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Private Water Wells and Springs

Taking Action to Protect Your Drinking Water. Private Water Wells and Springs. Management and protection is voluntary!. Private Water Wells One Million and Counting!. Wells drilled 1966-1994. Understand where your water comes from. What is Groundwater?. Soil. Capillary Water.

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Private Water Wells and Springs

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  1. Taking Action to Protect Your Drinking Water Private Water Wells and Springs Management and protection is voluntary!

  2. Private Water Wells One Million and Counting! Wells drilled 1966-1994

  3. Understand where your water comes from What is Groundwater? Soil Capillary Water Unsaturated Rock WaterTable Saturated Rock (Aquifer) Saturated Water

  4. Groundwater Moves !

  5. Pennsylvania Aquifers Sandstone and shale aquifers 80 to 200 feet deep 5 to 60 gal/min Moderate hardness Carbonate aquifers 100 to 250 feet deep 5 to 500 gal/min Very hard water Sand and gravel aquifers 20 to 200 feet deep 100 to 1,000 gal/min Soft water Crystalline aquifers 75 to 150 feet deep 5 to 25 gal/min Soft water

  6. Make sure your well is properly constructed Sanitary well cap Good casing Sloping Ground Soil Grout seal Bedrock Water Table Groundwater “aquifer”

  7. Grouting

  8. "Sanitary" Well Cap Standard Well Cap About 50% have insects under cap Seals well to prevent contamination

  9. Seal the spring box to prevent insects, animals and surface contamination

  10. Properly Locate the Water Supply Wellhead protection zones Greatest impact on well Moderate impact on well Some impact on well stream Direction of Groundwater Movement well barn and barnyard home and septic system

  11. X Limit Activities Near the Well Keep activities at least 50 feet from wellhead or spring box

  12. Be Aware of Local Activities(within sight) Landfills, dumps Homes Gas - Oil Wells Industry Agriculture Mining

  13. Common Activities and Pollutants

  14. Recognize Symptoms of Common Problems • White residue, dull laundry - hardness • Reddish stains, metallic taste – iron • Black stains, metallic taste - manganese • Rotten egg odor - hydrogen sulfide gas • Blue stains, metallic taste - corrosive water

  15. Test Your Water! • Use certified laboratories • Annually • coliform bacteria • Every three years • pH, total dissolved solids, local pollutant • Before new activities • specific test for the activity • Water testing gives you legal protection!

  16. Understand Your Test Results • Drinking Water Standards = "acceptable" level of pollutant • Primary (MCL) - over 80 exist • Coliform bacteria - 0 per 100 mL • Nitrate-N - less than 10 ppm • Lead - less than 15 ppb • Secondary (RMCL) - over a dozen • Total dissolved solids (TDS) - less than 500 ppm • pH - 6.5 to 8.5 • Iron - less than 0.3 ppm • Consult Extension publications for help

  17. Protect Your Supply of Water • PRACTICE WATER CONSERVATION !! • Monitor regional well levels from USGS wells (www.usgs.gov) • Monitor well problems in nearby wells

  18. Collect Roof Water For Outside Watering

  19. Keep Records in a Safe Place Water test results Well log Equipment manuals, warranties Publications, fact sheets Expert contact information

  20. If You Find a Water Pollutant – Explore All of Your Options • Determine the source of the contamination and control it? • Fix your well to prevent the contamination? • Find a new source of water? • Treat the water to remove the pollutant

  21. Store Water for Emergencies • Use FDA approved containers • Disinfect container and water • Store enough for 1 gallon per person per day • Store in cool, dark place

  22. Consult Our Web Page for More Information www.sfr.cas.psu.edu/water

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