Water Well Requirements
Background
In order to protect the health of residents, County Code 52 requires that the water quality be tested any time a new well is installed and any time a property with an onsite well is sold.
This testing is very important to the health of residents because the process of drilling a well frequently introduces harmful bacteria into a well. Also, there are areas within the county that have high levels of arsenic and nitrates which can be very hazardous to health.
The well-drilling company must disinfect your water system with chlorine bleach or by another acceptable method after they finish drilling the well. If the disinfection does not kill the bacteria, they must repeat the disinfection at least once at no cost to the property owner.
Water Testing Requirements
It is the homeowner’s responsibility to have the drinking water tested within 30 days of the installation of the well. The costs of the laboratory work are the responsibility of the property owner.
The process for testing the water is easy. The steps are:
- Pick up a sample bottle from one of the approved laboratories (You must use their bottles).
- Collect a sample from the kitchen tap according to the directions provided with the sample bottle.
- Return the sample bottle to the laboratory.
- The results will be sent to you and the Department of Health.
What is the laboratory looking for in your water?
- Total Coliform bacteria
- E. Coli bacteria
- Nitrates
- Arsenic
- Any other tests as deemed reasonable and necessary and ordered by the Health Officer on a case by case basis to the extent that such tests protect against a health threat.
* If there is a problem with your water quality, the Department of Health will contact you to help you resolve the problem -