Water Well Testing – How often?

How often should I test my well water living in Northeast Georgia? We hear this question often. If you have a water well in White, Habersham, Lumpkin, Rabun, Towns, Union, Banks, Jackson, Hall and the surrounding areas of Northeast Georgia you might think your water is safe.   However, regularly testing your well water quality is essential for having a safe and reliable source of water. Even if the water looks clean, it could still be filled with things that aren’t so greta for your body. Testing your water will give you information and if there is any dangerous chemicals or imbalances in your water supply, it will allow you to address the issue head-on.

Unfortunately, many individuals don’t even think about testing their well water source until they need well water service or repair. We suggest you not wait until you something is wrong with the components of your well, properly functioning well components will still pump toxic water into the house just the same.  Instead, test your well water regularly to make sure you are drinking the cleanest water.

IS WELL WATER SAFE TO DRINK?

The only way you can know if the water in your well is safe to drink is to test it. Even if your water looks clean, bacteria and contaminants can be lurking in crystal clear water, which can subtly or directly affect the health and safety of you and your family. To ensure safety, water should be free of all contaminates and toxins.  A simple, free Water Test from American Water|Freeman Electric can inform your family’s safety.

WHAT SHOULD MY WELL WATER BE TESTED FOR?

Countless toxins and contaminants can creep into your well water supply. It’s important that you perform appropriate tests to determine what is in your water. Most importantly, you will want to test the basic water potability. This includes testing for microbes like fecal coliforms and e.coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes.

Some other contaminants you will want to test for include nitrates, sodium, iron, manganese, sulfate, dissolved solids, and more. You will also want us to test the pH level and hardness of your water for a complete picture of its health.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD MY WELL WATER BE TESTED?

You never know when contaminants or toxins can get into your well water supply. For this reason, it’s important to routinely test your water. The EPA recommends testing your water annually for bacteria and nitrates.  So at the very minimum, test your drinking water once a year.  If your well isn’t protected by a filtration system it is best to test the water seasonally.

Also, you should get your well water tested anytime you spot damage to the well itself.  Well damage quickly leads to contamination. Even after you fix the well itself, the water could still be contaminated.  So, test the water quality as soon as you notice and fix damage to the well.  When you call water well repair service near me, get the water tested then.  Even if you have recently tested the water, it doesn’t hurt to confirm that the water is still in healthy condition.

According to the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Office  well water should be tested:

• When a new well is installed
• If it hasn’t been tested in more than 1 year
• Someone consistently complains of gastrointestinal problems
• There is a pregnancy in the family
• Infants and/or elderly live there
• There are noticeable differences in water following heavy rains
• A fertilizer/pesticide/fuel spill within 500’
• Neighbors have problems with their well water
• After flood waters cover your well head or pad

HOW CAN I GET MY WELL WATER TESTED?

For routine testing, you can test the quality of your water yourself by contacting your local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Office at 1-800-ASK- UGA1. This number will connect you to the UGA County Extension Office where your phone is registered. Here you can obtain well water test information, materials and costs.

Another option is to select American Water | Freeman Electric as your  water and well specialist. We offer water testing capabilities to ensure the well is in balanced condition. The team at American Water | Freeman Electric, Inc. offers water quality tests near me in Northeast Georgia, Cleveland, GA, Gainesville, GA, Clarkesville, GA, Blairsville, GA, Clayton, GA and surrounding areas.  Contact us. 

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