Unlike water that comes from city water supplies, well water comes from groundwater. Wells are dug deep to access the aquifer which is nature’s own water storage tank. Depending upon where your well is located, the groundwater could be subject to a variety of different contaminants.

 Water from private wells does not go through any of the testing that city water goes through before entering your home, so it’s especially important to test your well water to ensure that no harmful contaminants are lurking in your water supply.

Microorganisms

Microorganisms are found all over earth’s soil. Parasites, viruses and bacteria are all microorganisms that could be silently lurking within your well. Snow runoff and rainfall can also be a source of microorganisms finding their way to your well water. These microorganisms are also found in human and animal waste and underground storage tanks and leach fields that malfunction and leak can also contaminate your well water. Feedlots, animal waste disposal systems and manure stockpiles can all be sources of potential contamination. The presence of these microorganisms in the water you are drinking can cause gastrointestinal illness and it’s super important to make sure they aren’t present and take the necessary steps to purify your water.  

Nitrate and Nitrites

Chemical fertilizers and human and animal waste contain these substances and they can find their way to your well water through groundwater movement, surface water seepage, and water run off. High levels of these contaminants in your water is extremely dangerous to infants and can cause serious and sometimes fatal illness in infants below six months. Agricultural communities where farms and feedlots are storing manure, storing and using chemical fertilizers, and storing animal waste have a risk of nitrates contaminating nearby well water. Septic tanks, leach fields, sewer lines and lawn fertilizer are all residential sources from which your well water can become contaminated with nitrates.

Heavy Metals

Heavy metals are contaminants that can make their way into your well water through pipes and plumbing, service lines, manufacturing plants, mining operations, refineries, municipal waste disposal facilities, as well as natural mineral deposits found in the soil. Some heavy metals that could be lurking in your well water include arsenic, antimony, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, selenium and more. Lead is the most common metal found in well water. It’s a poison that accumulates in your body over time and can cause serious illness and ultimately brain or nerve damage with exposure over long periods of time. Arsenic was formerly used in pesticides and can enter your well through runoff from nearby farms. It’s extremely toxic to your health and especially dangerous because this silent lurker has no odor or color. The presence of any of these metals in your drinking water is hazardous to your health and can cause heavy metal toxicity, organ damage and increase your risk of various cancers.

Organic Chemicals

These lurkers find their way into your well water from chemical spills, waste disposal plants, and surface water run off. Because these chemicals are commonly used in agriculture and industry, it’s important for well owners in agricultural communities to test their well water for the presence of organic chemicals. They are also commonly used in household products and can easily show up in your well water from residential use. High levels of these chemicals  are harmful to your health and can cause serious issues in various body systems. 

Radionuclides

These are radioactive contaminants that usually come from mining operations and nuclear power plants but they can also exist naturally in groundwater. Groundwater flow and water that infiltrates your well from floods and leaking waste can cause your well water to become contaminated with radionuclides. Radioactive water is not something anyone wants to be drinking as it increases cancer risk and is harmful to your kidneys. 

Fluoride

Fluoride is naturally found in nature’s own aquifers and naturally shows up in your well water. While some fluoride is helpful in preventing tooth decay, you can get all the fluoride you need in your toothpaste. Drinking it is not going to be helpful and in fact can cause significant health concerns.

All of these contaminants potentially infiltrating your well and silently lurking in your water are a serious concern. But have no fear, Culligan Topeka is here! 

We know what goes into owning a private well and the diligence it takes to insure that the well is not only built in a location to minimize contamination but also the regular testing it takes to insure contamination isn’t occurring. We are here to help you get the most out of your private well water and ensure that what’s coming into your home and drinking water supply is going to be good for your whole family, including your small children. We have extensive experience and knowledge in the contaminants unique to well water in the Topeka area and can help you find the ideal purification for your well.

We offer point-of entry- filtration systems that work hard to solve common well water contamination problems. Whole-home filtration systems do just that. The system is placed at the point where well water enters your home and ensures that ALL the water in your home is filtered. From the water you bathe, shower and wash your clothes in, to the water you drink and use for cooking. 

We also offer point- of- use filtration systems that live under your sink and work in one place rather than filtering all the water in your home. They are a great solution if your goal is simply to purify the well water that you are drinking. 

At Culligan Topeka, we offer complimentary testing of your well water. Call us today and we can send a professional to test your water and come up with a personalized solution for any unwanted lurkers hiding in your well.