Private Water Supplies

If you get your water from your own private well, there is no one monitoring the quality of water that you are using. When the well is initially drilled, the water only gets tested for bacteria and nitrates. There is no further testing that is required from any governing agency. You must take special precautions to assure that the quality of water you are using is acceptable.

Remember that many potential problems that may occur with your own water starts with your well and the surrounding environment. Information that you should know about your well is as follows: Location of your well head; depth of your well; age of your well; aquifer that your water comes
from. Also, information that you should know about the local environment your well exist within; possible natural contaminants within your area; local farming practices; and local industrial processes in the area; septic system locations and proximity.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that you should have your water tested annually and more frequently if any difference in your water is noticed. The EPA also recommends the following for protecting your well:

  1. Pump and inspect septic systems as often as recommended by your local health department.
  2. Slope the area around the well to drain surface runoff away from the well.
  3. Install a well cap or sanitary seal to prevent unauthorized us of, or entry into, the well.
  4. Disinfecting drinking water wells should be utilized when testing indicates the presence of bacteria.  Caution should be exercised when performing this.  Excessive and/or unnecessary disinfection can cause excessive wear and tear on well components and significantly shorten their useful life.
  5. Keep accurate records of any well maintenance, such as disinfection or sediment removal, that may require the use of chemicals in the well.
  6. Hire a certified well driller for any new well construction, modification, or abandonment and closure.
  7. Avoid mixing or using pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, degreasers, fuels and other pollutants near the well.
  8. Do not dispose of wastes in dry wells or in abandoned wells.
  9. Never dispose of hazardous materials in a septic system.