If you are a homeowner with a well for your water supply, you may be wondering how you can ensure that your family has healthy water to drink, bathe in and use for cleaning clothes and dishes. There are many things to look for in a water filtration system to be sure that you are getting a system that will work properly for you and your family. Do you know what to look for?
First, you should know that as a homeowner with a well for your water supply, you need to test your well water regularly—no less than every two years and preferably, every year. When you test your water, be sure that you get a comprehensive panel of testing that includes screening for all types of bacteria and not just E. Coli or coliform bacteria. And, once you’ve tested the water and learn the results, it is important that you look for filtration systems that will actually be effective against all the types of impurities found in your well water.
Analyzing Your Water
A good water analysis before choosing a filtration system is vital. Without first knowing exactly what is present in the water, you may not purchase the best filter for your situation.
It’s important to know which factors your water should be tested for. When the well is located near gasoline stations, industrial sites, or close to an agricultural area where many chemical or toxic substances are being used, the water should be analyzed at least annually for various chemical contaminants to make sure the water remains safe.
A reputable company would recommend the following steps:
- Do an initial test of water contaminants and quality
- Disinfect the well
- Do a second test.
If the water doesn’t retest to safe levels of bacteria or contaminants, there is a structural problem which a filtration system will not address. Then you would need to know how to address the structural problems before you would consider any water filtration system.
What Is a Water Filtration System?
This may sound like a silly question, but it really isn’t. There are many systems out there that are touted as filtration systems. What you want to look for is one that will actually filter impurities in the water down to the smallest micron. And a system that will actually address the issues found in your water.
Water filtration is a general term that refers to any system or process that is used to filter out particles and pollutants from water. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a purifier to make the cut. Anything that removes any number of particles, sediment, bacteria, and the chlorine taste can be called water filtration.
Selecting the Right Water Filtration System
So how do you select an appropriate water filtration system for your own well water? You should know that there are many reputable suppliers of water filtration systems out there but some that are disreputable. Some disreputable ones will take water test results and try to sell a filter that addresses this or that specific microbe that was found in your water. They are actually trying to sell something that handles a specific microbe or two as a “one-size-fits-all” solution.
Almost all water treatment systems have certain ranges or conditions in which they perform. For example, some water from wells is naturally acidic and, at the same time, has iron present. A lot of iron filtration systems cannot remove iron if the water is acidic. In that case, the water has to receive a preliminary treatment to counteract its acidity.
Well Cap Problems
As an example of why it’s wise to test your water before buying a filtration system, you could have issues with the well cap. It could be located in the wrong place, or it could be set too deep in the well or allow seepage of groundwater into the well. A water filtration system will not handle contaminants entering your water supply from a well cap problem.
These well cap points need to be addressed first before choosing a filtration system:
- Do you need a new well cap?
- Do you need to raise your well cap higher?
- Can you feel your casing?
- Is there any corrosion?
In this case, fixing the well cap would need to be done before you would consider any water filtration system.
Work with Your Water Testing Company
You should definitely review your water testing results with your water testing company and see what type of filtration system they recommend. It would be best to work with a water testing company that does not sell filtration systems or receive a referral commission. That way, you know that they are not profiting from selling you the specific type of filtration system recommended.
Following this advice, you can verify the cause of your well water problem before investing in a filtration system which won’t eliminate that problem.
We don’t sell filtration systems however, we do offer well water testing kits and disinfecting kits. For more information, fill out a contact form or give us a call at (800) 344-9977.