There are two main sources of water: surface water and groundwater. Surface water is visible, found in lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. Ground water lies under the surface of the land, out of sight, in wells, cisterns, and springs.

Consumers receive their water from one of two sources: their own private well, or a community water system that has been pre-treated, also referred to as "potable" or "city water".

Private well owners are solely responsible for the safety of the water. Private wells are not subject to federal regulations, and are generally regulated on a very limited basis by states. Therefore, it is important to know what poses a threat to the well and the groundwater. A variety of sources can cause well water to become contaminated, including those that occur in nature. They include bacteria, viruses, uranium, radium, arsenic, and fluoride. Many of these contaminants are naturally present in rock formations, and consequently end up in the water supply.

Lead and copper can leach into you water supply from the plumbing fixtures that are made with lead and copper materials. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead and copper pipes, fixtures and solder. However, new homes are also at risk. So called “lead-free” plumbing, by law, may contain up to 8 percent lead. The most common problem is with brass or chrome plated brass faucets and fixtures which can leach significant amounts of lead into the water, especially on the hot water side. Almost 20 percent of the exposure to lead and copper comes from impure drinking water. Exposure to lead and copper may cause health problems ranging from stomach distress to brain damage. All homeowners should monitor their drinking water quality. The EPA action level for lead is 15 ppb (parts per billion) and copper 1.3 ppm (parts per million). If the measurements exceed these values, the water quality must be improved. 

To determine if your well water meets minimum drinking water standards, 4 basic tests are required. The 4 tests identify coliform bacteria, E. coli bacteria, nitrates and nitrites. Additionally, we can test for other common impurities like lead and copper(especially important if there are children in the home), sodium (since water softeners add salt to the water and people are concerned about salt intake), and arsenic (which is found in high levels in certain areas and has been proven to cause cancer) and turbidity.

For city water, we suggest testing for lead, copper, fluoride and chlorine. Copper will leach into the water from copper pipes, especially if the water is corrosive. Chlorine is added to water to kill bacteria. Many people are concerned about chlorine levels and sometimes the municipality goes overboard and you can smell the chlorine in the water.

The only way to know if your drinking water is safe is to have it tested. Contact Safe & Sound for more information on water purity testing.