Valley Water Collaborative (VWC) was formed to address nitrate contamination of groundwater in private domestic wells used for drinking water. VWC provides replacement water or water treatment systems for nitrate contamination to all qualifying applicants, regardless of income level.

One year after starting the program, VWC received a California state grant* that expands the water testing beyond nitrate to other common groundwater contaminants**. While well testing continues to be free for all qualifying applicants, this grant only provides replacement water or a water treatment system for households that meet the income parameters set by the State. Households that exceed the income limits are responsible to pay for solutions to address exceedances of the other contaminants. VWC does not cover this cost (VWC only covers free well sampling and solutions for nitrate).

Application details include:

• Qualified applicants are residences located in the Modesto or Turlock Groundwater Basins and who rely on a private domestic well or small water system well for drinking water.
• If your application is approved, you will receive an email or phone confirmation. Our laboratory will then contact you to schedule a time to sample your well. It usually takes 1- 2 weeks to receive the test results.

* State Water Resources Control Board, Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resiliency (SAFER)
** May include: arsenic, 1,2,3-TCP, DBCP, EDB, Total Chromium, uranium. Testing may also include perchlorate.