THE SKILLINGS BLOG

We often talk to homeowners who want to know how often they should test the quality of their well water. Because there is little to no regulation of well water quality depending on where you live, making sure well water is safe to drink is the responsibility of the homeowner. How often you should test depends on where you live, if there are known sources of contamination nearby or if there have been problems with the well water at your home before.

The Environmental Protection Agency is tasked with keeping us safe from contaminants in our drinking water. They have established National Primary Drinking Water Standards (NPDWRs) that set mandatory quality standards for a variety of drinking water contaminants. The regulations are legally enforceable and set Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) to protect the public from consuming water that may be a health.

What to know about fluoride and well water
If you live in a city or large town, your public water system may add fluoride to drinking water to promote dental health. Few people realize that fluoride is also naturally-occurring in water drawn from bedrock wells, especially in some regions of New Hampshire. Most naturally-occurring fluoride levels are similar to levels found in public water systems, but in some areas of the state, higher levels of fluoride can occur.

Salty potato chips are a treat, but excess salt in your well water is something that should be looked into. Salt can enter ground water and well systems from some sources, from sea foam to road salt. When salt dissolves in water, it breaks up into positively- and negatively-charged sodium and chloride ions. These ions are so common that they are found in every water supply at some level.

The Environmental Protection Agency regulates public water systems, but if you have a private well, there are no federal regulations and minimal state regulations guarding the quality of your water.