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What is coliform bacteria? |
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Real Estate Transactions - What do I test for when I sell my house using well water? |
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What are nitrates? |
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How much does it cost to test my water? |
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Disinfection Procedures - How do I chlorinate my well? |
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What is coliform bacteria?
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Bacteria are a very diverse group of microscopic organisms. Some bacteria are very beneficial, others can cause disease. The EPA standard for bacteria in drinking water is zero for a group of bacteria called coliforms. The presence of coliform bacteria indicates the contamination of the water source. Coliform bacteria includes fecal coliforms that are found naturally in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. Of special importance is the fecal coliform Escherichia coli, E. coli for short. E. coli are found in large numbers in human sewage. When detected in a drinking water sample, E. coli indicates that water is potentially polluted from sewage contamination. Harmful disease causing organisms may be in the water and even E. coli may cause disease. Your water sample will give you results for total coliform and E.coli. All positive water samples require action to protect health. It is important to contact your local health agency for more information.
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Real Estate Transactions - What do I test for when I sell my house using well water?
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Oregon Adminstrative Rules (333-61-305 to 333-61-335) requires the well be tested for coliform bacteria and nitrates. Please visit the link below for more information. When ready for testing please contact the lab for a sterile lab bottle and proper instructions.
http://oregon.gov/DHS/ph/dwp/docs/dwtrules.pdf
Also some banks and lending institutions may require additional tests. Please make sure you know before you get to the lab so we can give you the proper bottles and instructions.
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What are nitrates?
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Nitrogen is an essential element for all living things. Nitrogen when combined with oxygen in natural processes becomes nitrate. Nitrates found in drinking water may be from fertilizers, animal wastes, human sewage or mineral sources. Excess levels of nitrate in drinking water can cause health problems for people. Infants younger than six months of age are the most susceptible to nitrate toxicity. To protect health, the nitrate drinking water standard has been set at 10 milligrams per Liter (mg/L) of nitrate-nitrogen. Milligrams per Liter are also referred to as parts per million (ppm). Water treatment or an alternate source of drinking water should be obtained if your drinking water nitrate level is above the drinking water standard.
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How much does it cost to test my water?
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This is a very complicated question. There are hundreds of tests that water can be analysed for. The customer must answer a few questions first. Are you on city water or well water? Are you looking for health issuses or aesthetic problems?
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Disinfection Procedures - How do I chlorinate my well?
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1) Add 1 gallon of fresh (unopened) household bleach to the well.
2) To be sure the bleach mixes thoroughly with the well water attach a hose from pump or service line and run water into the well through the same hole in the top of the sanitary seal used to add the bleach.
3) After the beach can be smelled coming from the hose, turn off the water. Open each fixture served by the well until you can detect a bleach smell in the water then close the valves. Let the bleach stand in the well and plumbing for 8 hours or overnight.
4) Thoroughly flush the system. Purge outside faucets first and inside ones last to minimize the amount of bleach entering the septic system.
5) After the bleach is gone you can resample for coliform bacteria. For real estate transactions, one must wait 5 days before taking a resample. If the water sample comes to the lab smelling of bleach it will be rejected.
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