Does the Federal Government Regulate Private Well Water? The EPA and The Safe Drinking Water Act
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates water quality for many different contaminants in public drinking water.
Under the SDWA, the EPA sets standards for maximum contaminant limits and monitors states and local authorities to enforce them.
However, this only applies to public water supplies, like publicly operated wells and municipal systems.
That means private well owners are on their own.
What About State Policies On Private Wells?
When it comes to private well policies, every state is different.
They identified eight different types of state agencies involved in regulating private wells:
- The Department of Natural Resources
- Department of Health
- The Department of Environmental Quality
- The Water Well Board
- The Office of State Engineer
- Department of Consumer Protection
- The Energy and Environment Cabinet
- The (Texas) Department of Licensing and Regulation
At least 14 states have more than one agency issuing policies for private wells.
Texas was the only state to have three different agencies juggling different responsibilities.
All 50 states have legal requirements for drilling new wells, but beyond that, states differ dramatically regarding safety and maintenance.
Overall, Connecticut, Wisconsin and Florida have the most comprehensive private well policies.
Maine, on the other hand, only has policies for drilling and construction.
In a nutshell, many policies are inconsistent and others are completely absent in most states.
Barriers to Safer Well Water
Few regulations require homeowners to test their water.
As a result, testing doesn’t occur very often.
Other barriers to safer well water include:
- Limited knowledge by well owners
- Property value concerns
- Inconvenience to owners
- Cost of testing
- Lack of perceived health concerns
Next, let’s take a closer look at the most common contaminants in private wells…
Potential Private Well Contaminants
Private wells draw their water from groundwater.
Groundwater is always moving, and it can easily soak up contaminants on its way to your well.
Agricultural activities and leaky septic tanks are the most common sources of groundwater contamination.
Most of the time, groundwater becomes polluted because of:
- Barnyard runoff
- Fecal contamination from animal farms
- Sewage from nearby septic systems
- Bacteria and microbial contamination
- Naturally-occurring contaminants, like arsenic and radon
- Fertilizers and pesticides
Nitrate is a common compound used in fertilizers to help plants absorb nutrients.
However, high levels of nitrates in water can make you sick.
Nitrate can also come from wastewater, septic systems, polluted stormwater runoff, animal waste, and anything else that contains poop.
Testing Your Private Well Water
At minimum, you should have your water professionally tested at least once a year.
The main contaminants they’ll test for are total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids (minerals) and pH levels.
You should also check your well every spring for mechanical problems.
Other times to test your well are if:
- You notice a change in taste, color, or smell
- There is a flood, major construction, or other land disturbances nearby
- You replace or repair any part of your well system
- You hear about new water quality problems in your area
How to Properly Install and Maintain Your Private Well
Well safety depends mostly on location.
The most important thing is to keep a safe distance from possible sources of contamination, especially septic tanks.
Depth is also a big factor (the deeper, the better).
Here are some of the most important things to keep in mind:
- Wells 50 feet deep or more have a much lower risk of contamination
- Septic tanks, min. 50 feet from well
- Petroleum tanks, manure storage and fertilizer storage, min. 100 feet from well
- Livestock yard and silos, min. 50 feet from well
- Slope the land around the well so surface water drains away from the well
- Install septic tanks downhill from the well
You should also contact your state agency to determine if your groundwater is under direct influence of surface water.
Some groundwater is much more vulnerable to pollutants above ground, so it’s important to know what you’re up against.
Protect Your Well After Floods and Natural Disasters
Floods, earthquakes, landslides and other natural disasters are serious threats to well water safety.
For starters, they can drag contaminants from the surface into groundwater.
To make matters worse, they can damage pumps, crack tanks, and compromise your water system.
Here’s what you should do to protect your well after a flood or other natural disaster, according to the EPA:
- Stay away from the well while it’s flooded to avoid electric shock
- Do not use the water to drink, cook, or wash until you test it for contaminants
- Contact a professional contractor to safely test your pump. They will run the well until it runs clear to eject the flood water
- Have your water professionally tested and disinfected if necessary
If your well tests positive for coliform bacteria and pathogens, contact a contractor with experience in disinfecting private wells.
They will chemically disinfect your well with either chlorine or ozone.
You can also install an ultraviolet light system to kill any microorganisms before the water reaches your tap.
Reverse osmosis (RO) systems are also a great way to remove dangerous pathogens, but more on that in a sec…
How to Keep Your Drinking Water Safe Year-round
There’s a whole bunch of different treatment options out there for private well owners.
Some not only remove contaminants, but can also improve the taste and smell of your water.
The most common types of home treatment systems are:
- Filtration systems that remove sediment, heavy metals, chemicals, and organic matter.
- Water softeners to remove excess minerals and reduce water hardness
- Distillation systems that boil and steam the water and leave most contaminants behind
If you want to protect every inch of pipe and faucet in your home, you can install a whole-house system.
However, these usually cost several thousand dollars and can be hard to maintain.
If you just want delicious, safe drinking water, you can go for an under-sink filter instead.
Cloud Water Filters use reverse osmosis to remove up to 99.9% of contaminants, including hard-to-remove ones like arsenic and pesticides.
They’re affordable, fit right under the kitchen sink, and have built-in software to monitor water quality 24/7.
They even include a final remineralization stage to add healthy minerals back into the water.
Safe well water never tasted so good!
