Does the water from your well have a funny taste or a cloudy look? Or, perhaps you’re worried about how close that gas station, farm, on-site sewer treatment system, or factory is to your property?
Regardless of the reasoning, it’s important to conduct private water testing of your Centreville VA property because the EPA doesn’t have rules in place to protect it. It’s up to you to handle any threats to your water source.
It is in this spirit that we offer the following guide. Paying close attention to the information will highlight the importance of private water testing.
Why should I conduct testing?
Many contaminants, although harmless, can impact the quality of your water in terms of odor, taste, and appearance. The harmful ones are way more dangerous. They cause illnesses, like diarrhea, skin infections, or death. Private water testing of your Centreville, VA water source will reveal them to you.
What are the contaminants I should test for?
When conducting water testing, there are certain contaminants to pay attention to. Some of these include:
- Total coliforms: This microbe is present on plants, in soil, and in the digestive systems of warm-blooded animals. Significant levels of these microbes indicate harmful parasites, bacteria, germs, and viruses are in your water.
- Fecal coliforms: The presence of this specific form of coliform may indicate that harmful germs (that can cause hepatitis, dysentery, and diarrhea) are in your water system.
- Ions: These include sulfate, chloride, manganese, iron, and sodium. While not harmful, they may make your water smell weird or taste funny.
- pH levels: The pH level of your water changes how it looks and tastes. For instance, if the pH level in your water is too high or too low, it can damage your pipes and cause heavy metals to leak into your water. This can have negative impacts on your health.
- Sulfates: Too many sulfates in your well water has a laxative effect. It can cause gastrointestinal irritation as well.
- Nitrates: Nitrates are in polluted stormwater runoff, decaying plants, flooded sewers, wastewater, agricultural runoff, fertilizer, animal waste, and private septic systems. High levels of them in your drinking water can cause sickness.
- Fluoride: Excessive amounts of fluoride in your well water can cause dental problems.
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): These refer to industrial-type chemicals like benzene, methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, and toluene.
The above list is by no means complete. There are other harmful chemicals or germs to test for. But, this will depend on several factors, like your well’s location on your property or if you suspect a particular contaminant is present in your water.
How often should I test my well?
You should conduct private water testing for your Centreville VA water source for nitrates, total coliform bacteria, and pH levels once a year. It’s every 2 years for nitrites, nitrates, copper, lead, and heavy metals. But, for VOCs and pesticides, 5 years is fine.
Special Considerations
Conduct private water testing for your Centreville VA property more often if your household has elderly adults, small children, or a pregnant or nursing mother. Those who fall in this category are more vulnerable to pollutants than someone in the prime of his or her life.
Additionally, you’ll want to test your private well immediately if:
- The drinking water or groundwater in your area has known problems
- There is new construction, a land disturbance, flooding, or industrial activity nearby
- You recently replaced or repaired a part of your well system
- There’s a change (color, smell, or taste) in your well’s water quality
Why Choose Joiner Micro Labs?
To get the best results, enlist the help of a laboratory that’s certified to do private water testing for residents of Centreville VA, like Joiner Micro Labs. We are a Virginia NELAP Accredited Laboratory that’s been in business for about 3 decades and our goal is to provide you with high-quality service that ensures your well water is safe.
How Does the Process Work?
Our private water testing kits are an affordable and effective way to determine if there are contaminants in your water. Plus, 3 simple steps are all it takes to get informed:
- Call us and one of our knowledgeable consultants will help you pick the right test for your needs. The test you picked and a postage-paid box will arrive at your home in a few days.
- Collect a sample of your well water. Once completed, place the special container we’ve provided in the return box and drop it off at your post office.
- Once we’ve received your sample, we’ll run tests, analyze the results, and email our findings within a few days.
What do I do if contaminants are in my water source?
If private water testing of your Centreville VA water source reveals high contaminant levels, call your local Health Department for more information. They will help you find the best treatment solutions.
After implementing the chosen treatment solution, test your well again to see if the concentration levels have changed. Depending on the contaminants, their concentration levels, and the condition of your well, you might have to find a new water source or dig a new well.
Ready to discover the secrets that lie within your private water source? One phone will connect you to one of our knowledgeable representatives who will guide you through the process. We look forward to hearing from you.