We all use water every day. It is vital for so many aspects of our daily lives, from hydration to cooking, cleaning, and bathing. If you are drawing your water from a well, knowing the quality of water that is coming out of your tap is crucial to your family’s health.
Well Water Testing
Health Canada recommends that you have your well water tested 4 times per year – at the beginning of every season. Springtime is particularly important because, as the snow begins to melt and the ground thaw, Spring runoff can lead to contaminants entering your well from:
- A septic system that is either too close to your well or not being properly maintained.
- Manure or waste from livestock or wild animals.
- Fertilizers or chemicals that are near or uphill from your well.
- Surface water that pools around your well.
- Frost damage or problems related to your well’s construction.
Your local Public Health Unit will perform tests for E. coli and total coliforms and can provide you with testing bottles and detailed instructions on how to perform this test.
If you learn that your well water is contaminated it is important to remove or fix the source of contamination, repair your well, and then have your well water treated by shock disinfecting the well and your home’s plumbing system. You will need to have your water tested again, to ensure it is now safe to drink. In some cases, where the source of contamination cannot be found or removed, a water treatment system will be mandatory to reduce risks to your family’s health.
While the absence of E.coli and coliforms is vitally important, this does not tell the whole story of your well’s water quality. As water is a natural solvent, absorbing everything it comes into contact with, your well water can contain several other minerals or chemicals that could have an impact on your family’s health, your plumbing system, or your appliances.
At Water Depot, our water treatment experts can test your water for hardness, acidity, hydrogen sulphide, iron, manganese, and more. If any of these elements are present in your water, installing the appropriate water treatment equipment could prevent damaging effects on your water heater, washing machine, or other water-related appliances, as well as bathroom fixtures and pipes, skin and hair.
Well Components
Part of the mechanics of having a well is that you will also have a pump and pressure tank, which move the water from the well into your home’s plumbing system. If either of these items are not working properly it will have an adverse effect on your water pressure.
It is also important to ensure that your well walls have not been compromised and that the well cap is properly sealed, at all times. This will ensure that contaminants are not able to leach into your well’s water supply and that your water is not fouled by sand or sediment.
Water Depot are your local water treatment experts. Get started today with your free in home water test.
