In conjunction with National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 5 through 11, the state Department of Public Health on Wednesday urged residents with a private well to take some time to locate their well, inspect it for structural problems, protect it from contamination and have the well’s water tested for quality.

More than 820,000 residents — about 23 percent of the state's population — are served by a private residential well, the health department noted in a news release.

Homeowners with private wells use groundwater every day for drinking, cooking, bathing, cleaning, agriculture, cooling and heating. National Groundwater Awareness Week, an annual observance sponsored by the National Ground Water Association, stresses the importance of groundwater to the health of all people and the environment.

For information on what to look for when inspecting a private well, what water tests should entail, how often to test, common well contaminants and water treatment options, visit www.ct.gov/dph/privatewells.