Wells provide a safe and dependable source of water for drinking and everyday household tasks, such as washing, bathing, and cooking. To ensure it is safe to use throughout your home, you’ll need regular water well maintenance and quality testing. Below is a beginner’s guide to water testing to help you stay on track.

What You Need to Know About Water Well Maintenance & Testing

What Are the Possible Contaminants?

Coliform bacteria is a contaminant found in groundwater that presents potentially serious health hazards. Nitrates are also dangerous in large quantities as they may prevent the blood from carrying oxygen. While not toxic, excessive sodium, chloride, sulfate, iron, and manganese often give water a foul taste and odor. High counts of sulfates may aggravate the gastrointestinal system, while too much fluoride can cause dental issues. 

Can You Do It Yourself?

To test your well water, purchase a kit at a hardware store or online. In it, you’ll find several strips that individually test for many of the common contaminants mentioned above. Keep in mind, however, that DIY test kits are not 100% accurate and may not test for all possible impurities. These may be helpful to keep track of levels between water well maintenance appointments, but you should continue having a professional tend to the chemical levels.

What Are the Advantages of Professional Testing?

By having a water well maintenance company test your system, you’ll receive a comprehensive analysis. Professional tests are sensitive enough to detect trace amounts of pesticides, bacteria, and dissolved solids, which allows them to treat your water before serious contamination occurs. 

How Often Should You Test?

Test your well water approximately once per year. Shallow wells and surface water need more frequent testing since they are more vulnerable to impurities. For the most accurate results, remember to test your water at both the tap and the source.

Keep your home’s water supply clean and safe with reliable water well maintenance and testing from Action Drilling. For over 40 years, they have provided water well drilling, repairs, inspections, and submersible pump installation throughout Hickory County, MO. Call (417) 282-5270 to request an estimate, and visit them online to learn more about the importance of water well maintenance and other services.