If you think your well water is contaminated, take a sample to a local laboratory to have it tested. If it contains harmful toxins, you’ll need to schedule water well services immediately to restore its purity. Here are a few of the most common well contaminants.

What Can Contaminate a Well?

1. E. coli

While many strains of E. coli are common and harmless, there’s one that can affect people who drink it in contaminated water. Wells that reside near farms and animal dwellings are at risk for E. coli contamination, as the dangerous strain comes from cows, goats, sheep, and deer. If you think your water reserves are contaminated with E. coli, schedule cleansing water well services, like shock chlorination, and boil all drinking water.

2. Giardia

Giardia parasites typically come from human or animal bowel movements and can contaminate your well water through sewage runoff or overflow. Sewage systems may overflow after a heavy storm, so have your water tested before drinking or using it, especially after a downpour. To remove giardia from water, boil it for at least one minute, let it cool, and cover it tightly until use.

3. Nitrate

If the area surrounding your well experiences chemical fertilization, your well will likely be exposed to nitrate. Nitrate turns to nitrite in your well. This substance is harmful to infants and pregnant women, as it reduces the body’s ability to oxygenate the bloodstream. You can’t remove nitrate by boiling the water; however, it’s possible to extract it through distillation, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange.

4. Radon

Radon is extremely dangerous since you can’t see or taste it, and this radioactive gas forms when uranium breaks down. Consuming water with radon may cause respiratory problems and lung cancer. Water in underground wells is at risk of radon contamination because it doesn’t receive enough contact with air to dissolve the toxin.

Fortunately, aeration treatments can mix air into the water, which will mingle with the gas and vent it from the liquid when extracted. You can also use granular activated carbon and filter the liquid through it. The radon will attach to the carbon, making the water ready to use.

If you want to avoid these toxins, get professional water well maintenance assistance from the team at Elberta Pump Repair & Well Drilling Inc in Alabama. This trusted company has served residents and businesses throughout Elberta for over 35 years. They offer reliable water well services, including maintenance, repairs, and installations. To get more information about what they do, visit them online or call (251) 986-3055.