Wake County certifies new company to help well owners test for contaminants

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Wake County Water Quality Division is expanding the list of companies certified to help private well owners being urged to test their water supply for contaminants like uranium and radon.

GEL Laboratories, of Charleston, S.C., is offering a sampling kit that includes the containers needed for sampling, as well as a Fed Ex return airbill for residents to ship back their tests.

A spokesman for Wake County adds that GEL Laboratories are working on establishing a unique website that will make it easy for homeowners to fill out and request the quote/kit.

The addition of GEL comes after another certified company, Pace Analytical, began telling some well owners it ran out of kits and won't be able to resume testing until at least July 8.

County officials on Monday began a new campaign to alert residents of the potential for unsafe levels of uranium, radon and radium to be in the private well water going into thousands of homes.

The warning is not new, but the level of urgency is rising because officials said too many people are unaware of the risk or have chosen to do nothing about it.

The potentially contaminated water only affects homeowners with well water. Unlike residents with city or county water, private well owners are responsible for the regular maintenance and testing of their own water supply.

The contamination notification affects homes in eastern Wake County and a small area to the southwest of Fuquay-Varina, but later this week Johnson County expanded that warning to many of its residents as well.

There is a dedicated bilingual 24-hour hotline where residents can get more information. Just call 919-893-WELL.