Residential Water Well Maintenance
Maintaining a residential well is important to keeping the water safe for drinking. Yearly checkups, regular testing and keeping contaminates a safe distance away from the water supply will go a long way to assuring that you are not drinking potentially unhealthy or unsafe water.
The frequency of maintenance is mostly determined by the depth of the well. There is a greater potential for contamination the more shallow the well is. To ensure that your residential water well is properly maintained, follow these guidelines:
Keep contaminants away from the well
All chemicals, paints, pesticides and fertilizers should be stored and mixed away from the well. An area of at least 50 feet around the well should be kept free of c contaminants. This area should be graded away from the well, to divert surface water away from the well.
Prevent back-siphonage
Back flow prevention devices should be installed to keep contaminants from back siphoning into any hose connected to an outside faucet
Regularly inspect exposed parts
- Look for any cracks or damaged fittings.
- Make sure the well cap fits tightly.
- Check that the wellhead is free of leaves.
- Electrical cables that pass through the well cap seal should be caulked to prevent contamination.
Regularly test the water
It is your responsibility to at least annually test the well's water for coliform bacteria and e.coli. Depending on where you live, or if you have a septic tank, test annually for nitrates. Testing for iron and sulfur should be done because while they are not harmful, they do alter the taste, odor and appearance of the water.