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   Several community groups are working together to host a free Water Testing Event in Hackensack!  Water testing will be offered near the corner of First Street and Lake Street during the Chainsaw Event on Saturday, September 23rd, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The clinic will be a free event staffed by experienced volunteers. It is intended to help people determine if their drinking water is safe and if it is not, what to do next. 

   During this clinic we can test any water for anybody anonymously or, if desired, we can follow up with those who leave contact information. If there are unfortunate souls that find their water is in trouble, we will provide vouchers for further laboratory testing, and remediation options will be available. Nitrate and chloride are the two contaminants we normally evaluate water for because they are the main bellwethers for human impacts on drinking water. All that is necessary is to bring a pint jar of water to the clinic. Feel free to round up water from your neighbors and bring in multiple water samples for testing. Results are usually available within minutes using the high quality equipment purchased specifically for these events. 

   We all know clean drinking water is vital for everyone’s health, please bring your water sample in on that day!  

   Recent high profile articles have drawn needed attention to the topic of drinking water, highlighting the need for more drinking water testing in our area, especially for babies and our elders.  The Minneapolis Star Tribune has run many articles authored by Jennifer Bjorhus concerning water quality.  Here are a few article names: “Nitrate problem worsening in rural Minnesota’s drinking water”

   “One in eight Minnesotans drink nitrate-tainted tap water, report says”

   “Nitrate levels in eight southeast Minnesota counties near crisis point”

   The New York Times also ran an article on Sept. 3, 2023 as part of a series on groundwater called “Big Farms and Flawless Fries Are Gulping Water in the Land of 10,000 Lakes”.    The Pineland Sands of north-central Minnesota are featured as a national example of how, even in an area with a culture based around clean and abundant water, shortages and contamination are occurring. 

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