Reasons to Get Your Well Water Tested Immediately
More than 3 million North Carolina residents rely on well water as their primary drinking source, yet fewer than 200,000 wells were tested for contaminants in the last decade (2000-2010).
This is a scary but true statistic. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to be on the wrong side of it.
Regular testing and maintenance is a good preventative, be-on-the-safe-side idea, but there are certain conditions or nearby activities that would make testing your well water immediately a top priority.
This is a handy list from the EPA that details what conditions or nearby activities would be cause for concern, and what to test for:
| Conditions or Nearby Activities: |
Test for: |
| Recurring gastro-intestinal illness |
Coliform bacteria |
| Household plumbing or service lines that contain lead |
pH, lead, copper |
| Radon in indoor air or region is radon rich |
Radon |
| Corrosion of pipes, plumbing |
Corrosion, pH, lead |
| Nearby areas of intensive agriculture |
Nitrate, nitrite, pesticides, coliform bacteria |
| Coal or other mining operations nearby |
Metals, pH, corrosion |
| Gas drilling operations nearby |
Chloride, sodium, barium, strontium |
| Dump, junkyard, landfill, factory, gas station or dry-cleaning operation nearby |
Volatile organic compounds, total dissolved solids, pH, sulfate, chloride, metals |
| Odor of gasoline or fuel oil, and near gas station or buried fuel tanks |
Volatile organic compounds |
| Objectionable taste or smell |
Hydrogen sulfide, corrosion, metals |
| Stained plumbing fixtures, laundry |
Iron, copper, manganese |
| Salty taste and seawater, or a heavily salted roadway nearby |
Chloride, total dissolved solids, sodium |
| Scaly residues, soaps don’t lather |
Hardness |
| Rapid wear of water treatment equipment |
pH, corrosion |
| Water softener needed to treat hardness |
Manganese, iron |
| Water appears cloudy, frothy or colored |
Color, detergents |
As you can see, there is no shortage of sources of contamination. Hopefully our readers find this list helpful and realize that it’s a really good idea to get their well water tested regularly even if they don’t fall into one of these categories.
Ready to get your well water tested?
If you live in the greater Raleigh area, consider A&T Well and Pump, a reputable company that specializes in well drilling, maintenance, and repairs. They will test the water, inspect the well, make any necessary repairs, and then disinfect the well before you resume using the water. If you have any of the concerns detailed above, or just want to get some routine testing and maintenance done, contact us today by calling 919-291-4063 or by filling out the appointment request form at the top of the page.
