(ABC 6 News) – Tonight, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) met in Stewartville for a discussion surrounding nitrate levels in our drinking water, the risks, and what’s being done about it.

“People who depend on private wells as the source of water for their family don’t have the same protections that people who are customers of community water supplies have,” Tannie Eshenaur from the MDH said.

These are the five contaminants the MDH says to watch out for if you drink from a well.

Bacteria, arsenic, lead, manganese, and especially nitrate.

Nitrate occurs naturally and has many humanmade sources including fertilizers, human waste, and manure.

If you get your water from a city system, that gets tested regularly but if you have a private well, you have to do your own testing.

When testing for nitrate keep this measurement in mind, 10 milligrams per liter or higher is when you need to be concerned.

High levels of nitrate can be especially dangerous for infants and possibly fatal.

Different Minnesota agencies are looking at ways to lower nitrate levels like using less harmful fertilizers, but they say it’s something that won’t happen overnight.

“Lots of these best management practices are helpful, but it’s going to take a lot of effort in order to reduce those nitrate levels in the aquifers,” Eshenaur said.

As a way to help tackle the issue, the MDH received funding from the legislature to go toward their Clean Water fund.

The $2.79 million will help the department conduct education and outreach programs and identify private wells in need of testing.

This was in the Ag bill which senator Carla Nelson supported for those reasons.

“I think cannot underestimate the value of education and making sure that family members, moms and dads know about this possibility and want to know and protect their loved ones,” Senator Nelson said.

The MDH is hoping to offer free nitrate testing in the fall.

There will be future meetings with the next one taking place in Rushford on June 26th.