WESTPORT — Although Westport appears to have dodged the full force of Sunday’s punishing rain and thunderstorms, health officials warn residents with wells that may have been flooded to check for contaminated water.

Mark Cooper, the Aspetuck Health District director, said Monday that because of the “exceptionally” high rainfall, wells located in pits or low-lying areas may have been flooded. Sediment and flood water could enter a well that is not tightly capped and contaminate the water supply.

As a result, wells should be disinfected and tested before resuming use of the water.

Drinking and/or using contaminated water may cause illness.

“If your well has been flooded, it needs to be disinfected and tested once the floodwaters recede,” Cooper said in the statement.

Signs that a well’s water may have been contaminated, he said, include water discoloration and/or odor, plus visual evidence that flood waters overtopped the well.

Professionals also should inspect a flooded well to ensure there is no damage to the well’s casing or electrical wiring to the pump.

For more information about flooded wells and the dangers of contamination, check the state Department of Public Health website.