Well water and health: Protect and maintain your well
Keep your water safe by learning how to properly maintain your well and manage potential sources of contamination.
On this page
- Protecting groundwater resources
- Regularly inspect your well
- Potential sources of contamination
- How to prevent contamination
- Septic systems
Protecting groundwater resources
As a well owner, you're responsible for monitoring and maintaining the quality of your drinking water.
The best way to protect groundwater and keep accessing clean water is to prevent contamination from happening in the first place. You can do this by making sure your well is in good condition and properly managing any contaminants on your property.
Once an aquifer is contaminated, it can be extremely difficult, or sometimes impossible, to clean up. As a result, aquifers can become unusable if they're contaminated with substances that can affect your health.
Regularly inspect your well
One way to prevent contamination is to keep your well in good condition. If there are cracks or openings, contaminants can enter directly into your well water. Inspect your well at least once a year to confirm that:
- the well head is accessible and clear of any:
- snow
- debris
- leaves
- animal waste
- other obstructions
- there's a trimmed grassy area of at least 3 metres around your well and nothing else is within that area
- the area around the well remains sloped, so water runs away from the well
- the well cap is securely in place and watertight (no cracks or damage)
- the vent is in the right place, screened and not blocked in any way
- If needed, clean the air vent to remove debris and moisture.
- there are no signs of cracking, settling or water pooling on the surface surrounding the well casing
- there are no gaps around the outside edges of the well casing
- there are no leaky connections in the plumbing between the well and the house
- pumps and pipes are in good condition
- the pump, pressure tank and water treatment system are operating properly
If there are any signs of damage to your well, get it repaired or replaced as soon as possible. Reach out to a licensed well contractor for more information.
Potential sources of contamination
The quality of your well water is influenced by the surrounding environment. As a result, your water quality can be affected by activities and land use near your well or property.
Common sources of contamination that you might have on or near your property include:
- oil, fuel and gas leaks or spills
- manure or waste from pets or livestock
- fertilizers, herbicides or other chemicals
- surface water that pools around or near your well
- a septic system that's either too close or not properly maintained
New activities, previous land uses, changes in land use, or unexpected events near your well and property can impact the quality of your well water. This could include:
- spills
- floods
- droughts
- wildfires
- major construction
- former landfill sites
- new septic systems
- new agricultural activity
- known contaminated sites
- new or previous industrial activity
- grazing animals or piling of manure
Contaminants from further away can reach your well:
- through connected groundwater
- if transported by rain, snow melt and surface water
Paying attention to any changes will help you spot concerns, investigate and get proper help protecting and maintaining your well.
A change in the colour, taste or smell of your water could indicate a change in water quality. Test your water for chemical and microbial contaminants and reach out to your local public health unit or drinking water authority to address any concerns.
How to prevent contamination
There are many ways that you can minimize the risk from potential contaminants on your property:
- Leave a trimmed grassy area of at least three meters around your well.
- Keep the area around the well free of animal wastes, plants, leaves, snow, debris or obstacles.
- Make sure the area around the well remains sloped, so water runs away from the well. Otherwise rainwater can cause waste and contaminants to drain toward your well.
Avoid the use or storage of fertilizers, herbicides, fuel, oil or chemicals near the well:
- Keep them a safe distance away.
- Use them over a non-porous surface, like pavement or cement, to prevent infiltration if spilled.
- Keep a bucket and absorbent material, such as kitty litter, nearby to quickly clean up spills if necessary.
Make sure that any oil, fuel and gas is stored properly. Check the containers are in good shape and not damaged:
- Use above ground storage tanks.
- Only store in containers with spill containment.
- Keep them as far away from your well as possible.
Properly seal any wells that aren't in use anymore:
- Unsealed wells that aren't properly maintained provide direct access to groundwater increasing risk of contamination.
- Contact a licensed well contractor for more information.
Septic systems
Septic systems are a common source of contamination and can introduce disease-causing bacteria, protozoa or viruses into your drinking water. Here are some steps you can take to properly use and maintain your septic system to prevent contamination of nearby groundwater.
Table 1: Dos and don'ts of septic systems
Do | Don't |
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When a septic system is working properly, it can break down organic matter in waste water. The effluent is then released into the surrounding soil where it's treated further.
However, if a septic system is too close to the well or isn't functioning properly, the effluent won't be treated enough before it reaches your water supply. This can make groundwater sources unsafe for consumption unless proper treatment is installed.
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