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Safe Well Water After A Flood
Keeping Your Water Well and Drinking Water Safe After A
Flood
Skillings
& Sons
Flooding
And Your Water Well
Flooding is a concern
for any homeowner with a private water well.
Potable water is an
essential resource that may be contaminated during a natural disaster and
reestablishing supplies after a flood is the first step towards restoring
stability to the impacted region.
In some cases, your
residential water well can be brought back online quickly.
Aquifers are usually a
safe water source because they are naturally protected from the effects of
flooding.
Even though your
aquifer may be safe, if your well is flooded, do not use it should not be used
for drinking until it has been adequately tested and in necessary treated to
destroy any bacterial contaminants.
Testing should be
spread out over several weeks because some negative effects may not be felt
immediately.
Here are some potential
impacts that may take time to resolve.
Water
Quality
Water quality may take
time to recover after a flood depending on the circumstances.
If the well head has
been submerged, even for a short period, it's likely that surface water and
potential contaminants have entered the well.
• High flood waters can result in surface water
that has been contaminated by broken fuel lines, damaged storage tanks or
sewage entering the aquifer.
• Even if the well head was not submerged,
excessive aquifer recharge might raise water levels in aquifers dangerously
high putting groundwater in contact with contaminants in the soil. This can
happen when rising water tables reach the level of leach fields in residential
septic systems.
• If you live in a sea coast area and the
flooding is as a result of a tidal surge, there could be a temporary increase
is sodium and chloride levels.
Water
Well Equipment
Every residential well
uses electrical power to drive the well pump.
These pumps are
typically either submerged deep in the well (submersible pump) or in the case
of jet pumps; the engine is housed above ground.
If power has failed, or
the equipment has been submerged, there are several considerations before
restarting any electrical equipment.
• If any electrical components were flooded,
they should be disconnected, dried, cleaned and checked by an electrician
before restarting the pump.
• If you're well has a properly fitted cap and
screened vent it has probably not been affected by debris and has probably just
received small amounts of sediment. However, if you have an above ground jet
pump that has been flooded, it should be disconnected, dried, cleaned and
checked before restarting.
• Power failures are often associated with
flooding or other natural disasters. If you have a backup generator, there are
some safety rules to follow before hooking your pump to your generator.
To avoid potential
electrical problems, your well pump should be disconnected from the power
source before connecting it to your generator. Unless the connection has been
made previously, the work will require a qualified electrician, especially if
it is a three-phase pump. Never operate a generator indoors.
After
The Flood...
Once you have dealt
with any pump issues and are ready to restart your pump, your well should be
purged and tested. Then it's time to begin the disinfection process if contaminants
are present.
PURGING YOUR WATER WELL
Flooded wells should be
pumped down to remove water that may have entered during flooding. This will
allow the chlorine disinfection process to work more efficiently.
The purged water is
best released using a garden hose and should be pumped for at least an hour, or
until the water runs clear.
Samples should be taken
at the beginning and end of the process to be tested for bacteria.
If you suspect oil or
gas may have entered your well, contact your well water professional to remove
them properly.
TESTING YOUR WATER WELL
While homeowners can
disinfect for bacteria, the most common problem for flooded wells, but you
should have a comprehensive test to ensure that your water quality has returned
to normal.
Home bacteria tests are
available at most hardware stores and can give a result in about 24 hours.
Beyond bacteria, your
water should be tested by a certified laboratory and cleared before consuming
any water.
As an additional
precaution, iodine tablets approved for drinking water disinfection should also
be used for a few weeks after the flood to ensure further that your water is
safe after purging and disinfection.
DISINFECTING YOUR WELL
Disinfection is
recommended for any well that may have been impacted by flooding. The easiest
way to disinfect your well is to use chlorine-based laundry bleach.
The amount used depends
on the volume of water in your well. If you are unsure, how to proceed, contact
your local water well professional.
Flooding is no joke. It can severely impact
the quality and safety of your home's water supply. By quickly taking the
appropriate steps, you can mitigate your risk and return your well back to
health soon after a natural disaster.
If your water well has
been impacted by a natural disaster, take the necessary steps and contact your
water well professional to ensure that testing and disinfection are adequately
handled.
Your water well is a
valuable asset. Make sure to protect it after any natural disaster. To
learn more, contact Skillings & Sons. Our professional
water well staff can help you test your well water and ensure your well is back
to normal after a flood.
Skillings & Sons, Inc. is a trusted name in well drilling and water system
installation and maintenance throughout New England. We strive to listen to our
clients’ needs, help them understand each step of the process and build their
trust and loyalty. We are a 3rd generation family business, servicing
New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. Our technicians are well-trained
in the latest equipment, procedures and land use regulations for both
residential and commercial work. Having been in this business for more than 45
years, we have built a staff with more than 250 years of combined experience in
well and water system service.
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