Private Wells and Drinking Water Safety and Infants

Find information on how climate change can affect water safety and children’s health. Start by reading the fictional story of an infant who is affected by waterborne illness and learn how similar situations can affect kids across the country. Also get tools to help families prepare and cope with outcomes from climate-related activity. Finally, check out the regional spotlight.

Explore Other Kids and Climate Health Impacts

Climate Change Impacts

Groundwater-sourced drinking water is becoming contaminated because standing floodwaters leak into wellheads and percolate into well fields. Fertilizers and pesticides can make their way into water supplies due to flooding in agricultural areas, leading to high levels of nitrogen in groundwater.¹ Thawing permafrost, river erosion, and flooding associated with climate change all stand to worsen runoff.

Impacts on Infant's Health

• Children are particularly sensitive to waterborne microbial contaminants, such as Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and E. coli, because their immune systems are less developed than those of most adults.² Microbial contamination of well water can also be exacerbated by rising temperatures.³
• Contaminants like arsenic are also commonly found in well water⁴ and can pose health risks, with short-term health effects including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Effects of long-term, extensive exposure to arsenic include adverse neurological effects such as learning disabilities, behavior difficulties, certain types of cancers, and lowered IQ. Fetuses, infants, and children are particularly vulnerable to the potential harmful effects from arsenic exposure because of their smaller body sizes, rapid metabolism and growth.⁷
• Nitrate contamination in well water can come from a variety of sources.⁸ High levels of nitrate in drinking water can be extremely dangerous for infants when consumed and can lead to “Blue Baby Syndrome.”⁹

What Can I Do?

• DO keep emergency stocks of bottled water on hand. Bottled water can be used to mix powdered infant formula.
• DO have your well water tested. 
  • There are no requirements for testing private water wells, but it is recommended that users of private wells have their water tested. 
  • This is especially important if you have an infant or expect to become pregnant.
  • Learn more about health concerns related to nitrate and nitrite in private well water.
• DO test well water between April and July. Nitrate and nitrite levels are typically highest between April and July, and testing yearly during these months can help mitigate potential exposures. 
• DO test wells after flooding, especially if they were covered by floodwater. 
  • Learn more about the importance of testing private well water. 
  • Find private drinking water well programs in your state. 
  • You can also call the National Ground Water Association’s Private Well Owner Hotline at 855-420-9355 (855-H20-Well)

What Should I Not Do?

• DON'T mix well water containing more than 10 milligrams per liter of nitrate with infant formula or food. 
  • Contact your local health organization for help interpreting the results of well water testing. 
  • If well water exceeds this limit or if you are uncertain of its safety, use bottled water, water from public water supplies (which require safety testing), or tested water from a deeper well. 
  • Learn more about well water safety and children.
• DON'T drink contaminated well water. 
  • Different contaminant types require different treatment methods. 
  • Contact your local health department for advice. Find your local health department.

Resources

EPA Resources

• Certification of Laboratories that Analyze Drinking Water Samples to Ensure Compliance with Regulations
• Private Drinking Water Well Programs in Your State