Private well owners should have their wells tested at least once a year to protect children, who are especially vulnerable to getting sick after drinking contaminated water, according to new guidance by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
About one-sixth of U.S. households get their drinking water from private wells, according to a report in the journal Pediatrics.
Wells can become contaminated by chemicals or disease-causing organisms, and children can become seriously ill after drinking contaminated water, the report says.
Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences took a lead role in working with the American Academy of Pediatrics to develop academy recommendations on what parents should do if their children drink well water, according to a statement.
The recommendations call for annual well testing, especially for nitrate and microorganisms such as coliform bacteria, which can indicate that sewage has contaminated a well, the statement says.
The recommendations also cover when additional testing should be done, including when a new infant is in the house or if a well is damaged, the statement says.