
Water Programs and Information
We intend to make it easy for you to find and download the forms and information you may need. In the event that you do not see the document you’re searching for, please contact us. We’re happy to serve you.
Commercial Water Well
Disinfection of Drinking Water
Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water
IMPORTANT INFORMATION A PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM (PWS) SHOULD KNOW
Drinking Water Test Results submitted to IDEM Drinking Water Branch can be viewed on-line by clicking the link below:
How to take a Water Well Sample
Sampling Information
1. Take sample from a faucet without soft water or an aerator. If faucet has an aerator, remove before taking sample. Outside faucets are not usually soft water, and they are the best place to take water samples.
2. Flame the faucet with a lighter or wipe with a cloth and bleach.
3. Allow water to run about five minutes with a full stream of water.
4. Turn faucet to slow water to a pencil sized stream so it doesn’t spray.
5. Remove bottle cap without touching threads or inside of cap or bottle.
6. Fill bottle without running over. Carefully replace cap and tighten securely, then shut water off.
7. Complete the form attached to each bottle
8. If taking a sample for lead, take sample immediately in the morning before using water. Then follow steps 1-7 mentioned-above.
Sample Bottles and Testing
1. Bottles for well samples are available at the Health Department office, right across from the new LaGrange Parkview Hospital.
2. The free bottles can be picked up anytime during regular business hours: 8:00a to 4:00p, Tuesday – Friday.
3. Take samples from the well (follow the instructions above) ONLY on Tuesday morning, and bring the samples to the Health Department before noon.
4. A certified lab will pick up the samples for testing, and the results will be mailed directly to you.
5. If you have any questions, please; free to contact the LaGrange County Health Department at 499-4182 (ext. 6), or Hoosier Microbiology Laboratory (HML)
at 1-800-551-5217.
Private Water Well Testing Report for Food Operation
ATTENTION ALL YEAR ROUND FOOD SERVICE OPERATION PERMIT HOLDERS:
Food service operation permit holders in Lagrange County with private water supply will have to show proof of your water test before a new permit will be issued for the following year.
Nitrite: Every 5 years
Nitrate: One per year
Bacteria/Coliform: Every Quarter (Jan 1 to Mar 31, Apr 1 to Jun 30, Jul 1 to Sep 30, Oct 1 to Dec 31)
SEASONAL FOOD SERVICE OPERATION PERMIT HOLDERS:
You are now required to have a Bacteria/Coliform test done each month that you are open.
Bottled Water
Visit the FDA website for information on the different types of waters. Read the label on your bottled water. This label can tell you about the way the bottled water is treated. Check the label for an 800-number or web address of the company that bottled the water. This may be a place to get further information. For more information on bottled water, visit the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), which represents many of the U.S. water bottlers.
Residential Water Well
The LaGrange County Health Department has free sample bottles to test drinking water wells. The bottles are available during our regular business hours and may be brought back only on Tuesdays before noon.
The water samples are commonly tested for bacteria and nitrates. Each sample needs to be in a separate bottle. The testing fee is $25 for bacteria, $27 for nitrate, and $10 for courier service to the Hoosier Microbiology Laboratory (total cost is $35 for bacteria only, $37 for nitrate only or $52 for both bacteria and nitrates).
General Information:
LaGrange County has no water well ordinances. It is recommended to test private water supplies (“wells”) annually for nitrate and coliform bacteria. If any of these tests are over the maximum contaminant level that are recommended for household water well; additional tests could be done to detect possible contamination problems.
The following are informational links that contain valuable information regarding water health:
• What contaminants should I test for? (PDF)
• Drinking Water and Health: What you need to know
• Private Drinking Water Wells (PDF)
• Contaminants in Well Water (Parasites)
• Well Water Testing Frequently Asked Questions
Visit the CDC website for more information about the following topics:
• E. coli O157:H7Enteroviruses
• CampylobacterHepatitis A Virus
• SalmonellaNorovirus
• Shigella Rotavirus
Public Drinking Water
• Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 1-800-426-4791
• Indiana Drinking Water (EPA)
Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) provides Quick Facts on cryptosporidiosis. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has extensive information on cryptosporidiosis. For additional information about cryptosporidiosis and/or an outbreak investigation, please contact IDOH
Infectious Disease Epidemiology & Prevention Division
2 North Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 233-7125 (8:15am-4:45pm)
Fax: (317) 234-2812After Hours Emergency Calls: (317) 233-1325
Well Records
Search the Water Well Database
The Water Rights and Use Section currently maintains, in original paper and digital form, the records of over 400,000 water wells drilled in Indiana. Of this number approximately 138,000 records have been field verified.
This online database is provided to help Indiana citizens, drillers, consultants, and others access these public records quickly and easily. There are several search options available. However, due to the size and complexity of the database, we are unable to offer the water well owner’s name as search criteria. A street address and zip code search is available through either of the water well viewers below. It is recommended that first time users of this online database familiarize themselves with the About this Service and Database Search pages.