8 handy tips for maintaining your well

Since your well provides you with your drinking water, it's important that you keep it maintained. Here are eight tips to keep in mind.

• Inspect the exposed parts of the well — the casing and well cap — several times a year to make sure the cap is tightly secured and there are no cracks or openings that could let in pollutants.

• Make sure the ground around the well slopes away from it, and when mowing near the well, be careful not to damage its casing.

• Hire a qualified well contractor to annually inspect the entire system. Have them check the well, pump, pressure tank, pipes, valves, and water flow.

Do not use hazardous chemicals, such as gasoline, paints, solvents, pesticides, and fertilizers, near the well.

• Install an anti-siphon valve on all faucets with hose connections. This will keep unsanitary water from being pulled back (back-siphoned) through a garden hose and contaminating your well water system.

•  Remember that it's your responsibility to maintain the safety of your drinking-water supply. Have your well water tested once a year for bacteria, nitrates, and other impurities.
• Call your local health department to arrange a test or to request a list of government-certified water testing laboratories in your area.

• If you notice that your well can't keep up with your household's demand, you may have a much cheaper option than drilling a new one.
• A well installer may be able to install a larger size holding tank or pressure tank that the pump can then fill at night and during times of low use. Occupants can use this reserve while the pump "catches up" and will ease the strain on your main well.

•  When your well is built, the contractor will give you a well log. It contains important information about the well, its construction, and the ground surrounding it.