FREE Encyclopedia of Building & Environmental Construction, Diagnosis, Maintenance & Repair The accuracy & trustworthiness of every article or Q&A is researched by human experts. See WHO ARE WE?
Where to find information about a particular water well: history, location, contamination, treatments, local or area well problems that may affect the well.
Our page top photo shows a well driller repairing submersible pump wiring at the well head. Don't neglect local well drilling and plumbing experts and local water test laboratories as sources of local information about your individfual well as well as about local water conditions & contaminants.
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- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?
Where to Find Out More About Water Contamination: Sources of Information on Well Water
The many linksat the end of this article and within this EPA article provide extensive and detailed articles on water testing, correcting bad water, and related topics -- DF
To find out more about your watershed and its ground water visit "Surf Your Watershed" at www.epa.gov/surf. Also look at the "Index of Watershed Indicators" at www.epa.gov/iwi.
These websites can also tell you possible sources of problems. Companies with permits to release their wastewater in your area are listed. You can see if they meet pollution control laws. You can also learn how your watershed compares to others in the country.
Our well photo at left shows an open ... well we're not sure. It look s like a home-made dug well or cistern in a building basement. It is very unlikely that this well can provide reliably sanitary water.
Information Sources for Water Well Construction in Australia
"Minimum Construction Requirements for Water Bores in Australia", [PDF] (2012) published by the Government of Western Australia Department of Water, free at website: http://www.water.wa.gov.au/PublicationStore/first/102386.pdf
Information Sources for Water Well Construction in Australia
"The Water Project", Website: http://thewaterproject.org/wells_for_india
Information Sources for Water Well Construction in the U.K.
UK Groundwater Forum: " want a borehole on my property as a source of drinking water, irrigation water or for industrial use, what should I do?" at website: http://www.groundwateruk.org/I-want-a-borehole.aspx
"Well Construction Standards, SPC/Technical/General/42" prublished by the U.K. Health and Safety Executive at website: http://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/hid_circs/technical_general/spc_tech_gen_42.htm
Information Sources for Well Construction in the United States
Aller, Linda, Truman W. Bennett, Glen Hackett, Rebvecca J. Petty, Jay H. Lehr, Helen Sedoris, David M. Nielsen, Jane E. Denne, HANDBOOK of SUGGESTED PRACTICES for the DESIGN and INSTALLATION of GROUND WATER MONITORING WELLS [PDF] (1991), EPA160014-8910345 Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Las Vegas, Nevada 89193-3478
Safe Drinking Water Hotline
(800) 426-4791
The hotline operates from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM (EST)
The hotline can be accessed on the Internet at
www.epa.gov/safewater/hotline/index.html
You can get a list of Federal drinking water standards from the EPA website. In addition, the EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water gives chemical and health risk information for a number of drinking water problems through its Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800) 426-4791.
This information is also on the internet at www.epa.gov/safewater. If you do not have a computer, most public libraries offer internet access. Even though federal standards do not apply to household wells, you can use them as a guide to potential problems in your water. Be aware that many states have their own drinking water standards. Some are stricter than the federal rules. To get your state standards, contact your state drinking water program or local health department.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and EPA support a program to help farmers, ranchers and rural homeowners. Called Farm*A*Syst or Home*A*Syst, it helps identify and solve environmental problems, including protecting drinking water. Obtain a copy of the Home*A*Syst questionnaire/ checklist that can help you find possible threats to your water supply from:
National Farm*A*Syst/Home*A*Syst
Program
303 Hiram Smith Hall
1545 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706
Ph: 608.262.0024, Fax: 608.265.2775
homeasys@uwex.edu
For more information on current and future federal drinking water standards and for general information on drinking water topics and issues, contact the EPA at www.epa.gov/safewater
U.S. EPA, DUG WELLS [PDF], U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, retrieved 2021/05/31 original source: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-11/documents/dugwell.pdf -
U .S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
USDA, WELL DESIGN & SPRING DEVELOPMENT, Chapter 31, Part 631, [PDF] (2010) National Engineering Handbook, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation service, retrieed 2022/05/29, original source: https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/OpenNonWebContent.aspx?content=26985.wba
Other U.S. sources of water well construction information include:
ANSI / NGWA Water Well Construction Standard, (2014)
HEADQUARTERS
National Ground Water Association
601 Dempsey Rd.
Westerville, OH 43081
USA
800 551.7379
(614 898.7791 outside the US)
fax 614 898.7786
ngwa@ngwa.org
or
Customer Servicer at customerservice@ngwa.org
800 551.7379 (614 898.7791 outside the United States)
8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday
fax 614 898.7786
Payment address:
NGWA
601 Dempsey Rd.
Westerville, OH 43081
available from the National Groundwater Association, Website: http://www.ngwa.org The topics covered by the NGWA’s third party-sanctioned standard include:
Well Casing and casing installation
Data recording
Disinfection with chlorine
Grouting
Permanent well and test-hole decommissioning
Plumbness and alignment
Testing for performance
Water sampling and analysis
Well development
Well site selection
Well screens, filter pack, and formation stabilizer.
American Water Works Association
www.awwa.org
Ground Water Protection Council
http://gwpc.site.net
Local plumbers or well drillers in your area
Local water testing laboratories in your area
National Rural Water Association
www.nrwa.org
National Drinking Water Clearinghouse
www.estd.wvu.edu/ndwc
Neighbors who also have properties served by private wells and water systems
North Carolina Wall Construction Standards (2009) - http://www.wakegov.com/water/wells/Documents/State2CRules.pdf
Rural Community Assistance Program
www.rcap.org
U.S. Geological Survey
water.usgs.gov
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
www.nrcs.usda.gov
Water Systems Council
www.watersystemscouncil.org
Information Sources for Drinking Water Well Construction in New Zealand
"Secure Groundwater Bores and Wells for Safe Household Water", [PDF] Website: https://www.healthed.govt.nz/resource/secure-groundwater-bores-and-wells-safe-household-water
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In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.
[1] Drinking Water from Household Wells - PDF, U.S. EPA, Original source last retrieved 2/13/2013, original source: http://www.epa.gov/privatewells/pdfs/household_wells.pdf
Access Water Energy, PO Box 2061, Moorabbin, VIC 3189, Australia, Tel: 1300 797 758, email: sales@accesswater.com.au Website: http://www.accesswater.com.au/
Australian supplier of: Greywater systems, Solar power to grid packages, Edwards solar systems, Vulcan compact solar systems, water & solar system pumps & controls, and a wide rage of above ground & under ground water storage tanks: concrete, steel, plastic, modular, and bladder storage tanks.
Flexcon, SMART TANK INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS [PDF], Flexcon Industries, 300 Pond St., Randolph MA 02368, www.flexconind.com, Tel: 800-527-0030 - web search 07/24/2010, original source: http://www.flexconind.com/pdf/st_install.pdf
Grove Electric, Typical Shallow Well One Line Jet Pump Installation [PDF], Grove Electric, G&G Electric & Plumbing, 1900 NE 78th St., Suite 101, Vancouver WA 98665 www.grovelectric.com - web search -7/15/2010 original source: http://www.groverelectric.com/howto/38_Typical%20Jet%20Pump%20Installation.pdf
Grove Electric, Typical Deep Well Two Line Jet Pump Installation [PDF], Grove Electric, G&G Electric & Plumbing, 1900 NE 78th St., Suite 101, Vancouver WA 98665 www.grovelectric.com - web search -7/15/2010 original source: http://www.groverelectric.com/howto/38_Typical%20Jet%20Pump%20Installation.pdf
Water Tests & Fees this water test fee schedule applies when testing is combined with other onsite building inspection services
In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested
Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.