Water Analysis Kit-Laboratory
The laboratory performs analysis according to US EPA and industry standard methods to meet state compliance requirements. Checks for 143 bacteria, chemicals, metal-mineral and more! as well as performing informational tests for quality control purposes.
List of Contaminates
Download a PDF List of Contaminates
What should I do if my water is contaminated with bacteria?
First, don't panic! Bacterial contamination is very common. Studies have found that more than 40 percent of private water supplies are contaminated with coliform bacteria. Spring water supplies are the most frequently contaminated, with more than 70 percent containing coliform bacteria.
Improving protection of a well or spring from the inflow of surface water is an important option to consider if the supply is contaminated with bacteria. It is important to remember that the groundwater is not necessarily contaminated in these cases; rather, the well is acting to funnel contaminants down into the groundwater.
Although well pits were the common method of construction several years ago, they are no longer considered sanitary construction and are not approved. Pitless well adapters are approved, but the casing must extend at least one foot above ground and be provided with an approved cap.
A properly protected well is evidenced by the well casing extending above the surface of the ground and the ground sloping away from the well to prevent water from collecting around the casing.
A properly protected spring is developed underground and the water is channeled to a sealed spring box. At no time should the water be exposed to the ground surface.
Keeping the plumbing system clean is an important part of maintaining a sanitary water supply. Any time work is performed on the plumbing or pump, the entire water system should be disinfected with chlorine. Simply pulling the pump out of the well, setting it on the grass to work on it, and returning it to the well is enough to contaminate the well with bacteria.
The procedure for cleaning and sanitizing a well or spring with chlorine is called shock chlorination. Concentrations of chlorine ranging from 50 to 200 milligrams per liter are used in the shock chlorination process. This is 100 to 400 times the amount of chlorine found in city water. The highly chlorinated water is held in the pipes for 12 to 24 hours before it is flushed out and the system is ready to be used again.
Periodic shock chlorination also may be effective in reducing an iron bacteria problem. The amount of chlorine needed to shock chlorinate a water system is determined by the amount of water standing in the well.
Table 3 lists the amount of chlorine laundry bleach or powdered high-test hypochlorite (HTH) that is needed for wells. If in doubt, it is better to use more chlorine than less.
The presence of fecal coliform bacteria in aquatic environments indicates that the water has been contaminated with the fecal material of man or other animals. At the time this occurred, the source water may have been contaminated by pathogens or disease producing bacteria or viruses which can also exist in fecal material. Some waterborne pathogenic diseases include typhoid fever, viral and bacterial gastroenteritis and hepatitis A. The presence of fecal contamination is an indicator that a potential health risk exists for individuals exposed to this water. Fecal coliform bacteria may occur in ambient water as a result of the overflow of domestic sewage or nonpoint sources of human and animal waste.
Human and animal wastes are a primary source of bacteria in water. These sources of bacterial contamination include runoff from feedlots, pastures, dog runs, and other land areas where animal wastes are deposited. Additional sources include seepage or discharge from septic tanks, sewage treatment facilities, and natural soil/plant bacteria. Bacteria from these sources can enter wells that are either open at the land surface, or do not have water-tight casings or caps.
Insects, rodents or animals entering the well are other sources of contamination. Old wells were dug by hand and lined (cased) with rocks or bricks. These wells usually have large openings and casings that often are not well-sealed. This makes it easy for insects, rodents, or animals to enter the well.
Another way bacteria can enter a water supply is through inundation or infiltration by flood waters or by surface runoff. Flood waters commonly contain high levels of bacteria. Small depressions filled with flood water provide an excellent breeding ground for bacteria. Whenever a well is inundated by flood waters or surface runoff, bacterial contamination is likely. Shallow wells and wells that do not have water-tight casings can be contaminated by bacteria infiltrating with the water through the soil near the well, especially in coarse-textured soils.
Older water systems, especially, dug wells, spring-fed systems and cistern-type systems are most vulnerable to bacterial contamination. Any system with casings or caps that are not water-tight are vulnerable. This is particularly true if the well is located so surface runoff might be able to enter the well. During the last five to 10 years, well and water distribution system construction has improved to the point where bacterial contamination is rare in newer wells.
Info retrieved from: www.water-research.net http://muextension.missouri.edu
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