Miami-Dade Water Well Sampling Expands
Testing more homes in Continental Park for dangerous chemicals
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LONDON - JULY 9: A glass is filled with water from the tap July 9, 2003 in London, England. The House of Lords are today considering plans to force water companies to add flouride to the drinking water supply. Opponents to the scheme describe the idea as "mass poisoning", while a seperate report states that drinking water has never been so good. (Photo by Ian Waldie/Getty Images)
The Miami-Dade Health Department has expanded its sampling of the water in homes in the Kendall neighborhood of Continental Park following the discovery of dangerous contaminants last month.
Banned pesticide Dieldren was discovered in 70 percent of wells in a neighborhood just four miles south of Continental Park in May, just a year after levels of it were found to be above the Health Advisory Level in three wells in the neighborhood.
So now county testers are back at Continental Park testing more homes.
"In Miami-Dade, we have more than 20,000 private drinking water wells," said Samir Elmir, the county’s Environmental Health Director. "The majority are okay, but in some wells we have found arsenic and pesticides.”
Continental Park resident Michael Eaton said his well hasn't been tested in 20 years.
“It’s worrisome and that certainly sounds an alarm bell to me," Eaton said.
Private testing can cost a homeowner between $300 and $500. Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection is paying for the testing in the two neighborhoods with contaminated wells. Hooking up to the county water system is the best but mostly costly solution.
“The county asked us to foot the bill for running county water out to our house and it was going to be $70,000,” said resident Albert Harum–Alvarez, of the situation he faced when building his home a couple years ago.
Harum-Alvarez is now running for a county commission seat.
Now that Dieldren has been found in neighboring wells, the state has a special fund to help cover the cost.
But Health officials recommend that if you get your drinking water from a private well, you get it tested every three to five years, not only for pesticides but also for nitrate and lead.
