Contacting your local Health Agency Getting to know your Local Health Department – is it that important? Your local Health Department is already very involved with drinking water quality issues in their region. For the NJ Private Well Testing Act, the local Health Department is the agency that will be notified by the NJDEP whenever a well test failure occurs in their jurisdiction. Additionally, laboratories are required by law to directly inform local health authorities of water test failures for fecal coliform and nitrate (known as acute parameters). This notification process will allow health authorities to identify serious and immediate health concerns. The health authorities will determine if action is necessary to protect the health of consumers. The possibility exists that the local health authority may choose to notify neighboring property owners of the water quality problem and recommend additional testing. When you decide to perform water testing … Your best choice is to select an independent and NJDEP certified laboratory to have your water tested. For PWTA samples, using an NJDEP certified laboratory is required. By hiring the laboratory directly, you protect your interests. Also, because you are the laboratory’s customer, you “own” the data and are more in control. Making contact … A listing with contact information of the local health department’s in New Jersey is available at www.state.nj.us/health/lh/directory/lhdselectcounty.html. For your convenience, we have assembled a listing of the “Point of Contact” or Program Managers for Private Well Testing at the seven (7) Southern New Jersey Counties routinely served by SJWT. Atlantic County Atlantic County Division of Public Health – Environmental Health Unit 201 South Shore Road Northfield, NJ 08225 Contact: Mr. Keith Phillips Phone: (609) 645-5971, Ext. 4356 Fax: (609) 645-5923 Burlington County Burlington County Health Department 15 Pioneer Blvd. Westampton, NJ 08060 Contact: Mr. Mike Gavio Phone: 609) 265-5548 Fax: (609) 265-5541 Camden County Camden County Department of Health and Human Services Jefferson House/Lakeland Road PO Box 9 Blackwood, NJ 08012 Contact: Mr. John Maxvitat Phone: (856) 374-6000, Ext. 6064 Fax: (856) 374-6212 Cape May County Cape May County Health Department 4 Moore Road Cap May Court House, NJ 08210 Contact: Mr. Hank Heacock Phone: (609) 465-1187 Fax: (609) 465-3933 Cumberland County Cumberland County Public Health Department 790 E. Commerce Street Bridgeton, NJ 08302 Contact: Ms. Kim Bell Phone: general (856) 453-2156, direct (856) 453-0338 Fax: (856) 453-0338 Gloucester County Gloucester County Health Department 160 Fries Mill Rd. Turnersville, NJ 08012 Contact: Mr. Bill Atkinson Phone: (856) 262-4220 Fax: (856) 262-4191 Salem County Salem County Public Health Department 98 Market Street Salem, NJ 08079 Contact: Ms. Kim Bell Phone: (856) 935-7510 Fax: (856) 935-8483