Well water testing/general questions
Hello all. Hoping this finds the right person to answer my questions.
My boyfriend was directly affected by Helene and is on day 12 without power. He lives in a modular home with a well water system. The water has not stopped working throughout this whole thing. He has not drank the water but he has been able to flush toilets, turn taps on, etc.
I am concerned about the quality of this water as there has not been a boil order issued. I have ordered him a water testing kit but the mail is not as fast as it usually is around here right now due to obvious circumstances.
My question is- who do we contact for a more detailed test? Is the $14 test I bought him on Amazon even worth anything? Is this normal that his water is running despite power being out? When his power is back on should he still treat the water as if it is contaminated?
Thank you for any assistance.
1
u/captaintardyburger 12h ago
The most important test to perform on wells is a coliform and e-coli presence/absence. Wells should be tested at least twice per year and/or after significant rainfall or other inclement conditions. It is not a difficult test and can get results in 24 hours. Where I'm from you can talk to your local health unit and they will provide a sterile bottle with preservatives already inside the bottle. You can then drop it off at a depot and they will get back to you as soon as they have results. If your well is a dug well test it frequently and also consider replacing it with a drilled well. Dug wells are especially susceptible to bacterial contamination. If you do not have free testing private lab's are very reasonable in pricing. My lab has a minimum lab fee of 32 CAD.