While well water may seem like a natural and cost-effective option, it is important to consider the potential risks it may pose to your health.
Well water comes from underground aquifers and is often considered clean and safe. However, it can contain various harmful substances that pose a health risk. This is especially true in the spring, when there is a possibility of wells flooding and various contaminants entering drinking water.
It happens that during operation an old well, which for many years served as a reliable source of high-quality and tasty water for several generations of owners, without requiring any maintenance, suddenly loses its former valuable characteristics. The amount of water in it decreases noticeably or its level remains sufficient, but the water itself becomes cloudy, changes color, acquires a foreign smell or unusual taste. So, it's time to pay special attention to the well.
Signs that a source requires professional maintenance are:
- a barely noticeable change in the color or shade of the water (green, yellow, brown, etc.);
- decrease in its transparency; appearance of foreign odors (medicines, chemicals, water, rot, hydrogen sulfide, wood, etc.) and aftertastes (petroleum products, bitterness, etc.);
- the appearance of threadlike fibers, algae, and various impurities in the water, which are visually noticeable;
- the appearance of plaque on the inside of the well walls;
- lowering of the water level;
- destruction of a shaft (log house), wellhead or cover.
Each of the «symptoms» points to a specific cause. For example, a change in the color of the water and its green tint is a sign that unicellular algae have multiplied in the well. And this, in turn, indicates that sunlight is entering the well due to the absence of a cover or its poor condition.
A reddish-brown hue indicates the presence of iron compounds in the water.
A grayish-brown or black tint to the water indicates the presence of decomposition products of organic matter, such as moss, leaves, earthworms, small animals, birds, insects, waste products of organisms, etc.
The most likely cause of water quality deterioration in a well is siltation due to irregular use or changes in groundwater levels. In this case, simply cleaning the well is enough to restore water quality.
It is better to clean the well in the middle or end of summer, when the amount of water in it is minimal. It is undesirable to carry out work on cleaning the well in the spring, when the groundwater level is very high and the speed of water arrival is high. Spring cleaning can lead to even greater silting of the well with fresh liquid dirt brought into the mine by a strong flow of water.
What should you do to protect yourself and your loved ones when using well water for drinking?
First, at least once a year, especially after the flood, mine well owners should clean the well with simultaneous routine repairs of equipment and fasteners, as well as disinfect the well walls and disinfect the water. During the specified work, drinking water from the well is prohibited.
Secondly, water from springs is used for drinking purposes only after laboratory tests on microbiological and sanitary-chemical indicators. For this, it is necessary to contact any laboratory accredited for such types of tests.
Thirdly, in cases where your well is flooded, to avoid adverse consequences, you should use only bottled or imported water of guaranteed quality for drinking and cooking.
Drink delicious, and most importantly, high-quality and safe water!
Chuguyiv District Department of the Main Department of the State Service for Food and Consumer Protection in the Kharkiv region.