Pesticide screening for rural residents

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The Southern Regional Groundwater Protection Planning Committee, in conjunction with the Madison County, Monroe County, Randolph County and St. Clair County Health Departments and Soil & Water Conservation Districts and the Madison County Lab, is again offering pesticide screening for rural residents of Madison, Monroe, Randolph and St. Clair counties on private water wells.

Samples will be screened for Triazines (of which Atrazine is a common form) and Alachlor, both common herbicides used in agriculture. The presence of these herbicides in a water supply could be due to leaching, accidental spill, or improper storage. Pesticide screening is recommended for rural supplies where the potential exists for contamination. The cost of the screening for both pesticides will be $20.00.

Sampling bottles may be obtained from the County Health Departments, the County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, or the Madison County Lab. The collection dates for this spring are April 12th through April 23rd . The samples must be returned to the Madison County Lab and will be screened the following week of April 26th. All sample information, as well as results, will be kept anonymous and results will be mailed as soon as available.

Please contact John Wagner at the Monroe County Health Dept. at (618) 939-3871 or by email at Jwagner@monroecountyhealth.org with any questions.