DeSoto City wells test negative for pesticide

Official test results show that wells sampled for aldicarb in the Desoto City area showed no presence of the pesticide, according to a Highlands County Health Department press release.

The health department received results from the Florida Department of Health Laboratory in Jacksonville Friday. All residents served by potable wells in the affected area are being contacted to make them aware of the test results.

Official water test results will also be mailed to all homeowners and occupants, the press release added.

The health department was notified March 4 by the Florida Department of Agriculture that aldicarb, also known as Temik, was misapplied in February 2009 on an orange grove adjacent to a neighborhood just off of County Road 17 and south of US 98 in the DeSoto City area.

Some homes in the area are served by City of Sebring utilities but others get their water from private drinking wells.

According to state law, aldicarb cannot be used within 1,000 feet of drinking water wells.

Once notified, the Highlands County Health Department Division of Environmental Health began "aggressively" sampling wells within the affected area and sent the samples to the state laboratory March 8, the press release added.

Bottled water was provided to residents served by potable wells while the water samples were being processed.

For more information

Call the health department at 863-382-7219.