Well Water Safety and Treatment: Protecting Public Health
Did you know that as of 2022, a staggering thirteen million people in the United States rely on private groundwater wells for their water supply? That’s a significant number, and it means that unlike public drinking water sources regulated by the EPA, these privately owned wells need more personal oversight. This means well owners like you are responsible for ensuring their water is free from contaminants, which may lead to illness if consumed.
Groundwater pollution, a significant risk, can originate from various sources such as landfills, septic tanks, fuel tanks, fertilizers, pesticides, and urban runoff. Given this, regular evaluation of the water quality in private wells is not just important but crucial. Since private well water customers do not pay a water utility bill, they commonly invest in appropriate water treatment equipment.
Why We Always Recommend A Water Test As The First Step For Well Water Owners
Well water treatment serves various purposes, including removing specific contaminants and enhancing the taste or smell of your water. This becomes particularly important for households with members that have compromised immune systems, like the ill, elderly, or infants.Â
Well water contamination can occur through naturally occurring chemicals like arsenic, manganese, or iron and local land use practices such as fertilization, pesticide use, and animal waste. Malfunctioning wastewater treatment systems, sewer overflows, runoff, and failing septic tanks may also contribute to contamination.
Contaminants in well water can lead to serious health issues such as gastrointestinal illness, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. Regular monitoring and treatment of well water are not just important but essential to safeguard public health.
At Kind Water Systems, we take our responsibility as water experts seriously. To ensure we provide the best solution for your family, we must conduct a comprehensive water test and survey of your well. This way, we can understand your water’s characteristics and unique water-related concerns before recommending a customized solution.
Common Impurities Found in American Wells
The prevalence of impurities in private well water can vary based on geographical location, local land use practices, and geological conditions. However, some impurities are frequently found in American private wells. Here is a list of some prevalent impurities, including where they come from, why we should be concerned, and how we can deal with them:
Sediment
- Description: Solid particles suspended in water, like sand and clay.
- Potential Effects on Humans: None.
- Potential Effects on Home: Clogging of filters, potential wear and tear on plumbing equipment.
Low pH
- Description: Acidic water with pH below 7.0
- Potential Effects on Humans: Taste alteration, potential health risks.
- Potential Effects on Home: Corrosion or scaling in plumbing, fixtures, and appliances.
Transition Metals
- Description: Metals including iron, manganese, copper, zinc, etc.
- Potential Effects on Humans: Neurological damage, organ damage, developmental delays, gastrointestinal problems.
- Potential Effects on Home: Corrosion of pipes, staining of fixtures, clothing, home surfaces, metallic taste in water.
Iron Bacteria
- Description: Microorganisms causing iron staining and clogging in wells and plumbing systems.
- Potential Effects on Humans: Iron staining of clothing, unpleasant taste and odor.
- Potential Effects on Home: Clogging of wells and plumbing systems, widespread staining.
Sulfur Compounds
- Description: Hydrogen sulfide and sulfate cause foul odors and taste issues.
- Potential Effects on Humans: Foul odors, taste issues, staining.
- Potential Effects on Home: Corrosion of plumbing, widespread staining.
Vocs
- Description: Organic chemicals from industrial activities.
- Potential Effects on Humans: Liver and kidney damage, nervous system disorders, increased cancer risk.
- Potential Effects on Home: Contamination of water supply, potential health risks.
Hardness Minerals
- Description: Calcium and magnesium ions cause water hardness.
- Potential Effects on Humans: Damage to hair and skin, reduced efficiency of soap and detergents, hard clothing and linens, spotting on glassware, silverware, and dishware.
- Potential Effects on Home: Scale buildup in pipes, appliances, and fixtures.
Tannins
- Description: Organic compounds causing yellow or brown coloration and bitter taste in water.
- Potential Effects on Humans: Staining, bitter taste in water.
- Potential Effects on Home: Staining.
Microorganisms
- Description: Bacteria, viruses, and parasites causing gastrointestinal illnesses.
- Potential Effects on Humans: Effects on Humans: Gastrointestinal illnesses such as diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps.
- Potential Effects on Home: Biofilm formation, clogging, and corrosion of plumbing, fixtures, and appliances.
Total Dissolved Solids
- Description: Total concentration of dissolved ions, minerals, salts, and metals in water.
- Potential Effects on Humans: Taste and odor issues.
- Potential Effects on Home: Scale buildup in plumbing, fixtures, and appliances.
Heavy Metals
- Description: Metals with high atomic weights, such as arsenic, lead, mercury, cadmium, etc.
- Potential Effects on Humans: Neurological damage, organ damage, developmental delays, gastrointestinal problems, metallic taste in water.
- Potential Effects on Home: Corrosion of pipes, staining of fixtures.
Fluoride
- Description: A chemical compound containing fluorine, often found in water.
- Potential Effects on Humans: Dental health benefits are appropriate, and dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis are excessive.
- Potential Effects on Home: Corrosion, scale formation.
Pesticides & Herbicides
- Description: Chemicals used in agriculture to control pests and weeds.
- Potential Effects on Humans: Carcinogenic effects, disruption of endocrine systems.
- Potential Effects on Home: Corrosion, chemical interactions, clogging.
Nitrates & Nitrites
- Description: Nitrogen compounds from fertilizers, sewage, and animal waste.
- Potential Effects on Humans: Methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome), potential health issues in adults.
- Potential Effects on Home: Corrosion, microbial growth, scale formation
Why is it essential for a homeowner on well water to utilize a combination of water treatment technologies to ensure safe water for their family?
Due to the diverse impurities in well water, homeowners must utilize a combination of water treatment technologies to ensure safe water for their families. Each type of impurity above requires a unique treatment method.
Combining treatments allows simultaneous addressing of multiple contaminants, ensuring comprehensive water quality improvement. For instance, while activated carbon filtration effectively removes organic compounds, it may not eliminate microorganisms or dissolved minerals. Combining treatments creates a multi-barrier approach, increasing the likelihood of removing a broad spectrum of contaminants and providing assurance of safe drinking water.
Microorganisms can infiltrate private wells due to various factors, leading to fluctuating contamination levels over time.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), bacterial contamination is common, with about 15% to 20% of private wells nationwide testing positive for total coliform bacteria annually. Sources of contamination include surface runoff, septic system failures, and ingress of contaminated groundwater.
Well-owners should regularly test for bacterial contamination and undertake appropriate maintenance measures to mitigate risks. The EPA recommends testing wells for coliform bacteria at least once a year and after any maintenance or repair work. Based on this data and EPA guidance, Kind Water strongly recommends installing an Ultraviolet Disinfection System for all private well water applications.
Kind Water has the solutions to solve your well water problems!
Always start with a water test! Once we fully understand your water needs, we will customize a solution for your home and family.
Lean more about our products here
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Water Test and Survey
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Smart Metered Salt-Based Water Softener
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Smart Metered Tannin + Water Softener
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100-Micron Sand Filter with Sun Cover
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Bundle 3: Whole House Chemical Injection Iron & Sulfur System with Salt-Based Water Softener and Carbon Filter Combo for Private Wells
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Our most common well water packages
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Bundle 1 Plus: Whole House Salt-Based Water Softener and Carbon Filter Combo for Private Wells plus Ultraviolet Water Purification System & Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System
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Bundle 2 Plus: Whole House Chemical Free Iron System with Salt-Based Water Softener and Carbon Filter Combo for Private Wells plus Ultraviolet Water Purification System & Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System
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Bundle 3 Plus: Whole House Chemical Injection Iron & Sulfur System with Salt-Based Water Softener and Carbon Filter Combo for Private Wells plus Ultraviolet Water Purification System & Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System
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