Do I Really Need to Test My Well Water?
By Sue Harley, Lab Manager
One of the amazing things about water is that the naked eye can’t always tell if it’s healthy water to drink or not. I was reminded of that again this morning when I ran two water samples. One was the raw water (the water coming directly from the well) and the other had been treated with a neutralizer and an iron filter. The raw water was brown and cloudy, and the treated water was crystal clear. One would think that the clear, treated sample would be good to drink. Not the case. Both samples had high levels of manganese, telling us that we needed additional water treatment to mitigate the manganese levels.
More than 43 million people — about 15% of the U.S. population — rely on domestic wells as their source of drinking water. The quality and safety of water from domestic wells, also known as private wells, is not regulated by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or, in most cases, by state laws. Individual homeowners are responsible for maintaining their domestic well systems and for monitoring water quality. A recent study published in The Quality of Our Nation’s Waters: Quality of Water from Domestic Wells in Principal Aquifers of the United States, 1991-2004 notes that “one in five private wells were found to be contaminated at levels that could affect health.”
Many people moving to the mountains have never experienced living with well water; as a result, there are many pre-conceived ideas that because the water comes out of the ground, it is pure and safe to drink. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Contaminants on the surface can seep into the ground and pollute the groundwater, especially during our spring runoff or from failing septic systems. In addition, naturally occurring substances from the breakdown of rocks like radon, uranium, Gross Alpha and Gross Beta can significantly affect drinking water quality and safety.
Unlike city water, where the “city” is responsible for testing and purifying the water for homes and businesses, homeowners living on a well are responsible for making sure their water is healthy for drinking as well as safe for showering. The EPA recommends testing your well water annually for contaminants; at a minimum, we recommend testing your well water every spring for total Coliform and E.coli bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH levels.
If you suspect other contaminants, you should test for those as well. However, additional testing is recommended if:
- There has been a significant and sudden change in smell, taste or color of your water.
- You have a shallow well.
- You have had a recent repair, damage or flooding near your well.
- You are buying a new home.
- You are expecting a baby.
- A household member is immunocompromised.
If tests results indicate any problems with your well water, take action to address the issue with a qualified well, pump and water specialist and retest your well water when finished.
GeoWater Services is a Licensed Microbiology Lab: ID# CO01044
