You rely on your well to supply your home with pure, fresh, clean water year-round. Although a well may become contaminated, testing for pollutants and restoration are easily accomplished. Here’s what you need to know so you can tell when it’s time to contact a well service for assistance.

Common Contaminants

Contaminants can infiltrate your water supply from different sources. Surface runoff from rain or snow, for example, may send harmful microorganisms, including viruses and bacteria, into a well. If you have a septic system on-site, a leaky tank or effluent from the drain field may pollute a well system, too.

Pollution from fertilizers and animal waste can introduce nitrates and nitrites into your water supply. Paint and solvent spills may also pose a threat as may heavy metals from nearby construction or industrial sites.

Problematic Symptoms

You may not realize you need to contact a well service technician until someone in your home develops symptoms of infection. Ingesting microorganisms in well water may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, headaches, and pneumonia. Consuming heavy metals—arsenic and copper, for example—asbestos, nitrites, and nitrates can cause many of the same symptoms along with shortness of breath, hypertension, kidney problems, and skin rashes.

Organic chemicals derived from herbicides and other sources can also increase the risk of developing liver ailments, heart problems, and reproductive troubles. Although continual use of contaminated water may have long-term health consequences, symptoms that affect the stomach, including nausea, bloating, and diarrhea, are more likely to develop shortly after consumption.  

Possible Consequences

Have a well service technician test your water supply at least once a year to ensure its safety. In addition to protecting your health, water testing may also alert you to other problems that arise when contaminated water is present. For example, pollutants can affect the taste and smell of the water, making it unpleasant to drink.  

Appliances and fixtures may develop some unusual problems from contaminated water. Scale that forms on metal fixtures, for example, may be a sign of elevated mineral content. Excessive sodium, in particular, which is harmful to people with hypertension, may also impact performance of your dishwasher and washing machine.

Make regular water testing a part of your well maintenance routine with help from the well service technicians at Mike Woolsey and Sons Well Drilling and Pump Service in Summersville. Proudly serving clients across southern Missouri, they offer a wide range of services, including water well drilling and water pump repairs. Visit them online for more information about their residential and commercial drilling, repair, and maintenance services, or call (417) 932-4036 to schedule an appointment.