IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM THE BOARD OF HEALTH REGARDING THE TESTING AND MAINTENANCE OF WELLS –PUBLIC WATER AND PRIVATE WELLS

PUBLIC WATER:

The sources of water for the public water system in Ringwood are a number of wells located throughout the Borough. These wells are tested more frequently than required under the Safe Drinking Water Act of New Jersey. Test results may be viewed on the Borough Website at www.ringwoodnj.net.

NON-PUBLIC WATER –PRIVATE WELLS:

INTRODUCTION

• About 10% of New Jersey residents get their drinking water from private wells. While public water supplies are protected under the State Safe Drinking Water Act, private well owners are solely responsible for monitoring the quality of their own well water and for maintaining their own well.
• Regular water testing is an important step that private well owners can take to ensure that their water supply is both safe to drink and appealing to use.
• Older private wells are often more susceptible to contamination than public water supply wells since they tend to be shallower, less carefully constructed, and located too close to common sources of contamination, such as household septic systems.
• A variety of water testing services are available from New Jersey certified commercial laboratories.
• Private well owners are responsible for making sure that their well is working correctly. Proper well design, construction, and maintenance help to protect your drinking water supply, ensuring that it will be appealing in taste with no odor or color and will not be harmful to drink. In New Jersey, individuals who install private wells must be licensed and follow strict construction standards.

WHY SHOULD YOU TEST YOUR WELL WATER?

You should feel confident that your well water is safe to drink and acceptable for other household uses. Regular testing will provide you with assurances that your water does not contain unacceptable levels of contaminants that may be harmful to your health and the health of your family.

There may be well water contamination in your area. Regular testing can help you to observe changes in water quality over time and identify problems before they negatively affect your water supply and health. Even if you currently have a safe water supply, periodic testing can establish a record of your water quality over time, which can be useful in solving problems that may occur in the future and in obtaining compensation if someone damages your water supply.

Even if your well water appears to be problem-free, it may not necessarily be acceptable to drink. The cause of recurrent incidences of waterborne illness may go undetected when your water shows no obvious signs of contamination. Regular testing can help you identify the presence of contaminants in your water that may otherwise go unnoticed.

Some members of your household may be more likely to experience harmful health effects from contaminants in your well water. Infants and young children, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to water contamination. It is especially important to test your water regularly if any of these individuals are living in your household.

Certain factors may make your private well susceptible to contamination. Many factors, including well design, construction, and location, will help you to determine the likelihood that your well will become contaminated. Once you evaluate to what extent your well is at risk of contamination, you can establish a regular testing schedule suitable to your specific situation in order to monitor your water quality.

Naturally occurring substances in the ground can result in an unpleasant taste, smell, and appearance of your well water, or in stained clothes and plumbing fixtures. Regular testing for substances, such as iron, copper, and manganese, will help you to identify contaminants that affect the aesthetic qualities of your well water and select proper treatment methods designed to eliminate these inconveniences.

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON SOURCES OF WELL WATER CONTAMINATION?

There are many substances that can negatively affect the quality of your well water. Some are found naturally in the environment while others result from human activities. The most common sources of well water contamination in New Jersey include:

Infectious Microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoa, are naturally found in human and animal wastes. They can enter your well water from faulty household septic systems or nearby surface contamination.

Nitrates often come from the natural breakdown of human and animal wastes. They are also found in chemical fertilizers. Nitrates can enter your well water from faulty household septic systems, nearby farms and home fertilizer use.

Lead was used in the past to make household plumbing materials. Lead pipes and solder can still be found in many older homes. Small amounts of lead are also found in brass faucets and in some well pumps. Lead can enter your well water from household plumbing as water travels from the well to your tap, especially if your water is acidic. Other sources of lead include landfills, industrial facilities and waste sites.

OTHER CONTAMINANTS:

Inorganic Compounds such as Mercury, which may come from household septic systems, solid waste landfills or industrial facilities.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s, including MTBE and TBA) which may come from household septic systems, underground storage tanks, buried home heating oil tanks, gas stations , solid waste landfills, dry cleaning facilities, industrial facilities, and hazardous waste sites.

Pesticides may come from residential areas, golf courses, and farms.

Radio nuclides –Radon comes from the radioactive decay of uranium and radium in rock. Radon gas can move through the soil into your well water, and be released into indoor air when you use the water.

WHAT TO TEST FOR:

The New Jersey State Department of Health recommends that, at minimum, private wells should be tested annually for bacteria, nitrates, pH, and total dissolved solids. They further recommend that private wells be tested every year for mercury and volatile organic compounds. They also recommend testing for pesticides every three years, and for lead and radio nuclides at least once.

WHERE SHOULD YOU HAVE YOUR WELL WATER TESTED?

Commercial testing labs are listed in the yellow pages of the telephone book. Make sure that the lab is certified to test for the specific contaminant of concern to you. Information can also be obtained from your local health department.