57 Ways - 35. Test Your Water For Coliform Bacteria And Nitrate

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57 Ways To Protect Your Home Environment (and Yourself)

Caring for the Home Landscape

1. Aim for a healthy lawn rather than a perfect lawn
2. Cut the grass without gas
3. Prevent insect, disease, and weed problems in the garden
4. Identify fruits and vegetables that need fewer pesticides
5. Select native trees and shrubs that will thrive in your yard
6. Keep your tress healthy and safe
7. Plant “wild” in your backyard
8. Attract birds and butterflies to your backyard

Using Alternatives to Traditional Pesticides & Fertilizers - Where Practical

9. Scout for pests on the landscape
10. Consider microbial insecticides
11. Consider botanical insecticides & insecticidal soaps
12. Conserve beneficial insects
13. Monitor & control insects with traps
14. Use pest barriers in your garden
15. Solarize soil
16. Consider the potential of natural fertilizers

Using Chemicals on the Landscape - If Necessary

17. Know what to ask a lawn-care company and arborist
18. Understand pesticide toxicity
19. Read the pesticide label
20. Apply pesticides accurately and safely
21. Apply fertilizers accurately and safely

Storing & Disposing of Hazardous Chemicals

22. Store hazardous chemicals safely
23. Dispose of pesticides safely
24. Dispose of auto products safely
25. Dispose of paints and solvents safely
26. Dispose of adhesives, areosols, household cleaners & other hazardous waste safely

Managing Yard, Food & Other Household Waste

27. Reduce household waste
28. Recycle paper, glass, & aluminum
29. Reuse and respond
30. Recycle grass clippings
31. Create a compost pile
32. Use yard waste as mulch
33. Dispose of tree residues

Protecting Your Drinking Water

34. Know when & how to test your water
35. Test your water for coliform bacteria & nitrate 36. Test your water for pesticides - if necessary
37. Know the signs of contaminants in drinking water
38. Select effective water-treatment methods
39. Prevent contamination from septic systems
40. Know the pros & cons of bottled water

Protecting the Indoor Environment

41. Prevent contamination by lead
42. Test your home for radon
43. Reduce radon levels
44. Control dust, dust mites & other allergens
45. Reduce pollution from combustion equipment
46. Prevent contamination by formaldehyde and asbestos
47. Recognize tht it's not always necessary to control indoor insects
48. Select the right household pesticide
49. Control household pests with less toxic alternatives
50. Select household cleaners wisely

Conserving Energy & Water

51. Design new homes for energy effciency
52. Save energy in heating & cooling
53. Insulate & seal your home
54. Choose energy-efficient appliances
55. Save money & energy with compact fluorescent light bulbs
56. Use plants & other landscape tools to conserve energy
57. Conserve water in & around the home

35. Test Your Water For Coliform Bacteria And Nitrate
	The two most common water contaminants are coliform bacteria and nitrate. Municipal water systems regularly test for these contaminants, but if you have a private well, it’s up to you to make sure your water is tested. The Illinois Department of Public Health charges a nominal fee to test for coliform bacteria and nitrate. This fee varies among local health departments. Annual testing for coliform bacteria and nitrate is a good idea, especially after a heavy spring or summer rainstorm and whenever your well is flooded. You should also disinfect the well and test the water any time you open the well.
	Common sources of bacteria are waste, septic systems, and surface water that gets into the well. Testing for coliform bacteria is important because it is an “indicator organism,” which means that its presence may indicate the existence of other harmful bacteria in your water supply. Using an indicator organism is necessary because testing for all harmful bacteria would be difficult and expensive.
	If your water test shows the presence of coliform bacteria, your water has some degree of contamination. The state cannot require someone with a private water supply to correct the condition, but it will recommend that you disinfect your water system and then submit another sample for analysis. The local department of public health, a licensed well driller, or a pump repairperson can further explain the correct techniques for disinfecting a well. Use bottled water until you are able to bring bacteria levels under control.
	Common sources of nitrate in groundwater are fertilizers, septic systems, livestock waste, and naturally occurring nitrate in the soil.
	A water-testing lab will describe nitrate concentrations in one of two ways. The lab may describe the nitrate concentration as the amount of actual “nitrate” or as the amount of “ nitrate-nitrogen.” The maximum contaminant level for nitrate in a public water supply is 44 parts per million (ppm), which is the equivalent of a nitrate-nitrogen concentration of 10 ppm.
	If unacceptable nitrate levels are found in your water, do not boil the water. Boiling water does not eliminate nitrate. In fact, it causes some of the water to evaporate, which increases the concentration of nitrate in the remaining water.
	Use bottled water until you can treat the well water, eliminate the pollution source, or make repairs (if there is a problem with well construction).