Well Water Testing, Why?
Well water testing is an important part of ownership. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates drinking water quality in public water systems. They set limits for germs and chemicals in water. However, well water testing is up to the private water well owner. It is necessary to make sure your water is safe to drink. One reason is because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rules protecting public drinking water systems do not apply to individual water systems, such as privately owned wells. Therefore, no government agency is testing the water quality. It’s up to the well owner.
Harmful germs and chemicals can get in the well water from many sources, including:
- Fertilizers, pesticides, or other chemicals applied to land near the water well,
- Concentrated feeding operations (large industrial animal farms),
- Manufacturing operations nearby,
- Sewer or septic system overflows,
- Storm water not diverted away from the well,
- Wildlife or other contaminates entering the well through openings,
- Rocks and soil naturally containing chemicals and minerals such as arsenic, radon, and uranium
When Should I Test My Well Water?
You should test your well at least once a year according to the Centers For Disease Control (CDC). They recommend testing for mechanical problems, cleanliness, germs or chemicals of local concern.
Furthermore, you should test for other contaminants if you suspect those as well. However, spend time identifying potential problems because some tests can be expensive. The best beginning is to consult a local expert, such as the local health department, about local contaminants of concern.
You should also check your water well after flooding or if you suspect a problem. For example, a change in taste or smell. Germs and chemicals can get into wells after flooding. Flooding is particularly an issue if the well is shallow or covered by floodwater for more than a day. Dug and bored wells are two examples of shallow wells.
You should also have your well tested if:
- There are known problems with well water in your area
- You have experienced problems near your well (i.e., flooding, land disturbances, and nearby waste disposal sites)
- You replace or repair any part of your well system
- You notice a change in water quality (i.e., taste, color, odor)
What Should I test for?
Well water can have several water quality indicators (WQIs) and contaminants. A WQI test is a test used to measure the presence and number of certain germs in water. In most cases, the presence of WQIs is not the cause of sickness. They are easy to test for and their presence may indicate contamination by sewage and other disease-causing germs in the water. Those bacteria could be from human and/or animal feces.
What Are Examples of Water Quality Indicators?
Total Coliforms
Coliform bacteria are microbes found in the digestive systems of warm-blooded animals, in soil, on plants, and in surface water. These microbes typically do not make you sick. However, microbes not causing disease are hard to test for in water. Therefore, “total coliforms” are tested instead. If the total coliform count is high, then it is very possible harmful germs like viruses, bacteria, and parasites might also be found in the water.
Fecal Coliforms / Escherichia coli (E. coli)
Fecal coliform bacteria are a specific kind of total coliform. The feces (or stool) and digestive systems of humans and warm-blooded animals contain millions of fecal coliforms. E. coli is part of the fecal coliform group. It should be tested independently.
Fecal coliforms and E. coli are often harmless. However, a positive test may indicate feces and harmful germs have found their way into your water system. These harmful germs can cause diarrhea, dysentery, and hepatitis. It is important not to confuse the test for the common and usually harmless WQI E. coli with a test for the more dangerous germ E. coli O157:H7.
Water pH
When it comes to well water testing, the pH level tells you how acidic or basic your water is. The pH level of the water can change how your water looks and tastes. If the pH of your water is too low or too high, it could damage your pipes, cause heavy metals like lead to leak out of the pipes into the water, and eventually make you sick.
Total Dissolved Solids
The higher the level of TDS, the less palatable drinking water becomes. In the U.S., TDS in municipally treated waters generally range from 90 ppm to over 1,000 ppm. By comparison, sea water ranges from 30,000 to 40,000 ppm. The most common range for city water is 200 – 400 ppm, while the maximum contaminant level set by the EPA is 500 ppm.
What Are Examples of Contaminants:
Nitrate
Nitrate is naturally found in many types of food and is often found in well water testing. However, high levels of nitrate in drinking water can make people sick. Nitrate in your well water can come from animal waste, private septic systems, wastewater, flooded sewers, polluted storm water runoff, fertilizers, agricultural runoff, and decaying plants. The presence of nitrate in well water also depends on the geology of the land around your well. A nitrate test is recommended for all wells. If the nitrate level in your water is higher than the EPA standards, you should look for other sources of water or ways to treat your water.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
VOCs are industrial and fuel-related chemicals capible of causing bad health effects at certain levels. Which VOCs to test for depends on where you live. Contact your local health or environmental department, or the EPA to find out if any VOCs are a problem in your region. Some VOCs to ask about testing for are benzene, carbon tetrachloride, toluene, trichloroethylene, and methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE).
Other Water Tests
Other germs or harmful chemicals you should test for will depend on several factors. They include where your well is located on your property, which state you live in. It may also matter whether you live in an urban or rural area. These tests could include testing for lead, arsenic, mercury, radium, atrazine, and other pesticides. These contaminates are often regional. Check with your local health or environmental department, or the EPA to find out.
You can also contact your local health or environmental department for guidance in interpreting the test. They can tell you if there are harmful germs or chemicals in your water.
Who Should I Hire For Water Well Testing?
Only a qualified contractor should collect water samples. A third-party tester is usually a requirement of the lender for home financing. You should receive a Chain of Custody (COC) document along with the test results. Doing so usually satisfies the lender’s requirements.
Wildcat Inspections is qualified to collect well water for testing. We deliver the sample to an accredited laboratory for testing. We then send the results and COC to you after the lab tests are complete.
State and local health or environmental departments often test water. They look for nitrates, total coliforms, fecal coliform, volatile organic compounds, and pH. You could also contact health or environmental departments, or county governments. They should have a list of the state-certified (licensed) laboratories in your area testing various substances.
For more information, contact your local health department, The EPA or the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.
