drinking water

deanm · #21 04/11/07, 01:10 PM

I suppose since I'm on a limited budget, giving the well water a chance would be the best idea. My Dad doesn't think it's ever been tested, though, like I said, I know my uncle tried to get my grandma to stop drinking it and I remember seeing how nasty the filter that he put in her water container was.

She just started using a different water container and drinking it like she always did and the old water container with the nasty filter just sat in the fridge.

I know you could get free water testing from those companies selling filtration systems and such, but I don't know you can be sure you'll get objective results. So, do you need to package some water up and mail it to a lab? How much does that sort of thing cost?

doohap · #22 04/11/07, 01:25 PM

You can call your county agent. They should be able to tell you what you need to do. Some counties will test for free. Or you could get hold of an agricultural university in your state. They, also, should be able to help you.

Good luck,
doohap

Debbie at Bount · #23 04/11/07, 01:31 PM

Testing here in Oklahoma was free. Again, are the minerals in the water bad for you. My water has been tested twice. The first time when we bought the ranch 9 years ago it didn't pass so...they had to go deeper. I had it tested a few years ago and it said fine. Although, I know I have sulfer in that well because you can smell it in my soap kitchen that doesn't have a filter. Personally, I don't think the house has a filter but I don't smell anything.

doohap · #24 04/11/07, 01:34 PM

Here's a link to the Public Service Laboratory in your state:

http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/chem/psl/

Where you'll find the following posted:

Quote:

Among the Water Survey's most important public services are the water analyses provided by the Center for Chemistry and Technology to the citizens of Illinois. The Public Service Laboratory (PSL) tests water samples and suggests solutions for water problems of all kinds, whether they cause health or economic difficulties, or whether they're simply a nuisance.

Each year about 1,500 Illinois residents turn to the Water Survey's Center for Chemistry and Technology for help. A homemaker may bring a sample of wash water that has stained the laundry orange. A farmer may bring a sample of livestock water after noting a high death rate among his piglets. A doctor may submit a sample of the tap water to be used by a patient on a low-sodium diet. Or a city official may bring a sample from the municipal water supply to have the fluoride content checked.

And here's further link on that site:

http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/chem/psl/wtesting.htm

where you'll find the following:

Quote:

The Public Service Laboratory chemists analyze each sample differently, depending on where the water came from, how it will be used, and the symptoms of the problem. Although each analysis is tailored to the water being tested, typical parameters checked are arsenic, calcium, magnesium, iron, sodium, manganese, hardness, total dissolved solids, pH, alkalinity, color, turbidity, fluoride, chloride, nitrate, and sulfate.

To request a water analysis, it is best to call the Public Service Laboratory first. You can speak directly to an analytical chemist who will make sure that you receive a free sample collection kit appropriate to your situation. The chemist will give you specific instructions on how to handle your sample and how to submit it. This short discussion will also allow the analyst to become familiar with your problem and make sure that your sample is representative and appropriate for analysis. Samples that are not submitted in the sample collection kits cannot be accepted for analysis.

The Public Service Laboratory does not perform bacteriological analyses or analyses for pesticides or herbicides. County or regional public health departments may provide a bacteria/nitrate test to determine if your water is safe to drink. Many private laboratories may provide pesticide/herbicide analytical services. For more information, feel free to call the Public Service Laboratory for assistance.

Brian Kaiser: (217) 333-9234
Laboratory: (217) 333-0802

doohap · #25 04/11/07, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Debbie at Bount

... Again, are the minerals in the water bad for you. ...

Please see the article whose link I posted above.

http://www.mercola.com/article/wate...led_water_2.htm

You NEED minerals ...

doohap

deanm · #26 04/11/07, 01:55 PM

thanks doohap

looks like I need two tests. one from the public lab and one from the county public health office.

littlebitfarm · #27 04/11/07, 02:45 PM

Call the water plant at the biggest nearby city and ask where they get their bacteria samples run. Illinois has many certified labs capable of testing for bacteria. In Illinois nitrate and bacteria is all that is checked for potable private water. In reality, you may want to check for farm chemicals.

Kathie

deanm · #28 04/11/07, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlebitfarm

Call the water plant at the biggest nearby city and ask where they get their bacteria samples run. Illinois has many certified labs capable of testing for bacteria. In Illinois nitrate and bacteria is all that is checked for potable private water. In reality, you may want to check for farm chemicals.

Kathie

oh boy. So you need one test for mineral content, one test for bacteria, and one test for chemicals? Sure would be nice if someone could check for everything and tell you if the water is safe to drink or not.

Ramblin Wreck · #29 04/11/07, 04:13 PM

I buy spring water for use in town. At the farm, I drink well water. Certainly have it tested, but note that you sometimes need to treat well water with chlorine. I seldom need to do this, usually only when I've been inside the well casing for some reason. If I've "unsettled" the water by removing and replacing pipes, I put a little salt in the water too. This seems to help settle the sediment.

ROSEMAMA · #30 04/11/07, 04:28 PM

Dean, I'm sure glad you started this thread. I've been looking around the U of I site looking for just the info that doohap posted! (We're concerned the land we're looking to buy may have contaminated ground water from field runoff.)

Thanks everyone for all the useful info!

Farmerwilly2 · #31 04/11/07, 04:34 PM

I too used to be a water conny sewer, till I heard Bob and Tom one day. Now I prefer hotdog water. Sure, it costs a little more, but I'm worth it.

copperkid3 · #32 04/11/07, 04:47 PM

Am I the only one who saw that thing on "bottled water" and "fill your own bottles" espose' on TV a few years back? It was like on either "20-20" or some such, in which the investigators went around the country and showed the money that people were wasting in getting "filtered and reverse osmosis" processed water out of those machines at the grocery store, malls, etc. Turns out, most of them were plumbed into the city water system and didn't even use RO or filters!!! And the bottled water craze that the industry has been selling is little more than fancy labels and hype......most of the water came again from a city water system and was filtered to remove the chlorine taste and then put into a bottle describing it as coming "from mountain spring water or streams"....or such such nonsense. Your best bet is to have your well tested if you have any doubts.....for as many things that may worry you; some of the tests are quite expensive, but if it eases your mind over the long haul, then it will be money well spent. Enjoy a glass of H2O today!!!

littlebitfarm · #33 04/11/07, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deanm

oh boy. So you need one test for mineral content, one test for bacteria, and one test for chemicals? Sure would be nice if someone could check for everything and tell you if the water is safe to drink or not.

In Illinois I wouldn't worry about mineral content. It might have a lot of iron or manganese which will stain your laundry but it would take an aweful lot to hurt you. In Illinois your water is considered safe to drink if there is no coliform bacteria and the nitrate level is less than 10 PPM. Really the nitrate is only a problem for infants and pg women.

You can have you water tested for everything under the sun. I'm getting ready to send water samples off for the city tomorrow. EPA required tests that will test for about 80 different things. It won't be cheap. It's also something I've never done with my personal well water.

Look at your water source. Are there lots of farm fields around it? Then it would be a good idea to test the for the 4 or 5 most common farm chemicals. Assume that if they aren't there, than the others aren't either. If there is an old gas station or landfill nearby you need to look at other chemicals.

Kathie

deanm · #34 04/11/07, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlebitfarm

In Illinois I wouldn't worry about mineral content. It might have a lot of iron or manganese which will stain your laundry but it would take an aweful lot to hurt you. In Illinois your water is considered safe to drink if there is no coliform bacteria and the nitrate level is less than 10 PPM. Really the nitrate is only a problem for infants and pg women.

You can have you water tested for everything under the sun. I'm getting ready to send water samples off for the city tomorrow. EPA required tests that will test for about 80 different things. It won't be cheap. It's also something I've never done with my personal well water.

Look at your water source. Are there lots of farm fields around it? Then it would be a good idea to test the for the 4 or 5 most common farm chemicals. Assume that if they aren't there, than the others aren't either. If there is an old gas station or landfill nearby you need to look at other chemicals.

Kathie

I think the cistern water is used for laundry. There is mostly pasture and timber around. Other houses in the area all (or atleast mostly) are on city water. I don't know about the old gas station (not in the last 30-40 years atleast, I'm pretty sure) and the landfill.

Like I said, my grandma drank it for the 40 years of my life and I know I drank it as a kid when I visited. I guess I've gotten used to the bottled water and saw all that sediment on the filter my uncle put in her water container. But if it's all healthy or non-dangerous minerals or whatever, then I guess I can give it a try.