The rocks and soil in the ground naturally filter well water, providing a clean, safe supply for your home. However, contamination can find its way into the well, potentially affecting the taste of the water and even the family’s health. To ensure you can contact a well maintenance professional to diagnose and repair the cause of the problem, below are several indications that your water is not healthy.

How Can You Spot Contamination in Well Water?

1. Green Stains

Water should not leave strange colors on your fixtures after using it. However, green stains indicate high levels of acidic iron, magnesium, and zinc. These minerals can quickly corrode your pipes and fixtures, and may even cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea if you consume them in high concentrations.

A well maintenance professional can install a neutralizing filter that reduces the acidity of the water and removes harmful minerals. If the acidic metals are coming from an internal plumbing leak in the home, you may need repairs to prevent the substances from entering.

2. Salty Taste

Generally, salt in the water does not pose immediate health risks. However, it can contribute to rust and corrosion inside the plumbing system, and it can even leave salt in your appliances, causing them to fail prematurely. Salty water can also discolor your clothes after washing them.

While sodium and sodium chloride occur naturally in groundwater, these substances might also seep into the aquifer from road salt or farming activity. A well maintenance professional might recommend using a reverse osmosis filter to remove the sodium before it enters the house.

3. Discolored Water

While dirty water might not look appetizing, it usually isn’t harmful to your health. Often, cloudiness occurs when silt or dirt particles are present in the groundwater. These natural contaminants can also give your water an earthy taste, and can prevent you from cleaning areas of the house, as the water will leave sediment. If your supply is otherwise clean, replacing the filter on the well pump will usually eliminate discoloration.

Whether your water has a strange taste or your pump is malfunctioning, Ace Drilling offers expert well maintenance and repairs you can count on. Owners Dave and Jay Bick have over 30 years of experience helping homeowners throughout Polson, MT, with their water well needs. Visit the website for more information about their well maintenance and water treatment services, and call (406) 883-3300 to discuss your issues with a member of their team.