Replies

1. 
   akb25 | Mar 04, 2005 06:26pm | #1

   Keep anything away from it that might pose a threat of contamination (the obvious stuff like vehicles or equipment that leaks oil, gas, etc.). 

   At 180 feet deep you won't have to worry about stuff like that reaching the water table any time soon. 

   Don't know were your located so reg's may be different but in connecticut your well has to be atleast 80 feet from the septic system and not down gradient.  Top of the casing must be atleast 18" above grade.

   Your driller know's that and should have installed the well in the appropriate area.

   Be aware of your surrounding area, any gas stations, industrial buildings, manufacturing facilities, farms.  You name it, they probably had an under ground storage tank at one time or another holding who knows what, some may still be in the ground and leaking.  Happens all the time. 

   If your suspicous about anything, go to your town hall and research the records in the health department.  Could also research records at your states DEP office.  They have everything on file, usually by address.  If your really worried and have reason to belieze your water is contaminated, get it tested. 

   This is all worst case stuff, hope I didn't scare ya.

   Good site to check out is http://www.groundwater.org/ , they have info on the in's and out's of drinking water wells.

   Chances are.......... your wells fine.

   I work at an environmental engineering company, so I see some pretty nasty leaks and the effects they have on surrounding wells. 

   Best of luck.

1. 
   barcok9 | Mar 05, 2005 04:54pm | #4

   Our well was properly placed a good distance from the septic system and we have had our water tested on a regular basis. We added a reverse osmosis system to our drinking faucet due to an elevated nitrate level, but that wasen't too bad.

   My real question was to well maintenance as far as maintaing the pump itself.

   The system works fine, I was wondering if the pump need to be cleaned on any kind of schedule?

   I guess my lack of knowledge of pumps makes me curious about the system.

   I would like to be able to make any repairs, should something go wrong.

   Thanks,

   Charlie

1. 
   Manchild | Mar 05, 2005 06:07pm | #6

   I bought a house with a well a year and a half ago. Like you I like to be able to fix things myself or at least know how they work. I believe preventive maintenance can go a long way towards extending the life of stuff. If you don't extend the life of something, at least you are familiar with it because you have done some maintenance on it.

   The problem with the pump for the well is the location. It's hard to get to in the well. I haven't even seen mine yet. It's like the fuel pumps in cars now. They put them in the gas tank.

   After being in the area for a few years I have found what i think is a good plumber. That might be the way to go for now. You could look over his shoulder when he works on it.

   Edited 3/5/2005 10:10 am ET by david

2. 
   SYSOP | Mar 04, 2005 06:40pm | #2

   One thing I would recommend is getting your water tested on a regular basis. I have found in the 10 years since our well was drilled that the water has changed some. I am about to install a neutralizer because in my yearly water test I found the water PH to be off enough to warrant this system where as every other test it came out fine. I re-tested just to be sure. Some will say that there is no need to test yearly but to me it is cheap insurance. Here in CT it cost me $75 to have the water tested.

   A note about testing though, be sure to take your sample to an independent lab one that does not sell water treatment systems as I had my h20 tested by one of the local water treatment companies and they found all sorts of problems with it, which the independent lab did not...

   SYSOP
   [email protected]

1. 
   barcok9 | Mar 05, 2005 04:56pm | #5

    we get our water tested regularly from the county for $25-.

   Regards,

   Charlie

3. 
   junkhound | Mar 04, 2005 08:54pm | #3

    

   Do a web search for the ecology or water rights dept of whatever state you live in.

   The link is an example for my home state.  Lots of links from you government "services"

   http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/wells/wellhome.html