Finding Your Voice

Water Filtration As A Compliment To Well Water

by Rick Henderson

Well water is one affordable and reliable option to provide water to a remote site that is not connected to municipal utilities. Here are some of the challenges and solutions for providing safe well water.

First of All, Why Use Wells?

Wells are often used when a property is not connected to a water source and it would be cost prohibitive to do this. Wells can be used to bring up water from underwater reserves. They can be put in place and used locally without needing pipes that travel great distances to reach a municipal water source. In contrast, you may have to install piping that extends past your property's boundaries to get a municipal source, which can be costly, if not impossible.

The Challenges of Well Water

Well water can be variable in quality. In some places, groundwater is palatable and clean as is. But you don't know if the water has run through an environmentally contaminated area or if it's been exposed to human or animal waste. Thus, protecting yourself is important.

The Importance of Water Testing

Water testing is the first step to guaranteeing safe water. When you get your water tested, you will learn about the quality of water that your well is pulling up. It may include bacteria, viruses, chemicals, or a high level of minerals, depending on what's going on underground near your well. Once you know what you're up against, you can start getting the right treatment to care care of your water source and make it safer to drink. Well water testing might be necessary on multiple dates to account for environmental variability. In particular, have the water tested on a day when the water levels are high and low; for instance, when it has just rained and when it has been dry out for a while. The types of contaminants may differ at different points.

What Can You Do to Make Well Water Safe?

Different kinds of water filters can be applied to take contaminants out of water. A reverse osmosis filter is great for removing actual sediment from the water. If you are worried about taste, water softeners can help remove excess minerals from water. As far as bacteria are concerned, the reverse osmosis filter may do the trick, but you might consider also adding chemical or UV filtration as an added precaution, depending on the recommendations of your water treatment facility.

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