TRENT LAKES-Peterborough Public Health and the Municipality of Trent Lakes have teamed up to ensure Trent Lakes residents can easily test their well water.
A new courier service starts today that allows county residents to submit well water samples at the Trent Lakes Administration Office. Water samples from there will be picked up on Tuesdays and Thursdays before 10 a.m. and taken to the Peterborough Public Health Lab at 99 Hospital Drive for testing.
“We are delighted to make it easier for county residents to pick up water sample testing kits and drop them off in Trent Lakes,” said Atul Jain, Manager of Environmental Health Programs at Peterborough Public Health. “Water quality changes over time, that’s why we recommend testing private wells three to four times a year to prevent health risks. We hope by making this testing service more accessible that residents will test their well water more regularly.”
Water Sample Kits are free and available at the Municipality of Trent Lakes administrative office located at 760 Peterborough County Road 36 in the upper floor main entrance lobby. Samples are time sensitive, so residents are encouraged to read the instructions included with each kit carefully.
Completed samples should be placed in the water sample fridge located beside the Building & Planning reception desk.
Water samples can also be dropped off at Peterborough Public Health between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon on Fridays. Residents can also continue to drop off samples directly to the lab itself on 99 Hospital Drive (between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.), and in Havelock at the Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Township Office, located on 1 Ottawa St. from Monday through Thursday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
The well water testing service is available at no charge to all residents and cottagers in Trent Lakes through a program with Peterborough Public Health.
The samples are tested for two types of bacterial contamination: total coliforms and E. coli. The presence of E. coli indicates the water has been contaminated with fecal material, which can contain disease- causing microbes. These organisms can cause severe gastrointestinal illness. Anyone can become ill if they consume contaminated water, but the young, elderly, and immuno-compromised are at a higher risk.
Residents will receive water quality results by mail or you can call Public Health Ontario’s Interactive Voice Response at 1-877-723-3426.
