A water well is an essential and coveted asset on your property as it comes with its numerous advantages. Many people are inclined to the idea of getting a water well as an alternate supply because it cuts down on the water bills significantly, and allows you to sustain an uninterrupted supply of clean water for a long time. That means you won’t have to follow anyone else’s water schedule and worry about running out of it at any time. That is why more and more people are installing water wells in their houses.
However, the water well with its many advantages, also demands some maintenance and timely checks to ensure that it serves you in the right way. If someone thinks that the popularity of this option also means that it is a piece of cake to manage, then they need to do their homework first. Maintaining water wells is a dangerous job, and you should exercise caution while doing it. If not done correctly, you can only put your life in harm’s way and make your family suffer through the same. Water wells can get contaminated with chemicals and intoxicants from foreign sources if you don’t look after them properly. Drinking or using that water can prove to be fatal, which is why it isn’t as simple a task to maintain water wells as one might think.
Fortunately, all of us tend to learn from our mistakes and can point out some solutions for others to help them manage their water well. It may sound elementary and monotonous, but these practices are good enough to keep you safe and healthy for long if you follow them down to the tee. After all, there are some right ways of doing things, and by following them, you reduce the odds of ending up with wrong results if you do things the correct way.
Following are the practices that you need to foster if you are trying to manage your water well:
- Well-pump Installation
If your water well is 25 feet or less, than you certainly need a shallow water pump. It is less expensive to install a shallow water pump since it requires less labor and materials. If you are inexperienced and a novice at managing water wells, then it is better to contact a professional company that is in your area. For example, if you live in Florida, then you can find companies that do Shallow Well installation and Service in Florida. Apart from well-pump installation, you need to ensure if the ground slopes away from your water well, and the casings are high enough to avoid any contamination to your well.
- Regular Checks
It is imperative to check the quality of water coming from your well regularly, especially during heavy rains and storms. The biggest challenge that you can face while managing your water well is the contamination of supply. In severe cases, you might even have to suffer from irreversible losses to health and life. And the only to avoid it is by ensuring that you are drinking safe water.
- Draw Conclusions and Act
If you notice that something isn’t right from the test results, then your first move should be to cut the supply line immediately. Don’t use the water already in the lines without confirming your results with a certified lab. Add suitable decontaminants to treat the water and discharge all water from your tanks. Examine the water again after treatments to ensure its safe before pumping it into the lines. Act in time to avoid any unforeseen outcomes.
- Water Well Seals
Make sure that you have a cap for your water well to cover it unless you are drawing water from it manually. It can help to save you from harmful chemicals in the air or water, which could come from another source, like rain. In case water from another source mixes in your well, test the quality again to ensure it isn’t contaminated. And consider it a healthy practice to keep your well covered at all times.
- Lab Certified Testing
Even if you are regular with your quality checks and have found nothing suspicious over the months, it still doesn’t mean that you can neglect the annual lab testing. No matter how careful you are, you aren’t a professional. Value your life and get the yearly lab-certified report of water quality. Cross-check the results with public water drinking systems to ensure its drinkable.
- Inspections and Checks
Inspect your water well’s condition periodically and look for cracks, corrosion, or holes. If you think that it can use some repair work or maintenance, don’t slack off on it. Besides that ensures that it is at least one hundred feet away from any sources of contamination and dumpsites. Also, look for other unused wells, and have officials suitably abandon them. Otherwise, your supply can contaminate from that source.
- Visible Water Levels
Visible water levels are essential to see if your water supply is healthy. In the case of remedial repairs, it means that you still have access to your water. If, for some reason, you experience a shortage, check the suction pump, and see if the water is well above the soil. If the water levels haven’t declined, it’s probably the pump causing an issue. If not that, then check your supply lines for blocks and leaks. That should solve the problem.
- Records
Maintain proper records of your well for the next user or other family members. They can help others keep up the same good practices, and you might notice some trends in the water’s readings from them. That is why people advise against neglecting them.
- Abandon If Not In Use
And most importantly, if you discontinue using your water well, don’t turn a blind eye to it. Make sure that you have accurately sealed and abandoned it so that another person’s supply won’t get contaminated due to your negligence. You might not know, but you can risk someone else’s life if you don’t deal with it appropriately.
Conclusion
That sums up some of the good practices that you need to cultivate over time while maintaining your water well. If you do everything right, you can kiss all your water-related problems goodbye and welcome a healthy, natural water source instead. Don’t slack off on anything that might develop into something fatal, and you are good to go.
