Keeping Your Well Water Safe

Posted

Where we get our drinking water is more important these days than ever. Most people in the cities and suburbs are subject to drinking tap water, bottled water, or using a water filtration system in their homes; but there are still some parts of the world where well water is the main source of drinking water for families and Massachusetts and New Hampshire are certainly one of those parts of the world.

All public water systems are under the regulations of the EPA, (Environmental Protection Agency), but the EPA has no control over privately owned water wells. Some state and local governments have rules regarding private well water, but approximately 15% of Americans who supply their own drinking water, are not subject to the standards of the EPA. Private water well owners do not have government agencies regularly checking the quality and toxicity of their water supply, as with public water systems. So how do well water drinkers know if the quality of their water has changed or deteriorated?

Each household must be certain to take precautions to ensure that their family is drinking safe water; the maintenance and protection of the water well, falls into the hands of each private owner, who must take responsibility for providing their families with safe water to drink.

Checklist Items for Water Well Owners

  • All water wells should be properly constructed and maintained on a regular schedule, to ensure that the water supply is safe. Northeast Water wells offers preventative maintenance inspections yearly and water quality testing that can relieve this concern.
  • Water wells should be built in a location on the land where rainwater can fall away from it. Rainwater can pick up harmful bacteria and toxins that can contaminate well water.
  • To keep your well water safe for drinking, these precautions should be taken; wells should be at least 50 feet away from any septic tanks, and should also be at least 50 feet away from all livestock.
  • Keep manure stacks, a minimum of 250 feet away from the well water supply.
  • Petroleum tanks and fertilizer and manure storage, should be kept at least 100 feet away from your well water.
  • Routine water Quality tests should be being preformed yearly or bi yearly to some capacity to ensure the water is safe to drink.

These are minimum requirements for the safety of your well water. It is wise to keep all toxic chemicals, manure stacks, livestock, as far away as possible from your well water supply. This is the best way to keep your water safe and healthy for your family to drink.