How often do you test your well water?

Keith · #1 07/30/13, 12:24 PM

For those with wells, how often do you get your well water tested?

Brighton · #2 07/30/13, 12:40 PM

Never.

TrainChaser · #3 07/30/13, 01:10 PM

I live on the edge of farm country, and as far as I have been able to determine, no one has their water tested. The fact that the river that runs through it is heavily contaminated doesn't seem to concern them.

In fact, they're so blind to the possibilities that they don't even contact the County Water Board to ask about general pollution in the area, which is paid for by their tax dollars. And I know some of them even dump their waste engine oil on the ground. But it's true that you can't fix stupid.

o&itw · #4 07/30/13, 01:17 PM

Invite some city people out and see if they get the drizzlin's

Seriously, it is a good thing to check it every few years. However, most state labs don't check for toxic materials, only for microbes.

oops, never answered the OP's question. Check with your country extension or check with the state health lab. Most have a little kit with instructions they will send you to tell how to collect and a box to mail it back. We happen to live close to one of our state labs, so we drop it off.

littlebitfarm · #5 07/30/13, 04:20 PM

Health department here says to do it every 6 months.

paradox · #6 07/30/13, 04:54 PM

This is one of those things I keep meaning to get around to but never do. My husband pokes fun at me. This is the same well his great grandparents used. He is "pretty sure the water is what killed great grandad. Only took 98 years..." Also he points out that the livestock who use a trough pulled off that well seem to have no trouble. LOL. I know it isn't very scientific and someday I will get around to sending a sample in for testing :-)

Alice In TX/MO · #7 07/30/13, 05:03 PM

Ditto on Never.

Raymond James · #8 07/30/13, 05:06 PM

Getting it tested for bacteria is usually pretty easy and is what the State or in some places a County Health department will do for you. There is usually a small 5 to 10 fee. Usually recommended every year to 6 months. If you have a dairy or a commercial food processing they will want you to do it more often.

Chemical analysis is more expensive and not likely to be done with the reduced budgets. In Missouri they will do some test for nitrates but only if the local Health Department comes and collects the sample. Those that live in Missouri who never had there well test by the Health Department can call there local HD and ask if they will do a "New Well Profile" the well doesn't have to be new just not tested before Some local Health Departments will not do it. Some will want to charge a fee. Most will just ask when is a good time to come out.

They will draw two samples a Bac-t for bacteria contamination and a larger one for the nitrate/chemical test. Be aware they will ask some questions drilled or dug, how deep , when put in and will want to GPS the well location. New wells in most states are supposed ot be reported by the well driller with this information anyway.

If you are lucky you will get someone who knows wells and will look at your well head for you. If it is a new well I have never seen any problems cannot say the same for older wells.

While these test will not test for all chemicals they will indicate when something could be wrong - example ph is out of normal range.

Commercial firms can and will test for anything you want done but it is expensive . Unless you have off odors/ taste or have a off PH I would not recommend it.

d'vash · #9 07/30/13, 05:09 PM

When I first moved into the house. Since then - not at all.

JoePa · #10 07/30/13, 05:11 PM

I put a reverse osmosis system under my sink - so the water from the well is purified - that's the water I drink and use for cooking - I have to change filters once a year - they cost me around 120 bucks - it takes out all kinds of things from the water but doesn't remove bacteria - for that you would need a ultrviolet light system in your piping -

arabian knight · #11 07/30/13, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Ditto on Never.

Same here, never have in the 14 years I have been here.

**highlands** · #12 07/30/13, 08:23 PM

Never. No problem. No reason. No need.

The water testing companies will beg to differ, they'll tell you that you must test your water, that there are all sorts of dangers. But, who's making a profit on your fear, uncertainty and doubt? FUD factor.

LisaInN.Idaho · #13 07/30/13, 08:48 PM

Another never.

Sawmill Jim · #14 07/31/13, 01:33 AM

And another never . An't dead yet

ChristieAcres · #15 07/31/13, 02:26 AM

Before we bought our place, we tested the water. We live where there is zero chance of contamination to our well due to the topography and the proximity of where we live. In order for there to be a change in our water, an event must occur. If we had an earthquake, I'd test our water. If there were other catastrophes which could affect our water, of course I'd test. So far, haven't tested it since we bought it 8 years ago.

**Kris in MI** · #16 07/31/13, 08:59 AM

10 years ago, as part of the process of getting our occupancy permit on the new house we had just built.

Yvonne's hubby · #17 07/31/13, 10:30 AM

I no longer use a well or spring but did for many years. I tested both springs and wells daily. It was simple and inexpensive. I just drank the water, if I didnt get sick.... it had passed the test! The only problem I ever had was when I moved to a different location, new water source seemed to always have some different bug, so I would stick close to the bathroom for the first couple days while my body adjusted to the new diet.

o&itw · #18 07/31/13, 01:21 PM

We had ours tested about a year ago. We decided to do it after visiting a farm that was up for sale. My DW wanted to taste the water because some of the wells in that area had iron problems. No iron problems, but apparently there were a few bugs in the water she wasn't used to..... it cleaned her out pretty well in the next few days.

After that we got a couple of kits from the state health lab to do water quality checks on property we might get seriously interested in. We sent one in on our own (350') well, and found we had a few microbes. No body had ever got sick from our water, and we were supprised when we got the results back. The inspector told us how to "shock" the well with chlorine bleach and even came out to do a post test when we were done. He said it was fairly common for a bug or something to get up under a well head cover and get a few microbes in it. He also said, that if one had a good lined well, that wasn't in a barnyard area, or beneath a septic field there was seldom any real trouble.

With the broken rock substrate we have in this area, animal wastes can get down in the soil horizon farther than in most areas. People here have started lining their wells down for a hundred feet or so just for this reason.

Ravenlost · #19 07/31/13, 05:55 PM

Add us to the nevers.

When the well was drilled ten years ago hubby asked the well guy if we should get the water tested. Well guy took a drink and said, "There. I tested it and it's good".

We've been drinking it for nine years and it seems he knew what he was talking about.

mountainlaurel · #20 07/31/13, 06:14 PM

We own a plumbing business. We do not test our well. We drilled it 28 years ago and tested it then.