What considerations should I make when evaluating a property that relies on a groundwater well for water supply?
Water Quality Considerations The requirement for testing well water quality during a property transaction varies from location to location; therefore, it is important to check what your local requirements are for well testing. Most property sales that involve water wells include testing for bacteria (i.e. Coliform and E.Coli)as a minimum. If bacteria are found in test results, a qualified specialist should complete a further review of the well conditions. However, there are several wellhead conditions that can be visually inspected. These Include: The well's proximity to a septic field. Septic fields (if present) are areas of high bacteria concentrations. A minimum separation distance of typically 15m for cased wells and 30m for uncased wells is necessary. This distance should be provided between the well and the tile bed to prevent contamination of the well, from the bacteria in the vicinity of the tile bed. The conditions around the wellhead. A low-lying well h...