NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release
	Contact: Carrie Gott Maine.gov (207) 621-2600 x32 carrie@informe.org Jack Krueger, Director Health & Environmental Testing Lab Maine Bureau of Health (207) 287-2727 John.A.Krueger@maine.gov

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AUGUSTA, Maine - June 3, 2004 - More than 49 percent of Maine residents rely on private wells for drinking water. To encourage citizens to test their private water supplies, Maine's Department of Human Services is now selling water test kits through the state's official Web site at www.Maine.gov.

Like public water supplies, which are tested as often as once a month, private water supplies should also be tested regularly. State health officials suggest that residents with private wells test their water every year for bacteria and nutrients, and every three to five years for contaminants such as arsenic, radon, and uranium.

The new service allows Web visitors to order test kits online 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Visa and MasterCard payments are processed through Maine.gov's secure payment server, and purchased kits are shipped via U.S. Mail for delivery within 7-10 days. Consumers can also choose from a variety of water test kit providers and certified laboratories that are listed on the Web site.

Department of Human Services Commissioner John R. Nicholas noted that the Internet order form should increase the number of wells being tested, which will lead to better health in the long run. "Almost half of our population gets its drinking water from private wells, and few of them are routinely tested. Water test kits are an important way to ensure water quality, and online access will make it easier for more of our citizens to use an important tool that can help them safeguard their health and that of their families."

The water test kit includes a specific container and identification code for each test requested. Depending upon the complexity of the test, full analytical results are usually mailed to consumers within one to three weeks after the sample is received. State lab chemists are also available to provide help determine the appropriate test, interpret the results, and determine if corrective action is necessary.

"We are delighted to provide the public with the ability to order water test kits online," said Jack Krueger, chief of the Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory, the division of the Bureau of Health that conducts water testing. "Online ordering makes it easier and more convenient to obtain a test, and that means safer drinking water for Maine residents," Krueger added.

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