Well Water Safety
Well Water Safety
If your water comes from a private well, you know that the safety of your drinking water is up to you. Most states have regulations related to private well construction and placement and a few states have regulations that quality of water from the private well water or require that the water is regularly checked. The CDC and EPA does recommend that you test your well water at least once a year. You may want to check the quality of your water more often if there are known problems with wells in your area or if you have experienced any flooding or land disturbances near your well. Indications of a change in water quality include cloudiness, odor, and unusual taste and if you interested we helped develop a Know Your H20 phone app and the Water Diagnostic Web App.
Another low cost option for tracking your water quality is the use of the TestAssured’s Well Water Testing Kit. This kit is a great screening test to help you determine the quality of your water by you running a screening test in your own home. This single kit includes all of the following water tests:
• Chlorine
• Copper
• Nitrates & Nitrites
• Iron
• Alkalinity
• pH
• Hardness
• Bacteria (total coliform)
Specially designed for people on well water, the Well Water Testing Kit includes 8 tests for a complete water analysis. You’ll be able to identify the presence of chemicals, metals, and even bacteria like E. coli. These easy to use tests will give you results within 10 minutes, with the exception of the bacteria test which takes 48 hours for full results. There’s no need for expensive equipment or to mail samples to a lab. Each test is calibrated to the EPA standards. Once you have your results, compare them to the EPA recommendations and guidelines for water quality limits.
If you are looking for well water testing, check out the NTL Program and Tap Score.
Recommended Reading:
Drinking Water and Surface Water Testing From Throughout The USA !
DIY – Do it Yourself- Citizens are screening the quality of their drinking water and private water wells . With thousands of customers around the world, where starting a new project where everyone can share their results & then view other results submitted from around the world. We currently have the surface water testing calculator complete and we are working on the drinking water calculator (looking for donations).
Get a DIY City Water Testing Kit or Well Water Testing Kits
The Keystone Clean Water Team (KCWT) -Carbon County Groundwater Guardian Program (CCGG) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer, environmental education organization which provides homeowners with information on private wells, water quality and quantity, and septic systems. We are dedicated to protecting private well owners from illnesses caused by our drinking water. We advance good groundwater stewardship by raising awareness on a variety of groundwater issues that affects everyone with a private water supply. We can help you get your water tested at the lab of your choice or use our Mail Order Program, plus explain the test results –Get our Educational Booklet.
Well Water City Drinking Water Quality Screening Test – DIY at Home
Complete Water Testing Kit – Because it is important to KnowYourH20
Whether you have well water or municipal water, you won’t know what you’re drinking unless you test it. Crystal clear water can contain a number of contaminants from chemicals to metals and even bacteria. Many of the contaminants that are cause for concern can easily go undetected. They are colorless, odorless, and tasteless.
Safe Home Complete Water Analysis Test Kit includes 10 tests that are easy to administer and give you results within 10 minutes with the exception of the bacteria test which takes 48 hours. This single kit includes all of the following water tests:
- NEXT GENERATION of drinking water test kits for 2024, with patented technologies for testing any drinking water supply (City Water or Well Water).
- INCLUDES 27-testing mechanisms that provide testing for 14-different parameters (302 Total Tests/Kit). See attached image of package-back, for a complete list of parameters to be tested.
- EXCLUSIVE BRAND of water test kits to earn the Good Housekeeping Seal. Named one of the Top-10 New Products at the National Hardware Show. Includes trilingual instructions. Made in the USA!
- YOU GET MORE BENEFITS for your dollar with Safe Home – Our team guides you before, during, and after testing. See details on attached image with this listing.
- YOUR PURCHASE MAKES A DIFFERENCE in people’s lives. Safe Home donates a portion of every test kit sale to clean water initiatives around the globe. See attached video to learn more!
These tests allow you to quickly and accurately analyze your drinking water and are compatible with well water, city/municipal water, tap water, residential drinking water, ground water, spring water sources, and bottled water. The results are fast and easy to read by following along with the color-coded charts and instruction manual. Testing can easily be done in your home, classroom, school, office, or anyplace else where you would need to test water quality.
If you looking for more information on water quality and drinking water, please visit the Water Research Center.
What is in your well water? Well Water Testing is Critical Know Your H20
What is in your well water?
If your water comes from a private well, you know that the safety of your drinking water is up to you. At the federal level and in most states there are no regulations that govern private wells, but the CDC and EPA does recommend that you test your well water at least once a year. You may want to check the quality of your water more often if there are known problems with wells in your area or if you have experienced any flooding or land disturbances near your well. Indications of a change in water quality include cloudiness, odor, and unusual taste.
You can quickly and easily test your well water for a variety of contaminants with Groundwater City Water Well Water Testing Kit (Safe Home). This kit is a great screening test to help you determine the quality of your water.
A DYI Well Water single kit includes all of the following water tests:
- Chlorine (Just in case the well was shock disinfected)
- Copper
- Lead
- Nitrates & Nitrites
- Iron
- Alkalinity
- pH
- Hardness
- Bacteria
These easy to use tests will give you results within 10 minutes, with the exception of the bacteria test which takes 48 hours for full results. There’s no need for expensive equipment or to mail samples to a lab. Each test is calibrated to the EPA standards. Once you have your results, compare them to the EPA recommendations and guidelines for water quality limits.
If you would rather a more detailed chemical analysis of your Well Water or City Water. We would recommend the specially designed water testing kits for people on well water, the Well Water Testing Kit includes over 70 water quality tests for a complete water analysis or City Water (over 80 parameters) . You’ll be able to identify the presence of chemicals, metals, and even bacteria like E. coli.
Please review and share some of our PSAs on Well Water.
Get our New Educational Booklet on Drinking Water Quality for Private Well Owners.
Corrosion Index, LSI, Hardness and Alkalinity – Do you have a problem??
Well water testing kits or City water testing kits
Private Well Owner Outreach to Private Property Owners Association in the Poconos – Monroe County
The Keystone Clean Water Team was very happy to work with the local “Poconos Region” Property Owners Association to offer a private well water screening test for the residents drinking water. For the 2016 program, a total of 16 residents participated in the program and for this program water testing was offered at two different tiers. The basic tier provide general information related to the bacterial quality of the water and level of nitrate, iron, and total hardness. The advanced tier provided testing for trace metals such as arsenic, copper, lead, zinc, and more comprehensive analysis of the overall quality of the water. The following is a summary of the results:
2 samples were positive for total coliform bacteria, but no samples were positive for E. coli.;
1 sample exceeded the drinking water standard for lead and 5 other samples had detectable levels of lead in the water;
13 of the 16 samples contained detectable levels of nitrate, but at no point did the level exceed or approach the drinking water standard of 10 mg/L;
1 sample had elevated levels of manganese, but 3 had detectable levels of manganese in the water; and
15 of the 16 samples were considered slightly to corrosive to metal piping and 1 sample was considered very corrosive to metal piping.
The pH of the water ranged for 6.2 to 7.5 and only two samples had a pH that was less than the recommended drinking water standard of 6.5. These samples were associated with water that had detectable levels of lead, but not the highest level of lead. The sample with the highest level of lead appeared to be a sample collected at the kitchen sink after the water had been treated with a water softener.
From this snapshot, we learned the following:
- There appears to be a 13 % probability that a private well may contain total coliform bacteria.
- The water produced from the aquifer tends to be slightly corrosive and have total hardness that ranges from 30 to 150 mg/L.
- The groundwater does not appear to have elevated levels of nitrate.
- The groundwater does not appear to have E. coli. bacteria.
- Lead was detected in some water samples, but the occurrence in the well water is related to the corrosiveness of the water, type of water treatment, and type of plumbing fixtures in the home and not the groundwater aquifer.
- Homeowners that reported problems with sulfur odor or black particles were the same homeowners that had elevated or detectable level of manganese.
- If you are considering the use of a water softener, please consider the type of household plumbing and it may be necessary to install a neutralizing filter.
Based on these results, we recommend that all private well owners conduct an annual water quality test. To facilitate this effort, the Keystone Clean Water Team offers an online mail order informational water testing program for private well owners throughout the USA and we offer our Know Your H20? Free Phone App. To learn about our mail order program, please visit us at http://www.water-research.net or http://www.knowyourh20.us. If you have any questions, please call or email 570-335-1947 or bfenviro@ptd.net.
Respectfully submitted,
Mr. Brian Oram, PG
Save the Date – April 15th – Sewage Facilities Planning Module Webinar
DEP invites you to participate in an important upcoming webinar about Draft Technical Guidance for DEP’s review of Sewage Facilities Planning Modules for onlot sewage systems proposed in Pennsylvania’s High Quality and Exceptional Value Watersheds.
The proper location and management of community and individual onlot septic systems is key to safeguarding public health and Pennsylvania’s water quality resources. The new draft technical guidance will ensure cost-effective and reasonable best management practices (BMPs) for nonpoint source control are achieved to maintain and protect water quality when reviewing sewage facilities planning modules for proposed individual or community onlot sewage systems in high quality and exceptional value watersheds.
During the one-hour webinar, DEP staff will describe BMPs for individual and community onlot sewage systems that can achieve nonpoint source control in High Quality and Exceptional Value waters, and review the process for selecting appropriate BMPs to achieve such control.
The webinar will be held from 2-3 p.m., Monday April 15. The webinar is free but registration is required. To register, visit https://copa.webex.com/copa/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=645447507
The Draft Technical Guidance can be found here: http://www.elibrary.dep.state.pa.us/dsweb/Get/Document-93420/385-2208-001.pdf Public comments regarding the Draft Technical Guidance are due to DEP May 1.
PADEP Proposes Antidegradation Standard for On-lot Septic Systems
PADEP Proposes antidegradation for On-lot septic systems -Sewage Facilities Planning Module Review for Onlot Sewage Systems Proposed in High Quality and Exceptional Value Watersheds – Proposed Policy – 385-2208-XXX.
POLICY: The Department will assure that cost-effective and reasonable best management practices (BMPs) for nonpoint source control are achieved to maintain and protect water quality when reviewing sewage facilities planning modules for proposed individual or community onlot sewage systems in high quality and exceptional value watersheds.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this guidance is to describe BMPs for individual and community onlot sewage systems that can achieve nonpoint source control in High Quality and Exceptional Value waters, and to provide a process to select appropriate BMPs to achieve such control.
Problem
1. Implementation – Policy says it applies to only new systems or permits, this will therefore include all existing lots not developed. The policy also suggests it should be used for all repairs.
2. Cost to Implement- Could add up to cost of installing and maintaining septic systems in PA.
3. PADEP says the problem is because of nitrate. The only problem is that nitrates are not a problem in PA and the nitrate loading from septic systems to the stream may be only 4%. The major sources fossil fuels, atmospheric deposition, agricultural runoff, urban runoff, and wastewater treatment plants.
Encouraging Others to learn More – My personal blog on the subject.
To review the proposed policy
PA DEP Presentation on the Policy
Rachel Carson State Office Building
400 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8774
tstarosta@pa.gov