Is your property using well water to supply your house? What are the most common issues with water quality? How can you ensure the well water is drinkable? What is the best water filter for well water? Is there an affordable alternative?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In this article we will attempt to answer all these questions. We will also provide insights to what might be the best and most affordable water filter for your well water at home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Well water has a great advantage in that it\u2019s often almost free to pump up from the ground. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In many places on the countryside or in smaller towns well water is the only alternative or the most affordable alternative. Some homes use a mix of well and public tap water whereas others rely completely on well water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the pan-European region, approximately 30% of the total population live in rural areas, in which small-scale water supplies predominantly prevail. Source: WHO Eurstats<\/a><\/em> <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n In Spain for example there are more than 1,000,000 registered and another 1 million illegal wells. Source: El Confidential 2019<\/a> and the official registry of wells in Spain. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the U.S. more than 15 million households use private water wells. Source: CDC<\/a> <\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Each well owner is responsible for overseeing the quality of their drinking water in order to prevent disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are three types of private drinking water wells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many deep water wells provide pristine drinking water as most of the ground water comes from rain water that has slowly sipped through the soil. This is nature\u2019s way of filtering water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But unfortunately this doesn’t guarantee safe drinking water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two main types of concerns for well water. Those dealing with aesthetic issues such as taste, color, and odor and those that impose a health risk in terms of safety. Contamination that can pose health risks is often invisible to the naked eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: There are other less common issues listed by EPA and CDC.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The most reported issue based on our experience is E.coli as this is relatively cheap to test for and the maximum allowed level is 0 per 100 ml.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Source: https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/privatewells\/potential-well-water-contaminants-and-their-impacts<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The three methods to ensure the well water is safe to drink include<\/p>\n\n\n\n Usually safe well water requires a combination of at least 2 of these.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sending a sample of your well water to a professional lab will tell you the content of the tap water right now and whether it\u2019s safe to drink. Typically it will provide an indication on bacteria \/ pathogens, nitrate, heavy metals and hardness. You might also be able to get VOCs or pesticides although this is more expensive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The problem with the lab results is that water quality may change based on season and circumstances. Therefore one positive test result doesn\u2019t mean that the tap water is safe to drink the next month in terms of pathogens. Other parameters are less likely to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most common method to reduce the risk of bacteria is shock chlorination of your well<\/a>. Basically killing all bacteria in the well and then ensure that it’s well sealed so that it won’t get contaminated. Shock chlorination requires annual lab testing or more frequently if the well might be at risk of contamination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A more complicated alternative is adding chlorine continously. However, dosing of free chlorine might be difficult to monitor and chlorine may also make the water taste worse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Water filters for well water are generally the simplest and most secure way to ensure your water is safe to drink. When choosing a water filter you need to ensure that it\u2019s independently tested and certified to remove bacteria and other common contaminants that may threaten your well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are 3 types of filters that are appropriate for well water:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reverse osmosis (RO) filters<\/a> that are installed under the sink. They generally include 3-4 stages including activated carbon, RO and ion exchange that together provide safe drinking water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out Blue Water <\/a>for the best RO filters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n UV (Ultraviolet) light is very efficient in killing bacteria. A UV system is primarily used for removing viruses and bacteria from water. The ultraviolet water disinfection system cannot remove sediment, hardness, iron, lead or chlorine. That’s why pre-filters are almost always installed before a UV system. UV light can only eliminate microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pros:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n By combining UV lights with other filters they can provide an adequate protection for well water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gravity filters is really a last resort but provide a good backup in case there\u2019s a major disaster that knocks out the water and electricity infrastructure. A high quality gravity filter that is certified for bacteria removal will let you take rain water or local surface water from a pond or river and filter it for drinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Pros<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It really depends on the quality of your well water and how much you are willing to spend <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy use well water for your home?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Types of wells<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What are the common issues with well water?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How can you ensure the well water is safe to drink?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Lab testing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nChlorination \/ disinfection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Water filtration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What is the best water filter for your well?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Reverse Osmosis (RO)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
UV light combined with other layers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Gravity filters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ultrafiltration faucet and in-line filters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>So what is the best water filter for well water? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n