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If your family gets drinking water from your own well, do you know if your water is safe to drink? What health risks could you and your family face? Where can you go for help or advice? This pamphlet helps answer these questions.

It gives you general information about drinking water from home wells (also considered private drinking water sources). It describes types of activities in your area that can create threats to your water supply. It also describes problems to look for and offers maintenance suggestions.

Sources for more information and help are also listed. [Editing for clarity by DF are marked by brackets or italics] Initial Source: EPA 816-K-02-003 January 2002

Edits, content addition, & web page design © 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

1. How Can we Spot [Well Water Contamination] Potential Problems?

The potential for pollution entering your well is affected by its placement and construction - how close is your well to potential sources of pollution? Local agricultural and industrial activities, your area's geology and climate also matter. This document includes a checklist to help you find potential problems with your well.

Take time to review it in the box labeled "Protecting Your Ground water Supply."

Because ground water contamination is usually localized, the best way to identify potential contaminants is to consult a local expert. For example, talk with a geologist at a local college or someone from a nearby public water system. They'll know about conditions in your area. (See item # 5)

[I have some other suggestions that have really paid off in the past when our clients were researching possible water contamination sources: Call water testing labs and home inspectors in your local area - these sources very often know about local pollutants. Talk to your neighbors - sometimes they know of very local problems or "events" that have contaminated nearby wells.

One of our clients was told by a neighbor that the local paper company had been dumping acetone and other chemical waste in a farmer's field right across the street from their well. We'd never have known to test for the particular chemicals involved had we not stumbled on this information - by asking. --DF]

[For details on clues that can suggest water contamination problem, also see these non-EPA documents:
SHOULD YOU TEST YOUR WATER?
CHEATING on WATER TESTS
FHA WATER TESTS REQUIRED
LEAD in WATER, ACTION GUIDE
LEAD POISONING SYMPTOMS
LEAD TEST VARIATION CAUSES
ODORS IN WATER
SEWAGE CONTAMINATION
WELL CLEARANCE DISTANCES
-- DF]

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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

EPA GUIDE to WATER QUALITY
    Ground water & Well Contamination
    Drinking Water from Household Wells
    What Is Ground Water, How Is It Polluted
    Where Do Water Pollutants Come From
    Naturally Occurring Pollution Sources
    Private Well Contaminant Concerns
    Pollution due to Humans
    Level of Risk of Water Contamination
    Six Steps to Well Water Safety
    Protecting Ground Water From Contaminants
    1. How To Spot Well Contamination Problems
    2. Well Water Test Strategy
    Reasons to Test Well Water
    3. Understanding Water] Test Results
    4. Well Construction and Maintenance
    5. Talk With Local Water Experts
    6. Fix Well Water Contamination Problems
    More Information on Well Water
    Well Water Definitions

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