Well Water Quality Testing

Wells tapping groundwater resources can provide drinking water of the highest quality. Owning a private household-supply water well allows homeowners to control their own water supply. Ownership also comes with the responsibility of keeping the water well in good working order.

You should regularly test your water for bacteria, nitrates and anything of local concern. A test of your water for coliform bacteria and nitrates, and anything else of local concern.

Other typical additional tests are those for iron, manganese, water hardness, sulfides, and other water constituents that cause problems with plumbing, staining, water appearance, and odor.

Changes in these constituents also may indicate changes in your well or local groundwater. Additional tests may be recommended if water appears cloudy or oily, if bacterial growth is visible on fixtures, or water treatment devices are not working as they should. Check with your water well contractor, the state department of natural resources, or local health department for information on local water quality issues. Also, determine if your well is clean.

A well with accumulated sediment or debris can create an environment suitable for bacterial growth and impair effective disinfection. If necessary, a qualified water well system contractor can clean it.