What's In Your Well? The Factors That Affect Your Water Quality.
Water is essential to life, and the quality of the water we drink is critical for our health.
FACT: The worst part of depending on well water is that the quality of the underground water can change because of human activities.
You cannot control what folks do on their own land.
➧➧ If you do the following on your land, you can contaminate your well water:
Draining engine oil directly on the ground
Dumping black water from an RV directly on the ground
Using pesticides like Glyphosate, DDT, Diazinon, Malathion, Chlordane, and others can cause cancer
Use phosphorus containing fertilizer
Your well is too close to your septic system
Spill gasoline
Burying asbestos you took off old pipes
Using waste water for watering plants
Burying trash
Flushing prescription drugs into septic
It was easy peasy for me to create that list because I know or have heard stories about all of them happening!
While most people in the United States get their water from a public water supply, there are also millions of people (like me) who rely on private wells for their drinking water.
If you are one of these people, it is essential to understand the factors that can affect the quality of your well water. From natural contaminants to human activities, there are several potential sources of contamination that can make your water unsafe to drink.
In this article, we'll explore some of the most common factors that can affect water quality in private wells and provide you with the information you need to ensure that your well water is safe for you and your family.
Please remember, it's necessary to test your well water regularly. No alarm will go off and your phone won't ring if well water contaminants suddenly appear in your water!
Natural contaminants that affect well water quality
Well water is an essential source of drinking water for millions of Americans.
Well water is a great resource, but it's essential to be aware of the factors that affect its quality.
One of the most significant factors is natural contaminants.
↓↓ These natural contaminants can include ↓↓
· Bacteria – can cause gastrointestinal problems, Salmonellosis, and Giardia
· Viruses – gastrointestinal problems, meningitis, Hepatitis
· High levels of iron - gastrointestinal effects including abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea
· High levels of manganese – neurotoxic effects
· Arsenic - nausea and vomiting, decreased production of blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, damage to blood vessels, and a sensation of “pins and needles” in hands and feet
· Radon – second leading cause of lung cancer
· Nitrate - decreases in blood pressure and the ability of blood to bring oxygen to the lungs, increased heart rate, headaches, stomach cramps, and vomiting
· Fluoride - dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis, arthritis, bone damage, osteoporosis, muscular damage, fatigue, joint-related problems, and chronicle issues
NOTE: In order for arsenic, radon, nitrate, and fluoride to be harmful to human health, they must be present in high concentrations.
Regular testing and treatment can help protect you and your family from potential health risks associated with natural contaminants in well water.
It is essential to have your well water tested regularly to ensure that it is safe to drink. If tests reveal that your well water has high concentrations of natural contaminants, there are steps you can take to improve its quality.
Human Activities That Affect Well Water Quality
Human activities can have a significant impact on the quality of well water.
The most common human activities that affect well water quality are agricultural practices, industrial activities, fracking, and improper disposal of hazardous waste.
Agricultural practices such as using fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides can cause these chemicals to seep into the groundwater and contaminate well water.
Similarly, livestock farming can also lead to water contamination. The waste from animals, such as manure and urine, can seep into the soil and contaminate the groundwater.
Industrial activities such as manufacturing and mining can release harmful chemicals into the environment, which can also contaminate groundwater.
Improper disposal of hazardous waste is another major human activity that can affect well water quality. This can take the form of dumping waste products, such as oil or chemicals, directly into the ground or disposing of them in landfill sites that are not properly lined to contain the waste.
Another activity that can affect the quality of well water is fracking. Fracking is a process used to extract natural gas from the ground, and it involves injecting water, sand, and chemicals into the ground to break up the rock and release the gas. The chemicals used in fracking can seep into the groundwater and contaminate the well water.
Human waste can also have an impact on well water quality. Septic systems that are not properly maintained can leak harmful bacteria and viruses into the groundwater.
In addition, improper disposal of human waste can lead to e-coli contamination of well water.
It is important to be aware of these human activities and to take steps to reduce their impact on well water quality.
Some of the steps to take that will reduce the impact on your well water include; organic farming practices, properly disposing of hazardous waste, and maintaining septic systems. By taking these steps, we can help to ensure that our well water is safe and healthy for us and for future generations.
How To Test Your Well Water To Ensure It's Safe
Testing your well water is important to ensure that it is safe for you and your family to drink.
Imagine drinking water from the lake in the photo above???
There are many factors that can affect the quality of your well water, such as the location of your well, the age of your well, and the geological makeup of your area.
It is recommended that you test your well water at least once a year to ensure that it is safe for consumption.
There are 3 typical ways that folks test their well water for contaminants
1. Home Testing Kits – There are many different types of home test kits. I prefer to use dip sticks to test for many contaminants at the same time. Check reviews to make sure they are good quality. The results are immediate and the instructions are easy to follow.
2. Commercial Water Testing Companies – All you’d have to do is Google “commercial water testing company near me” and you’ll have a list to choose from. Make sure they are a certified laboratory and check reviews before committing to one company.
3. Agricultural Extension - Agricultural Extensions are a great resource! They do soil and water testing at very low rates. It might take a week or so to get the results.
In addition to testing your well water, you should also make sure that your well is properly maintained.
Regular maintenance can help prevent contamination and ensure the safety of your well water. This can include proper disposal of hazardous household materials, regular inspection of your well, and proper installation of your well system.
Testing your well water is important to ensure that it is safe for consumption.
Additionally, regular maintenance of your well system can help prevent contamination and ensure the safety of your well water.
In conclusion............please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns you might have.
I created a Patent Pending Homemade Well Water Filter because I had contaminated well water and couldn't afford a commercial system.
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