LaBelle water testing missed, county confirms no reports of illness

LABELLE, Fla. — The City of LaBelle has issued a public notice after failing to complete required annual testing for nitrate and nitrite levels in its drinking water during the 2025 monitoring period.

The Facebook post says the missed testing does not confirm contaminated water, but because the samples were not collected on time, the city cannot verify what nitrate and nitrite levels were during that period. Federal and state regulations require utilities to notify customers whenever required monitoring is missed.

According to the notice, nitrate and nitrite testing is especially important for infants under six months old, as elevated levels can cause serious health issues, including a condition known as “blue baby syndrome.” City officials say the health warning included in the notice is required language and that there is currently no evidence of unsafe levels.

On Wednesday, the city said there is no boil water notice in effect and that additional samples are now being collected to confirm the water meets safety standards. The original post also states there is no immediate action required by residents and that the public would be notified immediately if test results come back above regulatory limits.

Some residents say the biggest concern has been how the notice was communicated.

Salin Contreras, a LaBelle resident, told WINK News he did not receive a direct notification from the city and first learned about the issue through WINK News and later on social media.

“I didn’t receive any notification from the city about the drinking water,” Contreras said. “I just received information about what’s happening through you, and now I see it on Facebook. We understand it’s being looked into and will hopefully be resolved soon.”

Other residents say they are not alarmed but want follow-up once testing is complete.

“I wasn’t really concerned,” said Christina, a longtime LaBelle resident. “I just figured it was something that happens occasionally. I would like to know when it’s resolved.”

Contreras added that while he continues to trust the city’s water system, residents should remain attentive, particularly families with infants.

“Nothing changes,” Contreras said. “Let’s continue to trust and believe that the service the city is providing is good. We just need to be mindful of the changes taking place and be extra careful with babies and their health.”

WINK News also reached out to Hendry County to clarify its role. County officials said they do not oversee the City of LaBelle’s water treatment system and were not aware that the required testing had been missed. The county says it has offered assistance to the city, but has received no reports of illness related to drinking water in LaBelle.

Hendry County officials noted that residents can sign up for county emergency alerts by texting HENDRYFLA to 888777, though water-related notifications would come directly from the City of LaBelle.

WINK News has asked the City of LaBelle for additional details, including why the testing was missed, how overdue it was, when the last nitrate and nitrite test occurred, and when new results are expected.