Owning a private domestic water well comes with freedoms and responsibilities. Inspect your well on an annual basis and implement good conservation practices to ensure the longevity of your home’s water supply.
How to Inspect & Maintain Your Domestic Water Well
Surface Seal
A properly completed and maintained well has a surface seal in good condition. If your well has a concrete slab, look for severe cracks or deterioration that may occur. These issues may lead to erosion near the casing and compromise the well structure at the surface. Instead of a slab, some wells have a steel or PVC sleeve around the well casing. Like a slab, this protects the well casing and maintains a proper seal between the bore hole and casing. Ensure the sleeve fits properly and is not damaged.
Electrical Connection
Inspect the electric control box and wires. Weather and rodents may damage wires that are not inside a conduit. If wires are damaged, there might be a risk of electrical shock. Use caution when inspecting.
Well Plate
The well plate should securely fit on top of the casing. Also, there should be a proper fit where the electrical wires enter the well plate. This ensures that the casing and your water source are not exposed to any unwanted debris. During the winter, a well may be covered with insulation. Mice and other rodents may be drawn to these areas and can contaminate a well that is not properly sealed and maintained.
Soil Surface
The soil surface near the well should be sloped so that water drains away from the well casing, slab or casing sleeve. This helps prevent any possible contamination from runoff that may occur following a rain event.
Surrounding Area
Keep the area around your well clean. Trash and overgrown veg etation may hide problem areas and encourage rodent and snake activity. Do not store chemicals in well houses or near well heads.
Water Quality
It is important to test water quality every year, especially after flood events or if your water looks, smells or tastes unusual. Contamination can occur from improperly maintained well sites. If your water quality testing shows a problem, be sure to follow the laboratory’s recommendations as soon as possible.