 | Rick Sullivan
an employee of Central Water Systems, moved to Kansas in 1996 to work for Central Marketing, parent company of Central Water Systems. Specializing in treating Kansas water for several years, Rick attends Water Quality Association classes to assist clients with the water system that suits their needs. Rick does extensive work with area builders on city and rural properties, and installing systems for commercial industries and restaurants. Contact Rick at (316) 794-8291, or 19894 W. Kellogg, Goddard, KS 67052. |
Water Quality
2004-02-01 15:36:00
Should I have my well tested?
Rick Sullivan
Question: Should I have my private well tested?Answer: Yes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) rules that protect public drinking water systems do not apply to privately owned wells. Most states have rules for private wells, but these rules may not completely protect you. In other words, as a private well owner, it is up to you to make sure that your well water is safe to drink. Check your well every spring to make sure there are no mechanical problems; test it once each year for germs and once every two to three years for harmful chemicals. The only way to find out if your well water is contaminated is to test it. You can contact your health or environmental department, or a private laboratory to test for germs and harmful chemicals. In some states, the drilling contractor must test a new well after it is built. However, as a well owner, it is up to you to maintain your well and have it tested regularly. Germs and chemicals can get into your well water and contaminate it in different ways. Some germs and chemicals occur naturally. For example, heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and cadmium are naturally found in rocks and soil and sometimes seep into ground water. Other contaminants come from human and animal waste resulting from polluted storm water runoff, agricultural runoff, flooded sewers, or individual septic systems that are not working properly.
