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Local families fear their drinking water might not be safe

Local families are questioning the safety of the well water they drink. Action News Jax did some digging and found the water has not been tested in years on American Beach.

The St. Johns River Water Management District told us it’s the responsibility of a luxury resort to test the water. Neighbors such Gary Hunter told us the water wells on Amelia Island Plantation Golf Course Links are supposed to be tested every few months for contaminants such as lead, nitrate or fecal coliform.

“We have shallow wells on American Beach and if contaminants get into those wells, it gets into our water,” Hunter said.

We took our questions to the St. Johns River Water Management District and representatives told us the monitoring system dropped after the ownership was turned over to Omni Resort Amelia Island Plantation.

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In August 2013, the water management  district sent the owners a letter stating the resort hadn't filed a groundwater monitoring report. The mailed letter was returned and since then the district has been coordinating its concerns by phone. But Hunter said that’s not enough.

“It really pisses me off that the government wouldn’t do what they need to do, to straighten out the situation, to get these reports in to make sure people are safe in the area,” Hunter said.

The water management district said it is working with the Omni ownership and its consultant to get the monitoring program back on track. It said the resort won’t receive any penalties for the delay in testing.