Annalisa Hultberg, Extension Educator, Food Safety If you use well or surface water in the production of your fresh fruits and vegetables, E. coli can be present in water and contaminate your produce or equipment. You might assume your well water is safe, but without testing it, you cannot tell if the well is failing or surface water is getting in. But what do you tell the water lab when you call? Follow this script to help navigate that conversation. What to test for? For bacterial contamination, you will want to test for the presence of generic E. coli since this is the best indicator of the presence of fecal contamination in your water. You might add things like lead, arsenic or nitrates/nitrites. Where to find a lab near you Laboratories that test water quality may be private or public, such as county-operated. A complete list of certified labs is available from the Minnesota Department of Health here. ...
