Because private wells are not regulated by municipalities, the presence of bacteria, viruses or other microbiological contaminants in the water can often go undetected.
Studies show that at any given time, at least 40 percent of private wells are contaminated with E coli, coliform bacteria or other illness-causing microbes.
If you're one of the 19 million U.S. households on a private well, it's up to you to ensure your well water is safe for your family.
Watch this video to learn how well water can become unsafe for drinking and what can be done to make well water safe again.
Expert Tip
Clear water does not always mean safe water! Microbiological contaminants in well water, such as E.coli, Cryptosporidium and Giardia are NOT visible to the naked eye. In fact, some well owners don't give much thought to what's in their water until an unexplained illness occurs. Bacteria and viruses in well water can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps and more.
Significant rainfall and flooding can introduce bacteria to a private well.
Water levels in a well rise and fall over time, introducing new opportunities for bacterial growth.
Seasonality plays a significant role, with a general increase in well water contamination in the Spring due to thawing snow runoff.
Contamination from septic systems is the biggest risk to well water.
Manure from large-scale animal feeding operations is a threat to drinking water.
Run-off from fertilizers and pesticides is a common concern of well owners.
Poorly constructed, cracked or unsealed wells create a way for bacteria to enter groundwater and contaminate your well.
The best way to treat well water, is with an ultraviolet (UV) water disinfection system. UV filtration is becoming increasingly popular as a whole-house water treatment system for private well owners as UV water sterilizers can effectively remove 99.99% of viruses, bacteria and other microbes from water.
UV water filters are safe, powerful, economical, and require very little maintenance. Best of all, a whole-house UV disinfection system works night and day, 24/7, consistently keeping your water safe--without you having to constantly test your well water!
Because well water often has a high level of dissolved solids and organic matter, we recommend installing a sediment filter in front of the UV system. Another option is to select a UV system that includes an integrated prefilter, which prepares the water for the ultraviolet disinfection process. If a prefilter is NOT used and the turbidity level is high, the UV rays will be blocked by particles in the water making the UV treatment process less effective. (Turbidity is the quantity of suspended solids in water which often causes cloudiness.)
While all UV Water Purification Systems will work for well water applications, most well owners have the best success when they install a prefilter or combination sediment and carbon prefilters to prepare the well water for UV treatment in an all in one system.
Some private well owners use chemicals to "shock" their well when bacteria is discovered. But shocking a well is only a "quick fix". Bacteria levels in well water can fluctuate due to external factors such as spring run off or flooding from a heavy rainstorm. As an alternative, a UV light sterilizer can be installed so that water is contstantly treated and monitered for bacteria in the well.
| Well Shocking w/ Chlorine | UV Disinfection | |
| Temporary quick fix | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Long-term, effective solution that destroys 99.99% bacteria, viruses, and cysts | ✔️ | |
| Essentially trouble-free; annual maintenance of UV lamp change & sleeve clean | ✔️ | |
| Works 24/7 to consistently keep water safe from illness-causing microbes | ✔️ | |
|
| ✔️ | |
|
| ✔️ | |
| No harsh chemicals that can damage skin | ✔️ | |
| No damage to well casings & pump fittings from chemicals | ✔️ | |
| No dangerous gas (oxidation of organics can generate THMs, a harmful gas) | ✔️ | |
| Taste and odor of water not affected | ✔️ |
A long-term, safe, and reliable solution is to install a UV water sterilizer at point of entry.
UV water disinfection system provides a "final barrier solution" as it filters and protects the whole home from the threat of illness-causing microbes in water.
Coliform bacteria are organisms that are present in the environment and in the feces of all warm-blooded animals and humans. Their presence in drinking water indicates that disease-causing organisms (pathogens) could be in the water system.
Below are seven ways bacteria enters well water, including poorly constructed wells or cracking/unsealed wells. Once the source of contamination has been determined, steps should be taken to resolve the issue including making the needed repairs. Due to the health risk associated with coliform bacteria in water, you should boil all water for cooking or drinking until the problem is resolved.
If your well water has tested positive for coliform bacteria, we recommend installing a UV water filter system immediately.
A UV water treatment system can remove 99.99% of coliform bacteria. Ultraviolet (UV) water purification is a proven technology that uses UV light to destroy harmful microbes in water. Does UV water treatment really work? Millions of homes and businesses around the world have installed a UV water filter to have a reliable treatment method and peace of mind 24/7.
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