CROW WING COUNTY — Crow Wing County residents may test their drinking water for free from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Crow Wing County Land Services Building in Brainerd. Walk through the front doors and head downstairs for immediate testing.
Free nitrate testing clinics will be offered in the following locations:
- Crow Wing Land Services Building: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, April 29.
- Jenkins Veterans Park: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, May 6.
- Deerwood Auditorium: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 24.
- Nisswa Community Center: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, June 10.
- Crosslake City Hall: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, July 1.
Private wells should be tested for nitrate every other year. Nitrate occurs naturally and at safe and healthy levels in some foods (such as spinach and carrots) and comes from natural processes, such as plant decay. High levels of nitrate in water can be a result of runoff or leakage from fertilized soil, wastewater, landfills, animal feedlots, septic systems or urban drainage.
Participants will need to bring a fresh water sample (taken within one day of analysis) in a container they can leave with testers. A plastic baggie (double bagged) or clean jar works best. Results are not instant.
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To take a sample, run the cold tap for five to 10 minutes and then collect about one cup of water. Keep the water cool until arrival. When dropping off water, the county will have a survey to fill out about the property owner's well depth and location to build a county-wide database of nitrate levels.
For more information, contact Ross Brink at 218-828-6197 or ross@cwswcd.org.
