DURANGO, CO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues to test drinking water wells in the Animas River Watershed in Colorado through the EPA’s voluntary drinking water well testing program established for this Gold King Mine incident.  To date, EPA has sampled over 400 private drinking water wells in Colorado.

EPA is continuing to accept requests through September 30, 2015, to test private water wells under the voluntary testing program. Residents may contact 844-607-9700 to request well testing.

Water well samples are collected from the wellhead and the tap (faucet/spigot). Sample results are provided directly to well owners.

EPA, the State and the County are studying the area to identify wells that may have a hydrologic connection with the Animas River.  Local soil and bedrock conditions can cause drinking water wells to exceed secondary water quality standards for compounds like manganese and iron.  The owners of wells where these drinking water standards have been exceeded are being notified by the EPA and advised of these exceedances.  They do not pose a health threat, therefore, additional well sampling is not being conducted at those wells.