Monitoring Your Well and Water Quality

Monitoring Your Well and Water Quality

If have a cabin on or live along the river, your home probably uses a private well system. In this situation you are solely responsible for monitoring the quality of its water. It is important for the health of your family and the value of your property.

First, check the condition of your well.

There are three main types of wells.

1. A dug well is usually dug by hand, and the water is lifted up by a hand pump. It is often old, shallow, and poorly protected from surface contaminants.

2. A driven well is typically installed in areas of loose materials such as sand or gravel, and is usually less than 50 feet deep.

3. A drilled well is usually the least susceptible to contamination. It usually has a properly installed pipe casing that extends as many feet needed to penetrate through the water table into the groundwater, which is the source of your household water.

The casing of a drilled well must project at least 12 inches above the ground, firmly sealed with clay, grout, or concrete to keep out surface water. A tight-fitting vermin-proof cap seals the top. Examine the well casing and cap periodically for cracks, corrosion, or other damage.

To keep pollutants from seeping downhill into your well, be sure that your well is located uphill and at least 50 feet away from all pollution sources such as a livestock yard, a leaking petroleum storage tank, or a septic system. Be sure not to store fertilizer and pesticide supplies uphill from the well, and keep the area free from yard animals and trash such as old batteries, empty petroleum barrels and other toxic containers.

Testing your drinking water

There is no one simple method to test for contaminants in your well water. The taste, odor and appearance of your drinking water can give you an indication of its quality, but unfortunately, many harmful contaminants are tasteless, odorless and colorless.

The following problems may give some signs of contaminants in your well water:

•Members of your household have recurring gastrointestinal illness. Test your water for coliform bacteria, nitrate and sulfate.

•Your water has an objectionable taste or smell, or appears cloudy, frothy or colored. Test for hydrogen sulfide, iron, lead, copper, cadmium, or zinc.

•Your water leaves scaly residues and soap scum. Test for hardness.

• Your household plumbing contains aging lead pipes, fittings or solder joints. Test for acidity, corrosion, and products, or septic system effluent. When these enter your excess water supply, they create a health hazard. Chemical tests can determine these contaminants.

Some Common Pollutants:

• Bacteria - Coliform bacteria (E. coli) are found naturally and harmlessly in the digestive tract of all healthy humans and animals. They are also found in their wastes, where they produce a powerful toxin that can cause severe illnesses. Bacteriological tests can indicate the presence of unsanitary conditions. Your well and waterlines can be decontaminated by diluting one gallon of 5 to 5.25 percent chlorine bleach (household or laundry bleach) with three to five gallons of water and pouring it directly down the well casing. Turn on all faucets (inside and outside) until you can smell the chlorine in the water. Allow the chlorinated water to stand in the pipes for six to 12 hours; do not use the water during this time. Then begin to use the water normally, making sure all faucets are flushed for at least ten minutes. Have another bacteria test a week after the system has been bleached.

• Nitrates - Nitrates are found naturally in food, plants, water and soil. Rainwater or melted snow sometimes hold concentrated amounts of fertilizers, pesticides, petroleum

• Other Elements - Small amounts of elements such as calcium, sulfur, copper and zinc exist naturally in the soil and in your water. Large amounts may pose a health hazard. A mineral analysis will give the content in parts per million of these minerals, as well as the acidity or pH of the water and the hardness. Also this test may give the concentration of nitrates, sulfates and other chemical compounds.

Test Annually

Your well water should be tested annually for coliform bacteria and for nitrates, advises the Morgan County Health Department in Berkeley Springs. If you would like to have your water tested by a lab, contact Friends of the Cacapon for a list.