The wells , mainly located in rural areas of the US Midwest , could be contaminated by water from the recent floods , posing a threat to health that could continue after the water recedes . Raw sewage from treatment plants , animal waste and pesticides from farms , and spilled fuel , are all carried by the floods . Such material enters the water system , potentially contaminating it with bacteria such as bacteria , which can cause gastrointestinal problems , reproductive difficulties and neurological disorders . The federal government estimates that approximately 15 million American households rely on private wells . Such wells are not regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency .
The wells, mainly located in rural areas of the US Midwest, could be contaminated by water from the recent floods, posing a threat to health that could continue after the floodwater recedes. Raw sewage from treatment plants, animal waste and pesticides from farms, and spilled fuel, are all carried by the floods. Such material enters the water system, potentially contaminating it with bacteria such as E.coli, which can cause gastrointestinal illness, reproductive difficulties and neurological disorders. The federal government estimates that approximately 15 million US households rely on private wells. Such wells are not regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency.