Is a hog operation your neighbor? Get help testing your well water.

Hog Operations and Well Water

Hog Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) threaten the safety of well water through movement of groundwater or surface contamination.

Animal waste sprayed on fields or soaking into groundwater from waste lagoons can make well water unsafe to drink.

Bacteria, like E.coli, can cause diarrhea, hospitalization, or even death for those with weakened immune systems. Nitrite/nitrate in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome in infants, which can be fatal.

Your Environmental Health Well Program (at your health department), provides well water testing for a fee. They test for 14 contaminants, including bacteria, nitrate/nitrite, & toxic metals.

Help testing your well water

Clean Water for NC is looking for communities with 10 or more wells within about a ½ mile of a hog operation.

Once we confirm that well owners want testing, & provide the contact into your local Environmental Health Well Program, CWFNC can pay to have it tested.

  • County environmental health staff will collect the samples
  • State public health lab will test & report the results in a few weeks.
  • The results can help you make decisions about your water source.
  • CWFNC can help advocate for safe replacement water if contamination is found.

If you (or your neighbors) live near a hog operation, we would love to speak with you.

Learn More!

Science-based environmental justice.

Started in 1984, Clean Water for NC (CWFNC) supports communities to fight for clean drinking water and a healthy environment.