Five items I look at when inspection water wellhead.
First, I examine the electrical conduit attached to the wellhead and make sure the connection is properly sealed and water tight. Its important to note that the liquid tight conduit will break down due to UV exposure. Look for cracks and any disconnections that expose electrical wires. Second, you should check the electrical connection at control box make sure the conduit is properly connected to control box with a cable clamp. Third, Inspect the wellhead for any open access ports and check to make sure the ports will not allow contaminants to enter. Forth, check well casing for holes or cracks and ensure is above the ground at least 18 inches from the highest point in the surrounding area. Fifth and last, check the plumbing seal to the wellhead for rusted bolts and broken off plugs that could allow for exposing direct access for rodents and contaminated water.
My article was on Private Water Wells
The article focused on the number of Americans who have wells, the types of wells, and natural and man-made pollutants that can be found in well water.
Approximately 15% of Americans rely on their own private drinking water supplies, and these supplies are not subject to EPA standards, although some state and local governments do set rules to protect users of these wells. Unlike public drinking water systems serving many people, they do not have experts regularly checking the waters source and its quality before it is sent to the tap. These households must take special precautions to ensure the protection and maintenance of their drinking water supplies.
There are three types of private drinking water wells: dug, driven, and drilled. Proper well construction and continued maintenance are keys to the safety of your water supply. Your state water-well contractor licensing agency, local health department, or local water system professional can provide information on well construction. The well should be located so rainwater flows away from it. Rainwater can pick up harmful bacteria and chemicals on the land.
There are naturally occurring sources of pollution that can be found in the water.
micro-organisms: Bacteria, viruses, parasites and other microorganisms are sometimes found in water.
radionuclides: Radionuclides are radioactive elements, such as uranium and radium. They may be present in underlying rock and ground water.
radon: Radon is a gas that is a natural product of the breakdown of uranium in the soil and can also pose a threat.
nitrates and nitrites: Although high nitrate levels are usually due to human activities (see below), they may be found naturally in ground water. They come from the breakdown of nitrogen compounds in the soil. Flowing ground water picks them up from the soil
heavy metals: Underground rocks and soils may contain arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and selenium. However, these contaminants are not often found in household wells at dangerous levels from natural sources.
Human activities can pollute ground water from many sources.
bateria and nitrates: These pollutants are found in human and animal wastes. Septic tanks can cause bacterial and nitrate pollution.
concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs): The number of CAFOs, often called factory farms, is growing. On these farms, thousands of animals are raised in a small space. The large amounts of animal waste/manure from these farms can threaten water supplies.
heavy metals: Activities such as mining and construction can release large amounts of heavy metals into nearby ground water sources. Some older fruit orchards may contain high levels of arsenic, once used as a pesticide. At high levels, these metals pose a health risk.
fertilizers and pesticides: Farmers use fertilizers and pesticides to promote growth and reduce insect damage. These products are also used on golf courses and suburban lawns and gardens. The chemicals in these products may end up in ground water. Such pollution depends on the types and amounts of chemicals used and how they are applied.
This was a very informative article and I highly recommend that you read it in its entirety.
When I test Public and private water supplies they should be tested because they may be affected by the following:
dangerous levels of bacteria, including E. coli and coliform;
elevated levels of nitrates and nitrites from fertilizers that leach into the groundwater;
fluoride levels;
mineral contaminants, such as iron and arsenic;
heavy metal contamination, including lead; and
water hardness.
No natural water source is completely free of impurities; contaminants and pathogens must be monitored and mitigated. With the passage of the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set standards that determined the level for the safe consumption of 80 contaminants.
Cisterns are Tanks stored for many various reasons Potable water may be stored in cisterns for such purposes as drinking, bathing and dishwashing. Treated water may arrive from public water sources or filtered from rainwater in a catchment system.
Non-potable water can be stored for uses such as irrigation and washing cars.
Many communities have invested in large cisterns for fire-suppression purposes which hold up to 3 times the volume of water than fire trucks
Many inspections of the pressure tank show signs of rust in a well pit. Many well pits are not graded properly to divert water away from the pit and moisture enters the pit. Corrosion of wiring, valves, pressure tank, pump and other plumbing materials will be present if the well pit is not sealed or poor grading is present. Often times the pit lid is at ground level.
There are many well designs in our area, Hand dug wells, shallow wells, Driven Wells & drilled wells. Most dug wells are at ground level and with no means of diverting water runoff away from the well. All wells need to have the proper drainage around the well to keep any contaminants from runoff out of the water system and well.
This is an image of the control box and 240VAC shutoff for an abandoned well on a rural property in Arizona. The information relayed to the buyer of this home was difficult due to the circumstances of the property and current owner. Arizona requires all private wells to be registered with the state when drilled by the drilling contractor. When the property sells the transfer of well ownership is to be recorded with the state. However this well was dug in 1977 and the proper record keeping began in 1980. I did not want to worry the buyer, and at the same time did not want to expose myself to any liability by not disclosing this. This particular lot also has a total of 3 well heads, two of which are abandoned and one active. The seller has informed the buying agent he has no paperwork for any of the wells and they are not registered with the state. I believe the buyer may be in for a difficult time if they decide to proceed with registering these wells. In Arizona abandoned wells have very specific and obligatory steps to the procedure of retiring them.
Within this article, and indeed within this course, there is plentiful and exact information regarding distances wells must be from certain objects and situations. Most in my local real estate industry are aware of the distances to common things such as septic tanks and LP tanks but I was unaware until taking this course just how many things have obligatory distances. This is useful data and I’m sure will be received very well by my clients and their agents.
This house has a public water supply. The water line is copper coming into the house. This water system is relatively new as the homeowner experienced a flood two years previous to this photo. The water meter, filter, water softener, water heater were all replaced and were functioning as they should.
Jet pumps are typically used in wells that are 3" in diameter or less, such as a driven point well or other type of shallow well. Jet pumps usually have a lower operating pressure and a lower water yield than a submersible pump.
Human health is important for homeowners because the Safe Water Drinking Act (1974) does not cover private wells. Lead is one of the largest concerns for homeowners with a well, but lead is rarely found as a trace element in the source water of a well itself. Lead in water is typically caused by plumbing materials inside the house. Even pipes that are “lead-free” can contain up to 8% of lead. Flush pipes before use to help reduce the threat and never boil water if you believe lead is present in drinking water.
Observed a pump house with a well pump. The well is functional; however, the well is strictly utilized for the underground irrigation system. Observed the cover to the pump was missing. I made a recommendation to keep the electrical portions covered to prevent shock injuries from occurring.
I studied the shallow well pump image. This image reveals a cut-view image depicting how a shallow well pump works to collect water from within the well, to then dump into the pressure tank and then readily available for household use.
Dug Wells should have their water tested regularly to ensure the quality is to a satisfactory level and to test for the presence of any contaminants such as bacteria or nitrates. The cover on the well provides an added safety feature.
Pump and well systems are used by a large number of home owners and their is maintenance that comes with being on a well system. Period water testing is recommended as well as monitoring the equipment to ensure it is functioning properly.
When this inspection was done is was determined that this pressure tank was waterlogged. The client was stating that the water pressure in the shower was getting stong and then weak again right away. I determined that the submersible well pump was constantly cycling and air was leaking through to the faucets. I shut off the well pump and ran the water out of the holding tank and checked the pressure there. Water was coming out of the schrader valve and it had no air pressure left. The holding tank was replaced and the problem was solved. Note the well pump information that is on the tank. This was a good installation.
When this inspection was done is was determined that this pressure tank was waterlogged. The client was stating that the water pressure in the shower was getting stong and then weak again right away. I determined that the submersible well pump was constantly cycling and air was leaking through to the faucets. I shut off the well pump and ran the water out of the holding tank and checked the pressure there. Water was coming out of the schrader valve and it had no air pressure left. The holding tank was replaced and the problem was solved. Note the well pump information that is on the tank. This was a good installation
When this inspection was done is was determined that this pressure tank was waterlogged. The client was stating that the water pressure in the shower was getting stong and then weak again right away. I determined that the submersible well pump was constantly cycling and air was leaking through to the faucets. I shut off the well pump and ran the water out of the holding tank and checked the pressure there. Water was coming out of the schrader valve and it had no air pressure left. The holding tank was replaced and the problem was solved. Note the well pump information that is on the tank. This was a good installation.
The well water storage tank missing the air captive float valve. Air captive float valve was removed and opening plugged. The air captive float valve captures an amount of air in the storage tank to act as a cushion as the tank is filled with water. Without this cushion of air in the storage tank, the water pump starts on any water demand and runs until water demand stops. Starting and stopping the pump in this manner shortens the life of the pump motor.
Research and Writing Assignment discussing Safe Drinking Water in Private Water Wells:
Approximately 15% of Americans rely on private water wells for drinking water. Private water wells are not regulated and not tested. The EPA regulates public water systems. It is the responsibility of owners of private water wells to test and properly maintain the well to provide safe drinking water for their home. Water well testing should be done once a year, after area is covered with flood waters or if water conditions change.
