In deciding what additional tests to
do, it is best to understand the history
of land use at your property and the
abutting properties. You may wish to
inquire with neighbors, town officials
and state agencies. This will help you
to focus your list of the less  routine
items to test.
  The less-routine tests may not  be
performed at all laboratories.

When  To  Test
  Recent regulations  (still under
development) require prospective
homebuyers to 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 inter-
val between water quality tests can
be once per year for some items and
less frequently for others (see chart),
provided the  well  is properly
constructed and located in a safe area.
  However, the following conditions
would prompt more frequent testing:
  • Heavily developed areas with land
uses that handle hazardous chemicals.
  • Recent well construction activities
or repairs. HEALTH recommends
taking a bacterial test after any well
repair or pump or plumbing modifica-
tion, but only after disinfection and
substantial flushing of the water
system.
  • Contaminant concentrations above
state or federal standards found in
earlier testing.
• Noticeable variations in quality — e.g.
water quality change after a heavy rain
or an unexplained change in a previ-
ously trouble-free well (i.e. funny taste,
cloudy appearance, etc.).
  When taking any sample, HEALTH
recommends that it be taken after a
heavy rainstorm. These  events tend to
highlight conditions  of  improper well
construction or poor soil filtration.

What the  Tests  Tell You
  Results will reveal the level at which
any of the tested substances were found
in your water sample. The  mere pres-
ence of contaminants in well water does
not necessarily imply that there is a prob-
lem. However, when levels exceed state
or federal health standards, you should
take steps to correct the  situation.
  You should contact a licensed well
driller/pump  installer for any well
repairs or replacement. Several methods
are available from commercial contrac-
tors to treat  contaminated water.
HEALTH has  links to  informational
documents  on  the web  concerning all
common water quality  problems and
their solutions.

  For  More Information
          RIDept. of Health
    Office of Drinking Water Quality
        3 Capitol Hill - Room 209
       Providence, RI02908-5097
           (401) 222-6867
      www.health.ri.gov
    This brochure was funded  in part by the
     US Environmental Protection Agency.
©[printed en 100% recycled paper,  with a minimum of 50%
    post ccnsuner waste, using Asgstafcle based inks

     Protect
       Your
      Family

 Test Your Well's
  Water  Quality
       Today
 A Guide to Water
Quality  Testing for
  Private Wells  in
    Rhode  Island
              ii in it in
              mniinai
   HFAITH
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency New England
                                                                                                     EPA 901-F-04-002B  February 2004

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Private  Wells
  If you have a private well as a drink-
ing water source, water quality testing
should be important to you and your
family.
  Some contaminants in drinking water
have been linked to cancer and toxicity,
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 testing  is  required only at the
time of sale of properties with  non-
public wells, the Rhode Island Depart-
ment of Health (HEALTH) recommends
that all homeowners with private wells
test their water regularly. Testing should
be performed at a laboratory licensed by
the State of Rhode Island.

Contamination  of Wells
  Well water originates as rain and
snowmelt that filters into the  ground.
As it soaks through the soil, the water
can dissolve contaminants that are
present  on or in the ground.
  Some  contaminants are naturally
occuring from  features found in the
rocks and soils of  Rhode Island. These
include  substances like bacteria, radon,
beryllium, 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.
  Many residental activities, such as
theuse of fertilizers and pesticides,
fueling of lawn  care equipment,  and
disposal  of household chemicals  can
contaminate the ground when done
improperly. An improperly maintained
on-site residential septic system can pose
a threat to your well. That is why taking
measures to protect your well from
contamination is so important.

Recommended   Tests
  The following tests identify common
contaminants found in our  state's
well water. Although more tests could
be added, this list provides a cost-effec-
tive, reasonable  overview of a well's
water quality. It is not necessary to do all
of these tests at one time.

4 Standard  Analysis
  This basic analysis covers  the most
common  contaminants. Some of these
contaminants pose health-related con-
cerns, while others only affect aesthet-
ics (taste  and odor).

4 Naturally  Occurring
Radioactive   Elements
  Dissolved radon is a  common well
water problem. Presently, there are no
federal or state  standards  for radon
in drinking water, only suggested
action levels.  HEALTH  estimates  that
most private wells in  Rhode Island
exceed the suggested action  levels, so
testing for radon is important. Because
the  dissolved radon gas is released to
the air during normal water use,  you
should consider checking your indoor
air  radon levels as well.
 Contaminants  & Testing  Frequency
Standard  Analysis   Testing  Frequency
   *Bacteria      Yearly
   *Nitrate/Nitrite
    Sodium

   *Fluoride
   *lron
  Every 3-5 yrs
   "Lead
   *Manganese
    pH
   "Turbidity
'Minimum requirements for property transfer.
   Radon
   VOCs
Every 3-5 yrs
Every 5-10 yrs
  Naturally occurringradioactive minerals,
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.

4 Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOCs)
  The most common VOCs come from
gasoline compounds (such as MTBE and
benzene) and industrial solvents. MTBE
can be found in well water even in remote
areas.

4 Additional Tests
  Circumstances relative to your well may
require additional testing not  described
here. For instance, HEALTH does not
recommend routine testing for things
like pesticides,  herbicides,  or  synthetic
organic  compounds,  mainly because of
the high cost. However, such testing may be
warranted, depending on where you live.

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