Well Water Quality Review Plus Timely Water Well Treatment Brings Security & Peace of Mind

When you live in a rural area, well water quality is paramount to your family’s wellbeing. Nothing threatens you sense of security more than a contaminated water source. Timely water well treatment restores both the quality of water and your peace of mind.

Don’t Wait Until You Notice A Well Water Problem

As a responsible homeowner, it’s your job to be proactive and regularly evaluate your well water quality. The first step is to regularly have a qualified professional test your well water. There are dozens of contaminants that can creep into your water supply and impact your well water quality in a short time.

Professionals in Middleton WI and throughout the state are certified by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to insure they meet accuracy standards. You want a test from people you can trust. After every completed test, record the results in a permanent place. Not only do you want to be able to refer to them as a record of performance, state law says you have to produce a record of well water quality testing and water well treatment when you sell your house.

Test For What?

What do well water quality tests look for? Here are some of the critical items in a routine test:

Bacteria— An important test is to look for coliform bacteria. This disease carrying bacteria is often found in water supplies and can seriously impact your family’s health. Do a bacteria test at least once a year – more often if you’ve had a positive result. If you notice a change in the taste, color or appearance (cloudy) of the water have the bacteria levels checked.

Nitrate — This is the form of nitrogen that can cause serious illness, especially to children under the age if six months. I can also indicate there are other contaminates in the water. For the first few years after a well goes in nitrate tests should be part of the regular routine. After several years they can be done less frequently if you’ve had no positive returns.

Chloride — High concentrations of chloride may indicate contamination from septic system a nearby landfill, fertilizer or road salt.

Alkalinity — The level of alkalinity indicates the water’s likelihood to be corrosive.

Corrosivity — Several test results indicate if water is likely to corrode household fixtures or lime deposits will build up in pipes.

Hardness — Determines whether or not you need a water softening system.

Lead — Lead can be leached into the well water from old lead pipes and solder where it can become a serious health concern.

These are just a few of the basic tests regularly performed to determine well water quality. The results may steer your professional plumbing services contractor to additional tests or appropriate water well treatment.

Location Makes A Big Difference

Ground water quality can change and where you live makes a big difference in how fast or how often it does. Properly constructed wells are safe as long as they are away from outside sources of contamination.

Be aware of the distance between your well and any possible contaminants – septic system, old fuel tank, farm fields, etc. Wisconsin has regulations dating back to the 1930s (Wisconsin NR812) that spell out the appropriate distances from these sources. If the well isn’t far enough away, either the well or the source of the problem must be moved – the sooner you find this out, the better. Basic physics also plays a part. Remember that liquids flow along the path of least resistance. Ground water will follow the contours of the land, flowing from high ground to lowland.

Here are minimum recommendations from the DNR:

• Livestock facilities – minimum of 50 feet. Concern for nitrate and pesticides.
• Industrial facilities – minimum of 250 feet. Concern for chemicals used and/or stored.
• Landfills – minimum of 1,200 feet. Concern for heavy metals like iron as well as ammonia, chloride, etc.
• Mining – minimum of 1,200 feet. Concern for sulfates, acidity, etc.
• Pesticide facilities – minimum of 100 feet. Concern for spills from loading, mixing storage.
• Salt storage facilities – minimum of 250 feet. Concern for chloride, sodium.
• Underground storage tanks – 100 feet from commercial tanks, at least 25 from home heating tanks.
• Wastewater systems – minimum of 25 feet from septic or holding tank; minimum 50 feet from septic absorption field; minimum 250 feet from lagoons, etc. Concern for coliform bacteria, nitrate, etc.

Appropriate Water Well Treatment

If a problem is found in your water well quality test, there are steps to correct the situation ranging from simple to complex. You should get a water treatment Waunakee based expert in. Working with a licensed, experienced professional is the key to making the right decisions.

Any drilled or jetted well completed since the 1930s should have a construction report on file with the county. If it was accurate and accepted at the time it can provide valuable information for future treatment. For sandpoint wells documentation has been required since 1989. Reports for wells drilled after 1988 may be found at the DNR website .

The report includes:

• Date well was drilled
• Original owner’s name
• Distance from structures – septic tanks, etc. when first installed
• Diameter and depth of the hole
• Type of casing and all materials used
• Type and depth of soil and rock formation
• Depth of the water table
• Water yield

Sauk Plains Plumbing and Pumps is always ready with a complete line of products for installation, maintenance and timely service – including a well water quality review for water well treatment and an array of specialized water well pumps

Call Sauk Plains Plumbing at 608-798-2121 to protect your home and family’s water well with an annual inspection, service and repair. For answers to questions on well water quality and water well treatment in Cross Plains, Verona, Waunakee and Middleton WI, call anytime. We even provide water treatment Black Earth WI people enjoy.