Can Well Water Be Harmful?

On a hot summer afternoon, the first thing we do after entering our homes is walk to the kitchen sink and open the tap to pour ourselves a glass of cold water. While trying to quench our thirst, we never think twice if the water is clean or not. While most city authorities go to extreme lengths to ensure all citizens are getting clean and healthy water, it is not uncommon for citizens to discover that their water supply is not as clean as they think. Last year, a city made headlines when its citizens discovered the presence of lead, a carcinogenic element, in their home’s water supply. People have become aware of problems that can exist in their water supply as well as more conscious about their health and therefore, ask this question often.

Do I Need to Filter Drinking Water?

Before we can answer this question, it is important to understand where your home’s water supply is coming from. Properties that have a private well get their water supply through a system that pushes the water through a pump and into a home. This system pulls water from either an aquifer or from the layers of permeable rocks that hide water within them. Unlike the city water, water that comes from the ground naturally contains several important minerals and nutrients. Underground water is a good source of calcium, magnesium and sodium. All of these nutrients are essential and required by the body to perform its daily functions. Thus, water derived directly from underground sources is considered to be high-quality water. However, this does not mean that this water is always safe to drink.

Can Well Water Be Harmful?

Well water contains many essential nutrients and minerals. However, yes, well water can also be harmful at times. This is primarily because alongside essential nutrients and minerals, well water can also contain harmful chemicals and sometimes lethal metals and compounds, such as cadmium and lead. Similarly, the possibility of fertilizers, pesticides, and industrial waster entering the water well supply cannot be completely undermined. Thus, the quality of well water cannot be trusted blindly.

Most of the problems outlined above arise when water wells are installed too close to the surface. Thus, if you ever decide to get private water well, the first thing you must do is find a professional well drilling company that comes with experience and skill. If the well is installed right, half of your problems will automatically get solved. Talk to the representative of the company and make sure that they are drilling the well deep enough to reduce the risk of contaminants entering your home’s water supply.

More importantly, if you are a private well owner, make sure to get your well checked from time to time. Seek the services of an expert and ask them to perform regular checkups on your water well. This exercise will not only ensure your safety as well as the safety of your family but will also allow you to fix any problems with your well while the problem is still in the early stage.

Give Ries Well Drilling Inc a call to answer any questions you may have about well water. We can be reached at (586) 784-9516!

We provide Water Well Drilling Services in the following Michigan Counties: