Protect YoUr Family Test Your Well’s Water Quality Today A Guide to Water Qualii Tesling fo Private Wells NIW P4AMP I1tRE DEPA*TMEP4T O N - ’EnvironmentaI Services 8EPA New England ------- Private WeDs If you have a private well, then water quality testing should be important to you and your family. Some contaminants in drinking water have been linked to cancer and toxidty, posing a risk to human health. Many contaminants often have no taste, odor, or color. Their presence can only be determined by laboratory testing. While there is no state requirement to have your well water tested (although there may be from your mortgage lender or town), the. New Hampshire Depart- ment of Environmental Services (DES) recommends that ll homeowners with private wells do so. Contamination of Wells Well water originates as rain and snow that then filters into the ground. As it soaks through the soil, the water can dissolve materials that are present on or in the ground, becoming contaminated. Some contaminants are naturally occufing from features found in the rocks and soils of New Hampshire. These include substances like bacteria, radon, arsenic, uranium, and other minerals. Other contaminants find their Way onto the land from human activities. On a large scale, industrial / commercial activities, improper waste disposal, road salting, and fuel spills can introduce hazardous substances to the ground. However, even typical residential ac- tivities, such as the use of fertilizers and pesticides, fueLing of lawn equipment, and disposal of. household chemicals ------- can contaminate the ground when done improperly. That is why taking mea- sures to protect your well from contami- nation is so important. Recommended Tests The following tests identify commoft contaminants found in our state’s well water. Although more testè could be added, this list provides cost-effective, reasonable overview of a well’s water quality. The total cost of all of the fol- lowing. tests is approximately $235, de- pending on the laboratory used. It is not necessary to do all of the tests i n one time. & Standard Analysis This basic analysis covers the most common contaminants. Some of these contaminants pose health-related con- cerns, while àthers only affect aesthet- ics (taste and odor). ($65). 6 Radon Radon is a common New F ampshire well water problem. Presently, theze are no’ federal or state standards for radon in drinking water, only suggesfed ac- tion levels. DES estimates that most private wells in New Hampshire exceed this level, so testing.for radon is impor- .tant. ($20) [ Note: you may also consider checking your indoor air radon levels.] 6 Gross AJpha Screen Radioactive minei’als, such as radium and uranium, may be dissolved in well water. A Gross Alpha Screen is a simple test to judge whether further testing for radium or uraniUm might be needed. ($50) ------- Contaminants & Testing Frequency Standard Analysis Cost’ Testing Frequency Arsenic — Bactena Chloride i Every Copper 3-5 yrs Fluoride ¼. (except for Hardness ) $65 bacteria Iron I and nitrate Lead I which are Manganese i yearly) Nitrate/Nitrite pH I Sodium — — Radon $20 Every 3-5 yrs Gross Alpha Screen $50 Every 3-5 yrs (bedrock wells only) VOCs $100 Every 5-10 yrs laboratory costs as of 8/31/01 o Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCS) The most common VOCs come from gaspline compounds (such as MtBE and benzene) and industrial solvents. MtBE can be found i ii well water even in remote areas. ($100) o Additional Tests Circumstances relative to your well may iequire additional testing not de L scribed here. For instance, DES does not recommend routihe testing for things like pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic organic compounds, mainly because of the high cost. However, such testing ------- might be warranted if your water has elevated nitrite/nitrate concentrations or significant amounts of pesticide have been applied near the well. These less-routine tests may not be performed at all laboratQries. When To Test DES recommends that prospective homebuyers test the water in a home with a private well before purchase. Water quality in wells is generally stable, and if a change is going to occur, it occurs slowly. Thus the interval be- tween water quality tests, once you’ve purchased the home, can generally be in terms ,qf years (see chart) if a well is properly constructed and located in a safe area. However, the following conditions would prom it more frequent testing: • Heavily developed areas with land uses that handle hazardous chemicals. •Recent well construction activities or repairs. DES recommends taking a bacterial test after any well repair or pump or plumbing modification, but only after substantial flushing of the water system. • Contaminant concentrations above state or federal standards found in ear- lier testing. • Noticeable variations in quality like a water quality change after a heavy rain or an unexplained change in a previously trouble-free well (i.e. funny taste, cloudy appearance, etc.). ------- When taking ny sample, DES recom- mends that it be taken after a heavy rainstorm. These events tend ta high- light conditions of improper well con- struction or poor soil filtration. What the Tests Tell You Resulth will reveal the level at which any of the tested substances were found in your water sample. The mere pres- ençe of these contaminants in well wa- ter does not necessarily imply that there is a problem. However, when levels exceed state or federal health standards, you should take steps to correct the situ- ation. Several methods are available from commercial contractors to treat contaminated water. DES has informa- tional documents on the web concern- ing all common water quality problems and their solutions. For More Information For more information about water quality t?sting for private wells, includ- ing information about contacting certi- fied laboratories in New Hampshire or about preventing well contamination, contact the DES Water Supply Engi- neering Bureau. N.H. Dept. of Environmental Services Water Supply Engineering Bureau P0 Box 95—6 Hazen Drive Concord, NH 03302-0095 (603) 271-3139 www.des.state.nh.us/wseb This brochure w.as funded in part by the US Environmental Protection Agency. ® Printed on 100% recycled paper, with 100% post consumer waste, using vegetable based inks ------- |