What You Need to Know About Well Water vs. City Water
There is an ongoing debate over whether or not well water is safer to drink than tap water. The answer varies depending on the area you live. If you’re considering a switch from tap water to well water, it is important to stay informed of the risks associated with both sources of water because there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
The Cycle
To understand the dangers associated with tap water, it is important to understand the loop the water goes through.
Water flows down the river, and an intake brings the water to a water treatment plant. The water goes through a treatment process and is sent to homes for consumption. When a toilet is flushed, or someone takes a shower, the water travels to a wastewater treatment plant, where it is treated for several targeted viruses, bacteria, and chemicals, and is then returned to the river.
The cycle is then repeated.
Tap Water
When a toilet is flushed, all the chemicals our body is trying to eliminate wind up in the water. Unfortunately, the wastewater treatment plant can only target certain chemicals. That means many chemicals go untreated and end up in the water system.
An example of this is the hormone estrogen which has seen a spike in recent years due to the use of the birth control pills. This has shown to have negative effects on small animals such as fish and research is still ongoing to determine the impact of estrogen on humans.
Synthetic estrogen is just one of the chemicals that goes untreated. There are many other harmful chemicals such as those found in medications that find their way into the water cycle and go untreated.
As well as these chemicals, many people will say there is a taste of chlorine in tap water. The chlorine is necessary because the water can sometimes travel long distances. As it makes its journey from the water treatment plant to the user, the chlorine ensures no bacteria can grow along the way.
Well Water
Wells are vertical pipes that go below the ground and extract water from aquifers. Aquifers are constantly being replenished because of the water cycle.
Many will argue that aquifers are better because the groundwater goes through a natural filtration process as it moves from the earth’s surface and makes its way to the aquifer where the water is pumped. It is, however, important to know that well water is not always 100% ready to drink.
Previous industrial activities such as mining can leave arsenic, VOC (volatile organic compounds) and other chemicals in the aquifer. Therefore, it is always advisable to test the water prior to consuming it. It is also necessary to test the water for mineral content because high amounts of certain minerals (such as iron) can cause damage to your plumbing if it is not properly addressed.
In general, people with wells say they can taste the difference between well water and tap water. However, prior to making the switch from tap to well water, it is important to understand where the water comes from, and the health risks each source has.
I Want the Best Well Drilling Company Near Me in Oakland County, MI
Let Ries Well Drilling help you through the process of evaluating if having a well is right for you. Give us a call for any water well-related concerns you may have. However, we think you’ll find the many, many pros of having your own personal well far outweigh any cons, which can most often be remedied.
We provide Water Well Drilling Services in the following Michigan Counties: