Well Water Testing Overview

We are often asked, "When should I test my Well Water?" We take our family's and our customer's health seriously.  Because of this we follow the recommendations made by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) for Well Water Testing, "At a minimum, check your well water every spring to make sure there are no mechanical problems; test it once each year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH levels. If you suspect other contaminants, you should test for those as well."  
 
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)

If you are performing a yearly test we suggest our Well Water Testing Kit Basic Package.

If you have never tested your well water or are experience one or more of the above issues than we highly suggest that you consider our more comprehensive well water testing kits: Well Water Test Kit Deluxe and Ultimate Well Water Testing Kit. 
 

You Are Responsible For Testing Your Private Well Water- 
Not The State!

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) rules that protect public drinking water systems do not apply to individual water systems, such as privately owned wells. As an individual water system owner, it is up to you to make sure that your water is safe to drink.  The Center For Disease Control (CDC) states, “Owners of private wells are responsible for ensuring that their water is safe from contaminants. Private wells should be checked every year”  With over 15 million U.S. households obtaining their drinking water through private wells it is essential to accurately test for contamination.  While the U.S. has one of the safest drinking water supplies in the world, contamination can still occur through naturally occurring chemicals and minerals (for example, arsenic, radon), local land use practices (for example, pesticides, chemicals, animal feeding operations), malfunctioning wastewater treatment systems (for example, sewer overflows), and other sources.

***Click here to purchase any of our testing kits for Well Water***

What to test for in your Well Water

Several Water Quality Indicators (WQIs) and contaminants that should be tested for in your well water are listed below. A WQI test is a test that measures the presence and amount of certain germs, metals, contaminants in water. In most cases, the presence of WQIs is not the cause of sickness; however, they are easy to test for and their presence may indicate the presence of sewage and other disease-causing germs from human and/or animal feces. 

Examples of Well 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, because microbes that do cause disease are hard to test for in the water, "total coliforms" are tested instead. If the total coliform count is high, then it is very possible that 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 and may be tested for by itself. Fecal coliforms and E. coli are usually harmless. However, a positive test may mean that 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.

PH
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.

Examples of Contaminants:

Nitrate
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 that may cause 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, trichloroethelene, and methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE).

Other Germs or Harmful Chemicals
You should test for other germs and harmful chemicals depending on where your well is located on your property, which state you live in, and whether you live in an urban or rural area. These tests could include testing for lead, arsenic, mercury, and other contaminates. You should check with your local health or environmental department, or the EPA to find out if any of these contaminants are a problem in your region. You can check your region at the EPA waterway 
Is your Well Water Safe? 
Learn about the risks from bacteria, metals (Arsenic), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Fertilizers (Nitrates) and other contaminates from well water, as well as Copper and Lead risk from old pipes.

If your family uses well water for drinking, bathing and home gardens, you should know the following:

Metals:                                                                                                                                                                    
Arsenic - is a naturally occurring element that is tasteless and odorless.  It’s mainly used as a wood preservative and pesticide.  It typically gets into groundwater through naturally weathering of geologic formations.  There are two forms of arsenic, trivalent and hexavalent, knowing which form of arsenic is a present can be helpful in determining the best treatment option.                                                                                                                                                                      
Cadmium - is a naturally occurring metals which is used in a variety of industries. It is used extensively in metal plating and coating applications.  Cadmium can also be found in baking enamel, solar batteries and pigments. Corrosion of galvanized pipes may lead to cadmium contamination                                                                                                                                                                            
Lead - a metal found in natural deposits, is commonly used in household plumbing materials and water service lines. The greatest exposure to lead is swallowing or breathing in lead paint chips and dust.  Lead is rarely found in source water, but enters tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials.                                                                                                   
Copper - is a naturally metal, and commonly used in piping systems for plumbing.  Copper enters the water through pipes and plumbing fixtures.   Water with a low pH (Below 6.5) is considered aggressive and will cause water to dissolve anything it comes into contact with including copper pipes and other plumbing fixtures.