Water Well Inspections
The importance of water well testing & water well inspections
The National Groundwater Association (NGA)recommends that well owners perform above all public water supply testing, but also other well water testing & well water inspections annually to prevent contaminated well water. Well water inspections done annually will help ensure the water source if free of harmful contaminates such as radon, arsenic, bacteria, E-coli and much more. Well owners are responsible to ensuring its quality & safety. Also, even if the water is intended not for human consumption, but for livestock or irrigation, it is still important to get it well water quality testing done to determine if the water is suitable for those uses. This will help you to make informed decisions about the water and how to use it. Water well testing & water well inspections may need to be done more frequently if:
- You just moved into a property with a water well on it
- You are thinking about buying a property with a well on it
- The new property has a well on it and you want to know information on it
- There is a newborn in the house
- There is sudden changes in the water, such as color and odor changes
- Someone in the family keeps suffering from gastrointestinal issues
Regular water well inspections ensure that:
Common well water inspections:
Public water supply testing & well water inspections can be simple as the issues are easy to spot, such as debris and dirt, but some need testing through a certified lab, such as PCS . For that matter, we offer a wide range of water well testing along with treatment options. Below are some common tests that we perform on existing wells.
Coliform Bacteria
Bacteria either are dangerous to human consumption or perfectly safe. Specifically, E. Coli or coliform bacteria occurs in well water due to the water being in contact with human or animal waste, agricultural or industrial runoff, or from sewer flooding. More importantly, coliform bacteria or E-coli can create reproductive issues, increase the risk of cancer and cause skin, liver and eye issues.
Nitrate
Water well inspections will figure out if you have high levels of nitrates in your well water. Nitrates in well water are caused by manure, fertilizers, and leaking septic systems & sewer lines. Additionally, they can also get into your well water from improper well construction & location. Particularly, wells that are shallow, submerged under water or have open bore holes are more at risk. Nitrates can be dangerous in high levels as it can cause headaches and other health concerns.
General Well Tests
These well water inspections test for general quality of your well water. They test for hardness, manganese, iron, sulfides and PH. Other tests may be recommended depending on the well water, for example if the water is cloudy, oily, there is a drop in water pressure, more sediment than usual or your water treatment is not working as well as it once was. For that matter, other general well tests can be done to gain information on the well, for example what the well yields or if there is anything not working or outdated. Most importantly, these general well tests are great for someone who is thinking of buying a property with a well on it, so they know the quality of the well before they buy it.
Naturally Occurring Contaminates
Arsenic and radon can both occur naturally in small amounts in your well water. However, they can be lethal in high doses. Additionally, open bore wells, or improperly constructed wells could have higher levels of arsenic or radon. Another naturally occurring contaminate in your well water could be copper, but it could be in higher does due to agricultural runoff, or old copper pipes or electrical wiring in your well. Copper is necessary for human health, however high levels could cause health problems. Water well inspections will tell you if there are any concerns from naturally occurring contaminants in your well and if it is safe for consumption.
Sand & Sediment
Sand & sediment may not be a issue for irrigation or livestock, however it is not something you want floating around in your glass of water. Well water quality testing will determine the causes for sediment in you well water and remove it. Causes of sand & sediment could be due to a recently drilled water well that has not been flushed, an improperly drilled water well, or problems with the rock formations. For that matter, removing sediment can be done with filters or with well water storage systems. If you are thinking of a well water storage system, click here to check out our page on it.
Is your water well system clean?
With water well testing & well water quality testing – it is wise to see if the well system itself is clean. Even more importantly, a dirty well can be a perfect environment for certain types of harmful bacteria. Likewise, tests from a dirty well can be incorrect, where they state the water is fine, when it is not. The first thing to remember is that if your well system is dirty, then your water will also be dirty, cloudy, murky and/or have taste or odor problems. Moreover, if these problems continue, then it is possible that harmful bacteria could grow. Texan Water does public water supply testing that can determine if your water well system is dirty. Some water well testing we do help determine the amount of debris, the source of it, and if it is harmful. Afterwards, we can remove harmful bacteria, remove debris and clean the well.
Thinking of buying a property with a well on it?
Thinking of doing your own public water supply testing? Below are some DIY options when you are thinking of buying property with a well on it. Firstly check out if there are any well information here. Secondly, physically inspect the well.
- Age – New wells using new drilling technologies will likely not have many issues
- Casing height – the lining of the well (the casing) is 12 or more inches above the land surface.
- Casing depth – the casing extends 50 or more feet below the land surface.
- Condition of the well above ground – No cracks, everything is tight.
- Water well inspections –If none are available, it is a good idea to get one.
- Are there any pollution sources – Is there any agriculture, septic system, etc.
- Distance from pollution sources – Is the well is at least 100 feet away from potential pollution sources (State regulated also)
- Soil type – Fine soil such as clay is better at filtering.
- This information was used from Wellcares information on your well
Thinking of buying a property with a well on it?
Thinking of doing your own public water supply testing? Below are some DIY options when you are thinking of buying property with a well on it. Firstly check out if there are any well information here. Secondly, physically inspect the well.
