Protect Yourself and Your Family

 

 

Regularly test your well water for
potentially harmful bacteria

Private Wells

 

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over 13 million U.S. households rely on private wells for drinking water. The EPA’s rules that protect public drinking water systems do not apply to individual water systems and privately owned wells.

Private wells are not regulated by local governments and public health agencies.

If you own a well, you are responsible for making sure your water is safe to drink. Water filtration systems do not guarantee the removal of harmful bacteria in well water.

Private well owners need a simple water quality test they can run themselves without the time and expense of sending water samples to a lab.

 

Why Test for Bacteria in Well Water

 

The U.S. EPA  Revised Total Coliform Rule mandates public water supplies with routine samples that test positive for total coliforms must be tested for the presence of E. coli.

Because private wells are not regulated by public water systems, well owners must monitor and test their water themselves.

The greatest waterborne risk to health are fecal pathogens such as E. coli that are transmitted by feces of humans and warm-blooded animals.

The presence of E. coli bacteria in well water is a serious problem. A positive test could mean feces and harmful germs are in your water system that can cause disease and illness.

E. coli enters wells due to poor, defective well construction, or a nearby source of contamination such as animal agriculture or problems with your septic system, or environmental factors such as flooding and precipitation.

You cannot tell by the look, taste or smell of well water if harmful bacteria are present. Testing well water is the only reliable way to know if your well water is safe to drink.

The U.S. EPA recommends well owners test their water for bacteria at least once a year. Water quality changes over time. If you have experienced bacteria problems in the past, it is recommended you test your well more frequently. Drinking water obtained from shallow wells should also be tested more frequently.

Drinking Water Quality Tests for Private Wells and Sources

 

Protect yourself and your family. Use Aquagenx® CBT Kits to easily test well water and private water sources for potentially dangerous bacteria. With the Aquagenx® CBT, there is no need to send water samples to a lab.

Aquagenx® CBT Kits have a 2-year shelf life. Our CBT Kits can be used by:

 

  • Individual homeowners
  • Homeowner associations
  • Professional water testing service providers
  • Businesses that use private wells and water sources