To the editor:

Mr. Vogel, in his letter opposing Brown County water testing, is misinformed about groundwater and about what sampling our drinking water will reveal about local aquifers. Vogel is also mistaken because the families want to know about the quality of their drinking water.

The Brown County Geologic Atlas was just completed in 2016. The new geologic maps can be found online. This new information might change the opinion of the County Board about the benefit of free water testing.

The new Brown County mapping shows the areas where groundwater is rare, and shows where it is abundant. The maps also show the areas subject to contamination risks. The nitrate testing would tell us if is too late to protect this precious resource.

The new maps shows that Brown County has many buried valley aquifers filled with sand and gravel. Here hydrologists believe that the aquifers are rapidly recharged. We believe the groundwater in Central Brown is at a higher risk of contamination. People living in the area south of Sleepy Eye use these sand aquifers for their drinking water and should have their wells tested…for FREE.

Now that the groundwater recharge area is known professionals are advising frequent nitrate testing for drinking water wells, especially if there are infants in the homes. The water sampling could tell whether children and families are at risk from their own drinking water.

Individual test data would be private and free. If nitrates are found, officials might propose bottled water or treated water for at-risk children. If nitrates are still low, Ag service providers could design cropping systems to help reduce nitrate contamination risks. There are positive things that can be done to protect, enhance and restore our drinking water.

Information will give us the knowledge. For our drinking water we need to make the right decisions to allow us to protect, enhance, and restore the aquifers that we rely on for our drinking water.

Jeffrey S. Broberg

Mn Licensed Professional Geologist #30019

Vice President, Minnesota Well Owners Organization (MnWOO)

Rochester