Make sure your well water is safe

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A hand holding a clear water glass under a running sink faucet

Do you get your drinking water from a private well in Morrow or Umatilla county? Make sure it's safe.

Your well water quality might be dangerous to your health

Questions? Email Domestic.Wells@odhsoha.oregon.gov or call 541-952-9254

You can get a FREE test if

Your property well is in the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area (LUBGMWA) of Morrow and Umatilla Counties.
Your well water is used for drinking, bathing, cooking and washing dishes.
Your well is not used for commercial purposes or part of a public water system.

You will not be asked to share your US citizenship status. You can receive services no matter your status.

Apply for a Testing Voucher

Use your testing voucher to get a free well water test.

Online Well Testing Voucher Application

Request the application in another language

Nitrate levels above 10 milligrams per liter are

One red box reading unsafe/inseguro with a baby driking from a bottle, water from a tap flowing into a glass. ice cubes in a glass, water boiling. Blue box that reads safe/seguro with watering car atering plants, bathtub, clean dishes, a washing machine.

Why should I test my well water?

High levels of nitrate in the water you use for drinking and cooking can cause long- and short-term health effects. Infants fed baby formula mixed with high levels of nitrate-contaminated water are at risk for blue baby syndrome, a condition causing decreased ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen.

Breast milk is safe for infants even if the water the parent is drinking has high level of nitrate.

People who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not drink nitrate-contaminated water. There is some evidence that drinking water with high levels of nitrate can increase the risks of miscarriage and certain birth defects.

There is also weak and inconclusive evidence that long-term consumption of nitrate above 10mg/L may increase the risk of:

Thyroid issues
Cancer of the stomach or bladder

A high level of nitrate is any level above 10 milligrams per liter of water and is not safe to drink or cook with.

Fact Sheet: Nitrate and your health

FREE Household Water Delivery

We will sign you up for delivery of FREE bottled water for drinking and cooking if your test results show nitrate above 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of water.

Is my home in the area receiving services?

Search for your location using the online map tool or view the map below.

Map of the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area (LUBGMWA)