About City Well Water Sources

Where City Well Water Comes From

Water from municipal surface water treatment facilities are not the only sources of water available in the United States. Many communities use city well water because connecting to a municipal plant would be infeasible. Well water is treated differently than surface water in the United States– since it comes from the ground there are different concerns. To start, there are no federal regulations for the maintenance of privately-owned wells, even if they’re used to serve the public. In Georgia, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) oversees the establishment of city wells, but does little as far as management after they are established. They include:

Physical, chemical, radiological and microbiological analysis tests
Further testing if something of concern turns up in the initial tests
Testing to determine surface water influence on the well
Delineation of a well protection area and investigation of pollutant sources in this area

How To Ensure Your City Well Water is Safe

The GA DPH recommends city well water consumers monitor the quality of the water in their homes so they can alert the owner of any potential issues. Noticeable changes in water quality can include differences in smell, taste, and appearance.

Many toxins are undetectable by these methods, so regular well testing is recommended. The GA DPH guidelines state that all new wells should be tested, wells should be tested once a year for bacteria and other pathogens and wells should be tested once every three years for toxic chemicals.

Additionally, the well area should be inspected monthly for new sources of contamination as well as general maintenance and upkeep. If there are any known chemical spills near the well, water should be tested to ensure it is not contaminated.

How Do Wells Become Contaminated?

Wells tap into groundwater, so any chemicals spilled on the ground that seep through soil layers can be possible sources of contamination. Common contaminants include:

• Landfill leachate, or liquid that is produced during the breakdown of garbage
• Pesticides and fertilizers from agricultural operations
• Livestock, industrial, and septic tank wastes

How Do We Combat Well Water Contamination?

A lot of protecting well water is taking preventative measures to ensure the potential for chemicals and pathogens to enter water is minimized. Keeping septic tanks and animal waste areas more than 100 feet from wells can help minimize risks. Monitoring chemical wastes near well area is also recommended.

If bacteria enters into well water, wells can be disinfected via shock chlorination, which involves treating a well with high levels of chlorine to kill bacteria. If well users are still concerned, extra filtration systems, such as reverse osmosis systems, can be used to further purify water.

How To Ensure Your Well is Safe

The GA DPH recommends well water consumers monitor the quality of the water in their homes so they can alert their city well manager of any potential issues. Noticeable changes in water quality can include differences in smell, taste, and appearance.

Many toxins are undetectable by these methods, so regular well testing of city wells is required. The GA DPH requirements include:

• All new wells should be tested
• Wells should be tested once a year for bacteria and other pathogens
• Wells should be tested once every three years for toxic chemicals

The well area should be inspected monthly for new sources of contamination as well as general maintenance and upkeep.

If there are any known chemical spills near the well, water should be tested to ensure it is not contaminated.

For more information on specific pollutants in your area, ask your municipality for water test reports.

Potential Areas of Concern

Other compounds that can cause problems for well water users also fall within municipal upkeep requirements. If you notice any of the following problems, alert your municipality.

• Iron- will stain fabric red/pink
• Wells should be tested once a year for bacteria and other pathogens
• Manganese- will stain fabric black, black pebble-like sediment may appear in water
• Acidic water- will stain fabric blue-green, can cause pinhole leaks in copper pipes
• Sulfur- will cause water to have a rotten egg odor

Compounds and their associated problems outside of municipal removal requirements include:

• Calcium and magnesium (water hardness)- scale buildup, white staining
• Chlorine- potential negative health effects

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