Approximately 23 million U.S. citizens rely on their own private drinking water supplies. Most of these supplies are drawn from ground water through wells, but some households also use water from streams or cisterns. These households must take special precautions to ensure the protection and maintenance of their drinking water supplies.

Water Quality Testing

Private water supplies should be tested annually for nitrate and coliform bacteria to detect contamination problems early. They should be tested more frequently and for more potential contaminants, such as radon or pesticides, if a problem is suspected.

Many laboratories are available to test water quality. Some local health departments also test private water for free. Phone numbers for your local, county, or state health department are available under the government listings in your phone book.

If you use a private laboratory to conduct the testing, nitrate and bacteria samples will typically cost between $10 and $20 to complete. Testing for other contaminants will be more expensive. For example, testing for pesticides or organic chemicals may cost from several hundred to several thousand dollars.

The laboratory usually supplies sample bottles. Depending on the type of test to be completed, the bottles may contain preservatives or include special instructions for handling the samples. Private water can most easily be sampled at the drinking water tap by carefully filling the bottles to avoid spilling or getting other contaminants into the bottle. For nitrates and other basic water tests, the bottles can usually be mailed to the laboratory. Some tests, such as those for coliform bacteria, may require that the sample bottles be kept cool until they are delivered to the laboratory for analysis.

Most laboratories mail back the sample results within days or several weeks. The results typically indicate whether a particular contaminant was detected in the sample. If a contaminant is detected, the results will include the concentration of the contaminant and an indication of whether this concentration exceeds a drinking water quality standard. If a standard is exceeded in your sample, you should retest the water supply immediately and contact your public health department for assistance. Some problems can be handled quickly. For example, high bacteria concentrations can sometimes be controlled by disinfecting a well. Filters or other on-site treatment processes may also remove some contaminants. Other problems may require a new source of water, such as a new, deeper well. If serious problems persist, you may need to rely on bottled water until a new water source can be obtained.

Common Aesthetic Problems and Solutions

Symptom	Probable Cause	Treatments
Hard water deposits on kettles, pots, hot water heaters, humidifiers	Excess calcium	Water softener Reverse Osmosis Distillation
Rusty red or brown staining of fixtures or laundry and/or your water has a metallic taste	Excess iron	Water softener Whole house iron filter Distillation
Black staining of fixtures or laundry	Excess manganese	Water softener Whole house iron filter Distillation
Rotten egg smell	Hydrogen sulfide	Greensand iron filter
Water has laxative effect	Excess sulfates	Reverse Osmosis Distillation
Water is gritty, muddy, or appears dirty	Excess sand, dirt, or other sediments in your water	Whole House Sediment Filter Any point-of-use filter system with a sediment filter

12 Steps To Protect Your Ground Water Supply

• Periodically inspect exposed parts of the well for problems such as:
  - cracked, corroded, or damaged well casing
  - broken or missing well cap
  - settling and cracking of surface seals.



• Slope the area around the well to drain surface runoff away from the well.



• Install a well cap or sanitary seal to prevent unauthorized use of, or entry into, the well.



• Disinfect drinking water wells at least once per year with bleach or hypochlorite granules, according to the manufacturers directions.



• Have the well tested once a year for coliform bacteria, nitrates, and other constituents of concern.



• Keep accurate records of any well maintenance, such as disinfection or sediment removal, that may require the use of chemicals in the well.



• Hire a certified well driller for any new well construction, modification, or abandonment and closure.



• Avoid mixing or using pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, degreasers, fuels, and other pollutants near the well.



• Do not dispose of wastes in dry wells or in abandoned wells.



• Do not cut off the well casing below the land surface.



• Pump and inspect septic systems as often as recommended by your local health department.



• Never dispose of hazardous materials in a septic system.