Living n
Protecting
Household
Drinking
Water
Developed by:
Susan Donaldson
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
the Land
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
What we’ll cover:
 Watersheds and water pollution
 How wells work
Living n
 How to test drinking water
 Protecting well water supplies
the Land
Watersheds
Living n
the Land
USDA NRCS
FISRWG
Water cycle
Living n
the Land
CWP, adapted by A. Miller
groundwater
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
Wells
DNRC, Mont
Well construction
www.flickr.com
Who protects my drinking
water?
Living n
 The Safe Drinking Water Act, first created in
1974, is the main federal law that regulates
drinking water provided by municipal water
suppliers
 The EPA sets standards and oversees
water suppliers
 Ensuring safe water from private wells is
the responsibility of the homeowner
the Land
How do I know if my well water
is safe to drink?
Do you know
what’s
lurking below
the ground?
Where can I have my water
tested?
 Private labs vs. state health labs
Living n
 Make sure lab is certified for drinking
water analysis
 Check with lab before you do the test
to make sure you have all the
necessary information
 Ask about costs and turnaround time
the Land
What should I test for?
NEW WELLS OR NEW HOMES:
 Test for bacteria
Living n
 Request a separate general water
chemistry analysis
the Land
What’s included in a standard
chemistry panel?
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 pH
 Chloride
 Manganese
 TDS
 Nitrate
 Copper
 Hardness
 Alkalinity
 Zinc
 Calcium
 Bicarbonate
 Barium
 Magnesium
 Carbonate
 Color
 Sodium
 Fluoride
 Potassium
 Arsenic
the Land
 Iron
 Turbidity
 Sulfate
What should I test for every
year?
EXISTING WELLS:
Living n
 Test for bacteria
 Test for pH, nitrate and total dissolved
solids (TDS)
 Test for any constituents that are at or
near the drinking water standard
the Land
What should I test for every
five years?
Living n
 Have a complete water chemistry
analysis performed
the Land
Living n
Always keep copies of ALL
results so you can track
changes in your water
quality over time.
the Land
Also test your water if you:
 Are considering the purchase of water
treatment equipment
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 Want to check the performance of
existing water treatment equipment
 Are purchasing a new home, and want
to know if the water supply is of good
quality
the Land
Also test your water if:
 You have drilled a new well and want
to know if the water is safe to drink
Living n
 You are pregnant, are planning a
pregnancy, or have an infant less than
6 months old
 Your septic system absorption field, or
your neighbor’s, is close to the well
(within 100 feet)
the Land
Also test your water if your
well is located near a:
 Gas station or fuel storage tank
 Retail chemical facility
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 Gravel pit or mining operation
 Oil or gas drilling operation
 Dump, landfill, junkyard, or factory
 Dry-cleaning business
 Road-salt storage area, or heavily salted road
the Land
Test your
water and
fix the
system if:
 Your well
does not
meet
construction
codes
WSU Extension
Test your water and fix the
system if:
Living n
 Anyone in the household has
recurrent gastrointestinal illnesses
 Water leaves scaly residues and
stains
 Water is cloudy or colored
the Land
Test your
water and
fix the
system if:
 The area
around the
well head has
been flooded
or submerged
WSU Extension
Test your water and fix the
system if:
 Pipes show signs of corrosion
Living n
 Water supply equipment, including
pumps or water heaters, wears out
rapidly
 Back-siphoning has occurred
 Water smells or tastes bad
the Land
Test your water and fix the
system if:
 Your well is in or close to a livestock
confinement area, such as a corral or
feeding area
Which is correct?
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
Test your water and fix the
system if:
Living n
 You have
mixed or used
pesticides near
the well, or
have spilled
pesticides or
fuel near the
well
the Land
pmep.cce.cornell.edu
Test your water and fix the
system if:
Living n
 You have a heating oil tank or
underground fuel tank near the well
that you know has leaked
the Land
How do I take a sample?
Living n
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
What’s wrong with this picture?
the Land
A poorly collected sample is
worse than no sample at all …
and wastes your money!
DNRC, Bozeman, Mont.
How do I take a water sample
for chemistry analysis?
 First, call the lab for sample containers
and procedures
Living n
 Use the appropriate container for the
type of sample
 Store the sample carefully according
to instructions before taking it to the
lab
the Land
How do I take a water sample
for bacteria analysis?
 First, call the lab for information about
sample containers and procedures
Living n
 Never rinse out the sample container, as it
is sterile and contains a stabilizing agent
 Samples must be kept cool and delivered
to the lab within a short period of time
(often less than 24 hours) or they will not
be analyzed
the Land
What do the results mean?
 Compare your lab report to the drinking
water standards
Living n
 If any values exceed the standards, DO NOT
DRINK THE WATER!
 Retest if maximum contaminant levels are
exceeded
 If concentrations are increasing between
sampling intervals, try to determine and
mitigate the source of pollutants
the Land
Units of measurement
Living n
 ppm = parts per
million
 ppb = parts per
billion
 That’s one drop
in one million
drops of water
 That’s one drop in
one billion drops
of water
 Or, it’s one
pancake in a
stack four miles
high!
the Land
 Or, it’s one penny
in ten million
dollars!
Units of measurement
 One part per million (ppm) is the
same as one milligram per liter
Living n
 Milligram per liter is abbreviated
as mg/l
the Land
Small Acreage Owner
123 Shady Acres
Paradise, Nevada 12345
123Shady
ShadyAcres
Acres
123
Paradise
Paradise
Living n
How do I prevent my
water from becoming
contaminated?
the Land
A. Miller
How can I protect my well
water supply?
Consider:
Living n
 Location
 Construction
 Condition
the Land
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
Can you find the well head?
LOCATION
Well separation distances
DNRC, Mont.
DNRC, Mont.
Don’t do this! Fence
your well out of your
pasture or holding area.
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
Well construction
CONSTRUCTION
DNRC, Mont
Well protection
CONDITION
DNRC,
Mont.
Living n
the Land
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
Living n
What’s wrong with this well?
the Land
Adapted from OSU Extension
Living n
the Land
Homework
 If you have not had your well water tested,
test it now!
Living n
 Compare your results with the drinking
water standards to identify any problems
 If any constituents do not meet standards,
try to determine where the contamination
may have come from, and fix the problem
the Land
Homework
 Inspect your wellhead
Living n
 If it is not at least 12 inches above grade,
have it fixed
 Check to make sure the cap is secure
 If your wellhead is subject to flooding,
reroute the water
 Fill out the Septic System Preclass
Evaluation Activity Sheet
the Land