well testing to dozens of S. Deschutes County property owners

Groundwater quality study is agency's first in area since 2014

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is offering free well water testing in southern Deschutes County as part of a groundwater quality study.

Interested well users can contact DEQ at groundwater.monitoring@deq.oregon.gov or 503-693-5736 to be considered for the study, the agency said Wednesday.

Español: ¿Vives en el área sur del condado de Deschutes? Obtenga una prueba gratis de su agua de pozo.

DEQ said it will test 60-100 wells in the spring and fall of 2023 for nitrate, bacteria, arsenic, pesticides and other contaminants and send property owners their individual results.

The Oregon Health Authority recommends people test well water regularly to protect their health.

The southern Deschutes County area has porous, volcanic soil and many shallow groundwater aquifers, both of which allow the potential for contamination. Possible sources of groundwater contamination include failing septic systems, current or prior application of fertilizers and pesticides, and leaking underground fuel tanks.

Property owners are responsible for maintaining and monitoring private wells in Oregon — the state does not have water quality regulations for private wells. Well water testing is only required if the property is being sold.

DEQ will provide study participants with information on proper well maintenance, the health effects of common contaminants and options for water treatment.

Sample results will be publicly available, but landowner information will not be included in the public database.

Southern Deschutes County is the seventh geographic area DEQ has studied as part of its Statewide Groundwater Quality Monitoring Program, which evaluates the current condition of Oregon’s groundwater.

DEQ selected the area because existing groundwater data shows elevated nitrate levels in some water samples, shallow and vulnerable aquifers, and a lack of robust data in the basin over time. DEQ last sampled this area in 2014.

Find more information about participating in the study at https://ordeq.org/groundwater.