UF/IFAS: Test Your Well Water At Least Once Per Year

June 2, 2018

by Andrea Albertin, UF/IFAS

An estimated 2.5 million Floridians (approximately 12% of the population) rely on private wells for home consumption, which includes water for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing, toilet flushing and other needs. While public water systems are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure safe drinking water, private wells are not regulated. Private well users are responsible for ensuring the safety of their own drinking water.

How can well users make sure that their water is safe to drink?

It’s important to have well water tested at a certified laboratory at least once a year for contaminants that can cause health problems. According to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH), the most common contaminants in well water in Florida are bacteria and nitrates.

Bacteria: Labs generally test for Total coliform bacteria and fecal coliforms (or E. coli specifically) when a sample is submitted for bacteriological testing. This generally costs about $25 to $30, but can vary depending on where you have your sample analyzed.

Coliform bacteria are a large group of different kinds of bacteria and most species are harmless and will not make you sick. But, a positive test for total coliforms indicate that bacteria are getting into your well water. Coliforms are used as indicator organisms – if coliform bacteria are in your well, other pathogens (bacteria, viruses or protozoans) that cause diseases may also be getting into your well water. It is easier and cheaper to test for total coliforms than a suite of bacteria and other organisms that can cause health problems.

Fecal coliform bacteria are a subgroup of coliform bacteria found in human and other warm-blooded animal feces. E. coli are one species of fecal coliform bacteria. A positive test for fecal coliform bacteria or E. coli indicate that water has been contaminated by human or animal waste.

If your water sample tests positive for only total coliform bacteria or both total coliform and fecal coliform (or E. coli), the Department of Health recommends that your well be disinfected. This is generally done through shock chlorination. You can either hire a well operator in your area to disinfect your well or you can do it yourself. Information for how to shock chlorinate your own well can be found

Nitrates: The U.S. EPA set the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for nitrate in drinking water at 10 miligrams per liter of water (mg/L). Values above this are a concern for infants who are less than 6 months old because high nitrate levels can cause a type of “blue baby syndrome” (methemoglobinemia), where nitrate interferes with the capacity of hemoglobin in the blood to carry oxygen. It is particularly important to test for nitrate if you have a young infant in the home that will be drinking well water or when well water will be used to make formula to feed the infant.

If test results come back above 10 mg/L, never boil nitrate contaminated water as a form of treatment. This will not remove nitrates. Use water from a tested source (bottled water or water from a public supply source) until the problem is addressed.

Nitrates in well water come from fertilizers applied on land surfaces, animal waste and/or human sewage, such as from a septic tank. Have your well inspected by a professional to identify why elevated nitrate levels are is getting into your well water. You can also consider installing a water treatment system, such as reverse osmosis or distillation units to treat the contaminated water. Before having a system installed, make sure you contact your local health department or a water treatment contractor for more information.

Where can you have your well water tested?

Most county health departments accept samples for water testing. You can also submit samples to a certified commercial lab near you. Contact your county health department for information about what to have your water tested for and how to take and submit the sample.

Contact information for county health departments can be found on this site: http://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/county-health-departments/find-a-county-health-department/index.html

You can search for laboratories near you certified by FDOH here: https://fldeploc.dep.state.fl.us/aams/loc_search.asp This includes county health department labs as well as commercial labs, university labs and others.

You should also have your well water tested at any time when:

  • The color, taste or odor of your well water changes or if you suspect that someone became sick after drinking your well water.
  • A new well is drilled or if you have had maintenance done on your existing well
  • A flood occurred and your well was affected

Remember: Bacteria and nitrate are by no means the only parameters that well water is tested for. Call your local health department to discuss your water and what they recommend you should get the water tested for. The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) also maintains an excellent website with many resources for private well users: http://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/private-well-testing/index.html . This site includes information on potential contaminants and how to maintain your well to ensure the quality of your well water.

Comments

4 Responses to “UF/IFAS: Test Your Well Water At Least Once Per Year”

  1. Timothy Wright on June 3rd, 2018 12:16 pm

    Maybe thats why the requirement for distance from a homeowners well to any septic tank, including your neighbors has changed from 75 ft to 100. They know about that. I think that it used to be 50 feet. However under the right conditions, the effluent can easily affect your well water. Then you have only two choices, move the well (most cost effective) or move the septic tank. Its really not a choice to call in the local government to run water and sewer to your house. They want to do it…for a hefty price.

  2. Blah blah on June 2nd, 2018 9:13 pm

    @avis. Stop being a nanny state cry baby. You don’t need anyone nor is anyone responsible for what you consume but you. People like you are WHY we have no privacy left. You stick your hands out and beg the government to come in and take your life over because you’re too pathetic to take care of yourself.

  3. Wilykyote on June 2nd, 2018 5:58 pm

    100 gallons must be a misprint….would almost take that for my house ! Diesel,
    Natural Gas ( best choice) …….and Propane Gas . sure hoping no Hurricanes
    this year. Sounds like not enough Generator ( commercial) sellers are out there.
    Gonna be big problem if not ready ! Check the readiness of the facilities if
    you’ve a loved one in a facility. And the Generator must be maintained on a regular
    basis. If they don’t work when needed what good are they ?

  4. Avis on June 2nd, 2018 6:48 am

    Testing should be required and monitored with at least as much scrutiny as septic tank systems. I could never understand why septic tanks fall under health department responsibility but the water we consume, from under such septic tank systems, nobody seemed to care about. It is especially necessary now with contaminants so commonplace. And all those old septic systems have had years to leach into the aquifer. Not just in Florida, BTW.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FEATURE TOP STORY, Features, News