Drinking Water - Part 4
> 4. Well Construction and Maintenance Proper well construction and continued maintenance are keys to the safety of your water supply. Your State water well contractor licensing agency, local health department, or local water system professional can provide information on well construction. See Figure 60 .
Water-well drillers and pump-well installers are listed in your local phone directory. The contractor should be bonded and insured. Make certain your ground water contractor is registered or licensed in your State, if required. If your State does not have a licensing/registration program contact the National Ground Water Association. They have a voluntary certification program for contractors. (In fact, some states use the Association’s exams as their test for licensing.) For a list of certified contractors in your State contact the Association at (614) 898-7791 or (800) 551-7379. There is no cost for mailing or faxing the list to you. 
| Figure 60: The well should be located so rainwater flows away from it. Rainwater can pick up harmful bacteria and chemicals on the land’s surface. If this water pools near your well, it can seep into it, causing health problems. |
Many homeowners tend to forget the value of good maintenance until problems reach crisis levels. That can be expensive. It’s better to maintain your well, find problems early, and correct them to protect your well’s performance. Keep up-to-date records of well installation and repairs plus pumping and water tests. Such records can help spot changes and possible problems with your water system. If you have problems, ask a local expert to check your well construction and maintenance records. He or she can see if your system is okay or needs work. The graphic in Figure 61 shows a good example of an animal-proof cap or seal and the casing of a well. 
| Figure 61: An animal or vermin proof cap prevents rodents from entering your well, being trapped and dying. Paving around your well will prevent polluted runoff from seeping into your water supply. |
Protect your own well area. Be careful about storage and disposal of household and lawn care chemicals and wastes. Good farmers and gardeners minimize the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Take steps to reduce erosion and prevent surface water runoff. Regularly check underground storage tanks that hold home heating oil, diesel, or gasoline. Make sure your well is protected from the wastes of livestock, pets, and wildlife.
> 5. Talk With Local Experts
Good sources of information and advice can be found close to home. The list below tells about some “local experts”: >> The local health department’s registered “sanitarian” is a health specialist. He or she likely knows the most about any problems with private wells.
>> Local water-well contractors can tell you about well drilling and construction. They are also familiar with local geology and water conditions. Look in the yellow pages of your phone book or contact the agency in your State that licenses water well contractors. Call the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) at (614) 898-7791 or (800) 5517379 to find NGWA-certified water well contractors in your area. Officials at the nearest public water system may explain any threats to local drinking water and may be developing plans to address potential threats. They may advise you on taking samples and understanding tests done on your water. Ask the local health department or look in your phone book for the name and address of the closest system. Local county extension agents will know about local farming and forestry activities that can affect your water. They may also have information about water testing.
>> The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) replaced the old U.S. Soil Conservation Service. It is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The NRCS and the U.S. Geological Survey have information about local soils and ground water. They can tell you where a local water supply is located and how it is recharged or replenished. They would know of any pollution threats and if radon is a problem in the area. Look for both in the blue pages of your local phone book. Local or county planning commissions can be good sources. They know about past and present land uses in your area that affect water. Your public library may also have records and maps that can provide useful information. Nearby colleges and universities have research arms that can provide facts and expertise. They may also have a testing lab.
> 6. Fix Problems Immediately
If you find that your well water is polluted, fix the problem as soon as possible. You may need to disinfect your water, have a new well drilled, re-plumb or repair your system. Consider hooking into a nearby community water system (if one is available). If you have a new well drilled or connect to a community water system, the old well must be closed properly. Consult “local experts” for help. You might consider installing a water treatment device to remove impurities. Information about treatment devices can be obtained from the following sources: >> Water Quality Association
P.O. Box 606
4151 Naperville Road
Lisle, IL 60532
www.wqa.org
>> National Sanitation Foundation
P.O. Box 130140
789 N Dixboro Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48113-0140
(734) 769-8010, (800) NSF-MARK
www.nsf.org
>> U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (to visit in person)
>> Office of Water Resource Center
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Ariel Rios Building
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: (202) 260-7786
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays, 8:30AM – 4:30PM ET There are many home water treatment devices. Different types remove different pollutants or impurities. No one device does it all. Also, you must carefully maintain your home treatment device so your water stays safe.
> Find Out More
To find out more about your watershed and its ground water visit “Surf Your Watershed” at www.epa.gov/surf. Also look at the “Index of Watershed Indicators” at www.epa.gov/iwi. These websites can also tell you possible sources of problems. Companies with permits to release their wastewaters in your area are listed. You can see if they meet pollution control laws. You can also learn how your watershed compares to others in the country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and EPA support a program to help farmers, ranchers and rural homeowners. Called Farm*A*Syst or Home*A*Syst, it helps identify and solve environmental problems, including protecting drinking water. Obtain a copy of the Home*A*Syst questionnaire/checklist that can help you find possible threats to your water supply from: >> National Farm*A*Syst/Home*A*Syst Program
303 Hiram Smith Hall
1545 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706
Ph: 608.262.0024 Fax: 608.265.2775
For more information on current and future Federal drinking water standards and for general information on drinking water topics and issues, contact the EP A at www.epa.gov/safewater or at: >> U .S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Or call: >> The Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800) 426-4791
>> The hotline operates from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM (EST)
>> The hotline can be accessed on the Internet at www.epa.gov/safewater/drinklink.html
You can get a list of Federal drinking water standards from the EPA website. In addition, the EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water gives chemical and health risk information for a number of drinking water problems through its Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800) 426-4791. This information is also on the internet at www.epa.gov/safewater. If you do not have a computer, most public libraries offer internet access. Even though Federal standards do not apply to household wells, you can use them as a guide to potential problems in your water. Be aware that many states have their own drinking water standards. Some are stricter than the Federal rules. To get your State standards, contact your State drinking water program or local health department.
Other sources of information include:
>> Ground Water Protection Council
http://gwpc.site.net
>> American Water Works Association
www.awwa.org
>> National Rural Water Association
www.nrwa.org
>> National Drinking Water Clearinghouse
www.estd.wvu.edu/ndwc
>> Rural Community Assistance Program
www.rcap.org
>> U.S. Geological Survey
www.water.usgs.gov
>> U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service
www.nrcs.usda.gov
>> Water Systems Council
www.watersystemscouncil.org
Health Concerns Drinking Water Glossary
> Aquifer – An underground formation or group of formations in rocks and soils containing enough ground water to supply wells and springs. > Backflow – A reverse flow in water pipes. A difference in water pressures pulls water from sources other than the well into a home’s water system, for example waste water or flood water. Also called back siphonage. > Bacteria – Microscopic living organisms; some are helpful and some are harmful. “Good” bacteria aid in pollution control by consuming and breaking down organic matter and other pollutants in septic systems, sewage, oil spills, and soils. However, “bad” bacteria in soil, water, or air can cause human, animal, and plant health problems. > Confining layer – Layer of rock that keeps the ground water in the aquifer below it under pressure. This pressure creates springs and helps supply water to wells. > Contaminant – Anything found in water (including microorganisms, minerals, chemicals, radionuclides, etc.) which may be harmful to human health. > Cross-connection – Any actual or potential connection between a drinking (potable) water supply and a source of contamination. > Heavy metals – Metallic elements with high atomic weights, such as, mercury chromium cadmium, arsenic, and lead. Even at low levels these metals can damage living things. They do not break down or decompose and tend to build up in plants, animals, and people causing health concerns. > Leaching field – The entire area where many materials (including contaminants) dissolve in rain, snowmelt, or irrigation water and are filtered through the soil. > Microorganisms – Also called microbes. Very tiny life forms such as bacteria, algae, diatoms, parasites, plankton, and fungi. Some can cause disease. > Nitrates – Plant nutrient and fertilizer that enters water supply sources from fertilizers, animal feed lots, manures, sewage, septic systems, industrial wastewaters, sanitary landfills, and garbage dumps. > Protozoa – One-celled animals, usually microscopic, that are larger and more complex than bacteria. May cause disease. > Radon – A colorless, odorless naturally occurring radioactive gas formed by the breakdown or decay of radium or uranium in soil or rocks like granite. Radon is fairly soluble in water, so well water may contain radon. > Radionuclides – Distinct radioactive particles coming from both natural sources and human activities. Can be very long lasting as soil or water pollutants. > Recharge area – The land area through or over which rainwater and other surface water soaks through the earth to replenish an aquifer, lake, stream, river, or marsh. Also called a watershed. > Saturated zone – The underground area below the water table where all open spaces are filled with water. A well placed in this zone will be able to pump ground water. > Unsaturated zone – The area above the ground water level or water table where soil pores are not fully saturated, although some water may be present. > Viruses – Submicroscopic disease causing organisms that grow only inside living cells. > Watershed – The land area that catches rain or snow and drains it into a local water body (such as a river, stream, lake, marsh, or aquifer) and affects its flow, and the local water level. Also called a recharge area. > Water table – The upper level of the saturated zone. This level varies greatly in different parts of the country and also varies seasonally depending on the amount of rain and snowmelt. > Well cap – A tight-fitting, vermin proof seal designed to prevent contaminants from flowing down inside of the well casing. > Well casing – The tubular lining of a well. Also a steel or plastic pipe installed during construction to prevent collapse of the well hole. > Wellhead – The top-of a structure built over a well. Term also used for the source of a well or stream. | 
