MONTANA EXTENSION INITIATIVE FOCUSES ON PRIVATE WELL QUALITY

Water quality is one of several federally mandated issues that the Extension Service has committed resources to address in a cooperative, interagency effort. In 1989 and 1990, the Montana Extension Service developed a statewide water quality education program, centered on voluntary private well water testing. Nearly 1,300 private well samples were tested for coliform bacteria, nitrate-nitrogen, total dissolved solids, sodium, and pH during the first year. This study, involving more than 70% of all Montana counties, revealed startling statistics about the condition of private well water quality. Nearly 40% of all samples tested positive for coliform bacteria. About 1 in every 20 samples had a nitrate-nitrogen concentration greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard of 10 parts per million. Fifty percent of the high nitrate samples were attributed to point-source contamination. The other 50% appear to be the result of long-term summer following.