This is your annual alarm for well maintenance! Well maintenance is important to make sure your well system lasts for years to come. We have so many homeowners who put off the essential maintenance only to find they need extensive repairs or a new well. Do not wait! The cost of visual inspection and water testing are minimal to what repairs can be.
Here is your spring water well checklist:
Visually inspect your wellhead. Check the well covering, casing, well cap or seal to make sure all are in good condition, leaving no cracks or other entry points for potential pollutants like pesticides and nitrates from a nearby farm and/or livestock field runoff.
Check around your well for overgrowth and make sure the area around the well is free and clear of plants, roots, and leaves, and the soil slopes away from your well.
Keep paint, chemicals, fuel, oil, etc., as far away from the well. They can be a future source of groundwater contamination.
Look for leaks inside and outside your home. Find more tips for finding and fixing leaks on the “Fix a Leak Week” website.
Have the well system inspected every 5 years by a licensed well contractor, including the pump, storage tank, pipes, valves, water level, and flow.
If you have no inspection record and cannot determine the age of the well, have it inspected immediately by a licensed well contractor.
Make sure any abandoned wells on the property are sealed properly by a licensed well contractor.
For more information on well inspection and maintenance download our free Well Owner’s Manual. It is also available in Spanish from the same link. In this publication, you can also find a place to keep records of any water testing and well maintenance. If you prefer a hard copy, send your name and mailing address to info@wellcarehotline.org.