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Testing well water

Northbound

Northbound

5 year old buck +
Just installed a sandpoint well this past week. Great isolation technique as no one would ever visit during that type of fun. It's the 4th one I've ever installed and was the easiest thanks to cool tools I've gained since previous installs. (Skid steer with 10 foot long auger and electric jackhammer) . Anyways I feel I should get this one tested due to its location it's likely that myself or others will be drinking from it on occasion. Do you guys test your wells annually like they advise? I tested my house well water once via a local lab 15 years ago but i see they sell diy test kits at menards. Would you trust those kits?
 
the free test kits from home depot are great, great at generating a sales call from a water filtration co, even if you don't need it. I would pay for one over their free service. testing should be done a few times a year, in particular dead of summer, high flow spring time, and anytime any construction work is done within half a mile of your place.
 
I have my well water tested every yr, and I do so for many reasons, one being a local lab does them cheap and fast, and there close
second, lots of newer homes and diggings in my area, as well as old coal mines in the area
so, I have tested every yr, rather be safe than sorry!
on older homes and well,s its a good idea IMO,a s pipes and things will start to fail at times

bacteria can live a long time in pipes and wells, all the more so places that it dormant for longer periods! like hunting camps and second homes!
and NO I don't trust DIY kits
I prefer a good lab to test things, but again, I have them close to me
as a fact I am told by them test can vary results on time the water sample was taken and the temps it goes thru
they require me to take sample, in there containers, and then keep on ice till I get back to lab with samples

so things stay as stable as possible between sample drawn and testing on them?


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That keeping it fresh was one of my concerns. As the new well I installed is 4 hours away from the lab near my home. And they haven't been returning calls. Guessing they've closed up for Corona
 
well my understanding is, keeping it one temperature is the goal, which is why they even ask me to keep things on ice till it gets there?
so, 4 hours away is far, but might still be do able if packed in ice, and the place was some where on the way home from your property, or likes.
as being 4 hrs away, not sure its worth the drive if not!

I would contact your local soil/water conservation dept and ask if there is any place closer that does it, or even talk to some of the well installers in that area and ask them, they might know of a place closer to you!
 
The only well I put ever put in was years ago for a new house. Water smelled bad and all the house pipe was new but not sterile. Had an old guy tell me to dump a few gallons of bleach down the well head and run each faucet until I could smell bleach. Then run a hose down the well head and let it recirculate. Then really flush the system.

I don’t remember how much bleach I used but there is a formula. Search bleaching a well.

this just kills bacteria in the plumbing lines. Won’t improve water quality. But it did end the smell for me.
 
My in-laws sold their house to the Amish. They preformed a water test. 10 of them lined up at the faucet and they all took a drink one after another. They conferred it was good water. Test over. LOL.
 
Bill said:
The only well I put ever put in was years ago for a new house. Water smelled bad and all the house pipe was new but not sterile. Had an old guy tell me to dump a few gallons of bleach down the well head and run each faucet until I could smell bleach. Then run a hose down the well head and let it recirculate. Then really flush the system.

I don’t remember how much bleach I used but there is a formula. Search bleaching a well.

this just kills bacteria in the plumbing lines. Won’t improve water quality. But it did end the smell for me.
Click to expand...

This is recommended by our health dept to do once a year. However only loads of whites in the washer for at least a couple cycles I don’t care how much you think you flushed the lines.
 
there are a lot of youtube video's on treating a well with bleach, in case anyone wants to watch any
and yes 100%B be sure to watch after wards on bleach still being in the system, from drinking water for your pets to washing cloths!
 
They used to talk about shocking your well every so often years ago in this area but then they backed off on that recommendation. Certain areas of the country have natural levels of arsenic in the rock (at different depths too, you can sometimes drill deeper and if your casing is good can be ok) and dumping in the chlorine can temporarily raise those levels. I'm sure on a new system it is a needed practice but not to do on an annual basis for certain areas. A google search gives this info.

The Shock Disinfection process may temporally increase the level of iron, manganese, aluminum, arsenic, and other constituents in your well water.
 
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