Is It Safe to Drink from Your Water Well?

If you’re the owner of a home that gets its water from a private well, it is important to pay attention to your water quality and make sure you understand how to know if your well water is safe to drink in Columbia, TN.

It is not uncommon for well waters to contain high levels of potentially harmful chemicals, minerals or other substances, particularly radon, arsenic and uranium. These substances might be found naturally in the rocks and soil, or they could come in as runoff from pollution and industrial sites. In addition, there’s always the possibility that viruses and bacteria could get into your water if you have a damaged well casing or if the well is too shallow.

In either situation, the harmful chemicals or germs could cause symptoms like upset stomach or gastrointestinal distress. There are also some types of chemicals that, if their levels are high enough, could increase your risk of cancer. This makes it important to engage in routine water quality tests so you can see if there’s anything you need to do to enhance your water quality.

Testing the water

The general rule is to test your water each year for bacteria, nitrates and nitrites, and every three to five years for chemicals like arsenic, radon, uranium, lead and fluoride. To do this, you’ll need to partner with a team of well professionals or a water testing lab to make sure you get thorough and accurate results.

The typical process used for testing your water will look something like this:

• Choose the lab: Find a lab in your area that is capable of performing well water testing services, and schedule your appointment. Make sure the lab is certified to conduct all of the tests you need performed.
• Kits: The lab will send out water test kits in the mail, which will include instructions, forms you’ll need to fill out and send back to the lab with your tests, and empty bottles.
• Follow instructions: Make sure you follow all of the instructions as printed in your package. Fill up the bottles with water from your taps, and then send those bottles back to the lab for testing.
• Wait for results: The lab will send out your test results in the mail when testing is complete. The lab may or may not include information about what is considered to be a “safe” level of each substance found, but if not, you can find safe limits for these substances online.

Some water quality problems are relatively simple to fix, but others will require more comprehensive solutions. In addition to checking your well water according to the schedule listed above, you might also consider checking your well water if you’re expecting a new baby, if your water experiences any changes in taste or smell, if the water suddenly loses clarity or changes color, if the well starts to run dry but then starts pumping again or if you put in a new water treatment system.

For more information about well water testing to ensure you have safe well water in Columbia, TN, contact Action Electric Motor & Pump Repair today.

Categorised in: Well Water Testing