Month: August 2023

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are a class of chemical compounds that share two main properties:

1. They evaporate easily from water into the air; and
2. They contain carbon.

Low concentrations of most VOCs in water can produce a sweet and pleasant or foul and unpleasant odor that is easily detected. VOCs are associated with products such as but not limited to gasoline, plastics, adhesives, dry-cleaning fluids, refrigerants, and paints. Biological sources of VOCs are from the degradation of organic matter in feed and manure. Crude oil tanking can also release VOCs into the atmosphere.

When spilled or improperly disposed of, VOCs may be released into the environment. Any portion that does not evaporate may leach into the soil and can be carried into groundwater by rain, water, and snow melt. Factors that influence the likelihood of contamination include:

• proximity of the well to the source of contamination;
• the amount of VOCs that are spilled or discarded;
• depth of the well (shallow wells are affected by surface spills more quickly and more severely than deep wells);
• local geology (groundwater that is protected by thick, dense, impermeable soils is less vulnerable to contamination); and
• time (groundwater moves slowly, so it can take months or years after a spill before contamination reaches wells).

You should test your well water for VOCs if it is in close proximity to a gasoline service station or other fuel tanks (500 to 1000 feet), if a spill has occurred on or near your property, or if your water has the taste or odor of gasoline or solvents. Contact your state or local health department for a list of state-certified laboratories in your area or use our interactive map on our website. If you need assistance locating a laboratory in your area, contact our wellcare® Hotline.

Read our information sheet on VOCs & Well Water for more information.

Seasonal Homes: Winterizing Your Well

Most vacation homes and cabins are considered seasonal homes. Some seasonal homes have private water wells that service the home. These types of homes are not designed to be used during the winter due to plumbing systems and structures that are not adequately insulated to withstand extreme cold. When preparing to close your vacation home for the season, leaving the home vacant and unheated, it is imperative to winterize the plumbing to protect it from bursting in freezing temperatures. This process includes going through the steps to winterize your water well.

WSC recommends that you contact a licensed plumber to winterize your home. If you must winterize on your own, follow these steps and instructions.

Year-round Homes: Your Well System 

If you are in an area that tends to reach or has ever had freezing temperatures, you should make every effort to prevent your pipes, well, and well components from freezing. When pipes freeze, the flow of water is completely blocked. Since water expands as it turns into ice, the pipes are very likely to burst. It could also ruin your well pump and other exposed well components. This can be an expensive problem to fix and a disastrous occurrence in the frigid winter months. If your well or pipes freeze, contact your licensed well contractor or plumber as soon as possible.

Help keep your well from freezing with a pitless adapter. A pitless adapter attaches to your well casing to provide a sanitary and frost-proof seal between the casing and the water line running to your home. This device protects the water from freezing and permits convenient access to the well and well components without having to dig around the well. The adapter is connected to the well casing below the frost line, which is the depth at which the ground does not freeze. Water from the well is diverted horizontally at the adapter to prevent it from freezing. Contact your licensed well contractor to discuss installing a pitless adapter. You should also protect your wellhead from getting damaged by snow and heavy equipment like snow blowers and plows. There are existing older wells that are in driveways, close to the driveway, or close to a road. Consider adding a fiberglass driveway marker to help with locating the well. If your well gets covered by snow, you will easily find it and can carefully remove the snow around it.

Freezing temps on the way and no time to make adjustments?

If your wellhead is exposed to outside elements and freezing temperatures are on the way, wrap it with insulation, blankets, towels, or anything else you can find that will not cause damage to the wellhead but can help protect it from the cold.

To learn more about protecting your pipes, pump, tank, and our tips if your pipes or well system are already frozen, download our wellcare® information sheet on Protecting Your Pipes and Well System From Freezing from our website.