Understanding Well Water Treatment and How it Affects You
Normally, groundwater is naturally clean and safe for drinking. Because the prevailing soil serves as a filter, groundwater is typically free from disease-causing microorganisms. However, contamination may happen following improper placing of well casings or caps, after a break in the casing or as an effect of contaminated surface water entering the well. Contamination can also happen if wells are drilled in broken bedrock without a sufficient layer of protective soil and with less than the advised minimum casing length.
In order to prevent diseases, wells should be properly maintained and the water routinely tested for the presence of microbial contaminants. Well water should also be tested regularly for possible inorganic and organic chemical contaminants and pollutants and well water treatment should be done.
Well water treatment is done to make the water safe for use. Well water treatment maintenance is very important. Proper location, construction and maintenance of a well will help reduce the occurrence of contamination. The well cap should be assessed regularly to ensure that it is tightly in place and secured. Joints, cracks and connections in the well casing should be fixed. Pumps and pipes should also be checked on a constant basis, and any changes in water quality should be observed.
Well water should be screened for bacteriological contents regularly and for chemical contamination if it is suspected. In addition to regular tests, well water should be tested immediately if there is any alteration in its clearness, colour, odour or taste, or if there has been a change in the surrounding land use. Through regular investigation and testing of drinking water, the microbial and chemical safety of your well water can be confirmed. This is to know what well water treatment is to be used.
New wells should be disinfected by the well driller at the time of creation to avoid any microbiological contamination that may have happened during drilling. This should be done before collecting a sample for microbiological testing for water well treatment. Existing wells should be tested at least two or three times a year. The best time to sample your well water is when the possibility of contamination is highest.
Interpretation of the result depends on the microorganisms found. The microbiological quality of well water is decided by looking for the presence of bacteria indicative of faecal (sewage) contamination – namely, total coli forms and Escherichia coli. Total coli forms occur usually in soil and in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals. Thus, their occurrence in water may indicate faecal contamination. E. coli are present only in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals. Their presence therefore indicates definite faecal (sewage) pollution.
Well water treatment methods usually used are: Distillation which kills all microorganisms, Ultra violet light which also kills all microorganisms and is used in combination with microfiltration to improve inactivation and remove particulate matter including parasites, Chlorination which also kills bacteria and viruses and is also used in conjunction with microfiltration to enhance inactivation and remove particulate matter including parasites, Ozonation which destroys harmful microorganisms and is utilized with microfiltration to improve inactivation and segregate particulate matter including parasites, and Ceramic candle filtration which removes parasites and bacteria and is used in combination with chlorination to kill viruses.