Testing of Private Wells
12/12/01
In Cayuga County, approximately 35% of the counties residents
receive their drinking water from private wells. Unfortunately, well owners
cannot take the safety of their wells for granted. In December 2000, residents
and county officials were surprised to learn that a number of private wells
located between the village of Union Springs and the city of Auburn were
contaminated with volatile organic chemicals. For this reason, the Cayuga
County Board of Health has passed a resolution establishing recommendations
that homeowners have their wells tested periodically.
The top priority of the resolution is to educate well users on the
importance of initial
testing and yearly testing there after of private wells to protect
their health. Contaminants
in your well are often odorless and colorless, giving users no
sign that there is a problem
with their water. Problems with wells can occur because of being
poorly maintained or
improper construction that creates a pathway for contaminants. It
is also possible that the
local groundwater was previously contaminated. Some sources of
ground water
contamination include septic systems, active or inactive
landfills, abandoned farm or
municipal dumps, underground petroleum storage tanks, improperly
applied fertilizers or
pesticides, and household chemicals and industrial waste that have
been improperly
disposed of to name a few.
Even though you may think you are not at risk for any of
these contaminants, testing should still be done because of the
considerable distance these
chemicals can travel. Once the water is contaminated it is a
difficult problem to fix. The
options included treating your water after pumping, drilling a new
well, or getting your
water from another source.
The Cayuga County Board of Health is requesting that the Municipal
Code Enforcement
Officers and well drillers provide to homeowners information
regarding risks associated
with well water. In additions, make sure that the well driller
that you hire is certified by
the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to
assure they are
familiar with proper construction standards.
If you are having a well drilled, it is important to choose a
location away from any known
sources of pollution. Once the well is installed, the Cayuga
County Department of Health
and Human Services recommends testing for coliform, nitrate, and
volatile organic
chemicals at a New York State certified laboratory. Don't assume
that a well is safe if
no other contamination has been reported in your area. There is no
guarantee that yours
is safe and will continue to be into the future. Yearly testing is
the best assurance of your
family's health. For additional information on well installations,
well water quality, or a
list of certified laboratories, please call the Environmental
Health Division of the Cayuga
County Health and Human Services Department at 253-1405.