MEEKS: Test your well water to be safe
The week has been one of those weeks. Sunday night we started having well issues, by Monday night we had to have a new well dug. I feel that now is a good time to talk about testing your well water, because as soon as everything is hooked-up at my house I will be bringing my bottles in as well.
The water that you are drinking may look clear and taste fine, but is it safe? Many Houston County residents rely on private water systems for human and livestock consumption.
Most well water in Georgia is safe to drink without treatment, but some may contain disease causing organisms that make the water unsafe to drink. Other well water might contain high amounts of minerals making the water hard and unusable for laundry, bathing or cooking.
According to UGA Extension Publication Testing for Water Quality, the Environmental Protection Division of Georgia ensures that all public water systems in the state continuously meet Safe Drinking Water Act standards. In 1996, Congress amended the SDWA to provide an annual quality report to consumers. If you have not received your Consumer Confidence Report, you can request one by contacting your water utility company. The CPR is usually based on the quality of the water at treatment plant, and assures that the water meets SDWA when it leave the treatment plant, but cannot guarantee that it meets SDWA when it reaches your faucet.
It is a good idea to test your water even when you have a public water system due to possible contamination from household plumbing. The quality of the water from a private source is the responsibility of the homeowner. The only way that a homeowner can know for certain that their well water is safe is to have it tested periodically.
If you have a private well, you are responsible for testing. Government agencies do not monitor or regulate private wells. You should test your water if you are installing a new well, when bringing back into service an unused well and during home sale transactions. You may also want to consider testing when your well does not meet construction codes, water stains, well contamination, etc.
The local environmental health department can conduct a microbiological test, but the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension can conduct both microbiological and chemical/mineral analysis. The testing procedure for different contaminants is not the same. To ensure that you use the correct procedure contact your local extension office first. When collecting a sample from a faucet, remove the aerator first. Some procedures require flushing the faucet and pipes first, while others require a first draw sample. When collecting a sample, please ensure you do not touch the inside of the bottle or let water run over your hand before entering the bottle. Cap the bottle immediately and deliver it to the extension office as soon as possible. Some samples have to be analyzed in a specific time frame. Your water should be tested for bacteria and nitrates every year and have a complete mineral analysis every three years.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Thursday and Friday: Office closed for Thanksgiving Holiday
Tuesday: Master Gardener application due date
For more information on any program area, contact Houston County Extension at 478-987-2028 or drop by the office at 801 Main St., Perry. Office hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Visit the website at www.caes.uga.edu/extension/houston/ for more news about your local Extension office.
This story was originally published November 24, 2015 at 7:17 PM with the headline "MEEKS: Test your well water to be safe ."