Well Water Contamination and Keeping Kids Healthy

The Environmental Protection Agency strongly suggests testing private well water annually to ensure its free of problems like arsenic, bacteria, lead, radon and other contaminants. It is your responsibility to monitor and test your well water, and it is extremely important if you have children in your household. A water well is one of your homes most valuable assets and plays a great role in the quality of your life. Keep your family safe through annual water testing, water treatment and filtration, and remediation of hazardous contaminants.


The American College of Pediatrics (ACP) has called for greater outreach and public education on drinking contaminated water and the health of kids. Children have increased susceptibility to the health effects of contaminated drinking water, and they recommend annual testing. Surface water contamination, agricultural runoff, and naturally occurring contaminants like radon and arsenic are found in groundwater. Knowing what is in the water your kids drink is the first step towards solving potential problems.


Testing Well Water

It is inexpensive to test for multiple contaminants and tests should include the following:

  • Bacteria such as cryptosporidium and e-coli
  • Naturally occurring contaminantsNaturally occurring contaminants can pose a threat in certain geographic locations. Naturally occurring radon and arsenic is frequently found in NH and MA for example.
  • Nitrates and Nitrites are of particular concern to young children and pregnant or nursing mothers


If you have small children in the home, it’s critical to test for nitrates/nitrites, arsenic, and radon. Naturally occurring arsenic is sometimes present in groundwater. It is odorless and colorless, and studies have concluded that trace amounts can reduce a child’s IQ, perceptual reasoning, learning ability, memory, and verbal comprehension.


Annual testing for the 23 million U.S. households rely on a well as their primary source of potable water is recommended but some situations require increased testing, they include:

  • Homes with occupants who are pregnant or nursing
  • Fuel or chemical spills in the area of the well
  • A contaminated well on a neighboring property
  • Frequent gastrointestinal illness
  • Changes in taste, odor, color or clarity

 
Adequate filtration can treat any contaminants that may be present. Have your testing done by an accredited state-certified lab, or have one of our technicians properly take a water sample for you. Once the results come in Skillings & Sons can help you to interpret the results. As a state-certified well contractor, we can correctly size and determine whether you need a reverse osmosis system, granulated activated carbon, big blue sediment filter or distillation systems to alleviate dangers in your drinking water. Contact us for further information or to receive an estimate for water treatment and water testing.