(ABC 6 News) – Experts in southeast Minnesota are making sure the water you drink won’t make you sick.

In November, the Environmental Protection Agency declared a severe quality issue in drinking water throughout eight counties in the Karst region.

“We complied 50 years worth of data and every test had higher levels of nitrates, in every town, in every private well,” said Jeffrey Broberg, founder of the Minnesota Well Owners Organization (MNWOO), one of the groups who petitioned the EPA to take action.

Saturday, members and volunteers from MNWOO helped private well owners across the area test their water for nitrate contamination.

Experts say it’s important to have your wells tested because you can’t protect yourself from harmful pollutants if you don’t know your water is contaminated.

One out of three wells tested at the clinic showed unsafe levels of nitrates.

“People are gonna need to start looking at treatment of their water to stay safe,” said Broberg.

Elevated nitrate levels have been linked to a handful of serious health issues, including Blue Baby Syndrome, which prevents enough oxygen from getting to an infant’s blood.

“One in ten newborns with deformities, preventable diseases, by drinking water with more than five parts per million nitrates,” said Broberg.

By offering these free tests to 75 wells on Saturday, MNWOO isn’t only trying to determine the scope of nitrate pollution in the region, but they’re working to make sure it’s addressed.

“It’s about the health of your water at your kitchen tap. Do you have good water? If not, treat it,” said Broberg.

According to experts, well owners should test their water once a year, even if there’s concern over what might be found.

“Water quality changes, for one thing, and for another, most private well owners do not test their well,” said Paul Wotzka, a board member of MNWOO.

Polluted water can be treated through distillation or with a reverse osmosis system.

“You shouldn’t worry about getting a bad water test, you should be thankful to know and what to do about it,” said Broberg.

The Minnesota Department of Health announced back in December they would provide free well testing to private well owners as part of a three part plan to address nitrate contamination.

That testing is set to begin this March.