Water News Archive

Nebraska Extension is urging residents who rely on private wells for their drinking water to take immediate action to test their drinking water and treat any identified risks. Annual testing and recommended treatment is the only reliable way to ensure water safety and protect household health.

Well & Septic Owner’s Checklist

💧Inspect your wellhead and area around it in the spring and fall. Perform maintenance as necessary: 

May is the American Wetlands Month, which provides us a vital opportunity to consider the importance of these ecosystems, their portrayal in popular culture and media, their current status, and how you can get involved in their conservation, all of which are essential to protecting Nebraskan landscapes. 

Throughout the month, we will highlight different aspects of wetlands and their conservation. This article will focus on definitions, stories, and connections.

On the morning of April 29, 2026, conservation partners caravanned to a saline wetland just outside the city limits of Lincoln for the important conservation work of reintroducing the larvae of an endangered species, the Salt Creek tiger beetle (SCTB), back into their unique habitat - the saline wetlands and their salt flats.

Concord, Nebraska – March 25, 2026 – Join the Haskell Ag Lab and Nebraska Extension for Nitrate and Beyond: Ensuring your family has safe water on April 30, 2026, from 5:30 to 7pm.

Whether you rely on city water or draw from a private well, understanding how to test and treat drinking water for contaminants is essential for protecting your family’s well‑being. Join us for a community‑focused lecture that breaks down the hidden risks—like bacteria, nitrates, and other pollutants—and shows how proper testing and treatment can keep every household safe. 

Join the Nebraska Water Center and Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District as we experience the Republican Basin. We’ll go behind the scenes and meet the experts to get a first-hand look at water and natural resources in southwestern Nebraska.

The 2026 Nebraska Groundwater-Level Report highlights declines across 62% of wells over the last year due to the ongoing drought. Pockets of improving conditions from better rainfall also appear. UNL CSD, led by Aaron Young, compiles annual groundwater-level data from 5,000 wells into detailed maps. Read more to find out your local conditions.