The Importance of Well Maintenance
In order to protect the safety of your drinking water, you should practice regular maintenance of your private well. This will keep your well functioning properly and keep your water quality levels high. Maintenance, combined with water quality testing, can keep you and your family safe and free from water-borne illnesses.
Inspections
You should routinely inspect the visible portions of your well, looking for cracks and breaches that could allow contaminants into your water supply. You will want to check the well cap to ensure that it still fits tightly over the well. The earth around the well should slope away from the well cap, so as to prevent rainwater from pooling around the top of the unit.
Practice Safe Chemical Use
You should avoid using hazardous material and chemicals near your well. Pesticides, fertilizer, and industrial-strength chemicals should never be used near your well. These products can seep into the ground water and can enter into your well, which means that your drinking water can become compromised.
Regular Water Testing
While you should always have your water tested if you find damage or cracks on your well cap or if your area has experienced flooding, you still need to have your water tested throughout the year. Since you are not able to visually inspect the entire well, you will not always be aware of problems with your system below-ground. Regular testing can not only tell you if the water is contaminated; it can also tell you if repairs are needed.
Water quality testing, and routine well maintenance, will keep your well functioning properly and ensure that you always have safe and clean drinking water.