SAN LUIS VALLEY — Dr. Katherine James with the Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, and local community partners are leading a water quality project in the San Luis Valley.

They are providing free household water quality testing for private well owners in Saguache, Rio Grande, Alamosa, Conejos, and Costilla counties.

Testing focuses on heavy metals and may include pH, conductivity, hardness, temperature, and turbidity.

Owners will receive full test reports and professional interpretation of all lab analyses conducted.

All information received for this project will be strictly confidential, according to organizers.

Sample kits will be mailed to participants with multiple sample return options.

Key regional findings will contribute to water conservation efforts by the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council and Rio Grande Water Conservation District.

New scientific information about the SLV aquifer systems will contribute to community strategies to mitigate impacts of drought on water quality.

Well owners can sign up to participate by using https://bit.ly/3Ibl01t.

For more information, email Nick Stoll, Project Coordinator [email protected] or Dr. Kathy James, Lead Researcher, [email protected].