Is Your Well Water Safe?

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Is Your Well Water Safe?

• by
• Bob SchultheisAgricultural Engineering
  Specialist

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MissouriWater Supply Statistics

• 890,000 Missourians on private water supplies
• 86 on drilled wells
• 300,000-350,000 active wells
• 10,000-20,000 new wells drilled annually
• One abandoned well or cistern for every80 acres
  of land (DNR estimate)
• Webster Co. 4,700 wells over 379,000 ac.

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What is Coliform?

• Coliform bacteria are used as indicator organisms
  to test for contamination of drinking water.
• gt1 coliform Unsatisfactory in DOH tests
• E. coli is a member of the coliform family and is
  commonly found in raw sewage.
• E. coli is responsible for manyhealth-threatening
  diseases.

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Coliform-Associated Diseases

• Cholera
• Typhoid
• Salmonella
• Shigella
• Staphylococcus
• Hepatitis A, B, C
• Polio
• Viral Gastroenteritis

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1994 Coliform Detection Study

• May to Nov. 1994 well survey
• 9 states- Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota,
  Missouri, Nebraska,North Dakota, South Dakota,
  Wisconsin
• 41.3 tested positive
• E. coli detects averaged 11.1
• Missouri E. coli detects - highest at 22.6

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Sampling ResultsPrivate Wells
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Factors Contributing to Coliform Detects

• Improperly constructed wells
• Poorly maintained wells
• Ineffective on-site sewage systems
• Proximity to livestock feeding operations
• Karst geologic formations

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Nitrates

• Nitrate detects are relatively low although not
  uncommon. (up to 16 of samples)
• gt10 ppm NO3-N Unsatisfactory
• Sources
• Livestock facilities (esp. abandoned ones)
• N P fertilizer in excess of crop removal
  capability
• Failing septic systems

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D.O.H. Water Quality SurveyAugust 1999

• Webster Countygridded for random sampling
• 61 participants

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D.O.H. Water Quality SurveyAugust 1999 Results -
Webster County
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Soils in Webster County

• 79 rated severe for pollution potential
• 21 rated moderate
• 0 rated slight

Losing stream
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Whats Wrong with this Well?
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Ways to Reduce Well Contamination 1

• Soil blanket (5 feet thick) is good filter
• Elevation keep above pollution sources
• Distance 200 feet horiz. separation
• Grout well with neat-cement or bentonite clay by
  state-certified well driller
• Use approved sanitary well cap
• Rehab. poorly constructed wells

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Ways to ReduceWell Contamination 2

• Plug abandoned wells cisterns
• Repair/move/replace failing septic systems
• Apply fertilizer animal manure according to
  soil test manure test
• Repair/upgrade animal waste facilities
• Install containment for fuels pesticides

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Ways to ReduceWell Contamination 3

• Dont dump anything into sinkholes
• Use grass buffer strips (50 feet wide)as
  filters around sinkholes
• Promote community awareness of risk
• Shock-chlorinate active wells after anyplumbing
  repairs

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Shock-Chlorinating Your6-inch Diameter Well 1

• Remove well cap or unscrew vent pipe

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Shock-Chlorinating Your6-inch Diameter Well 2

• Mix chlorine water inbucket. Pour into well
• Liquid bleach _at_ 1 pintper 25 of water depth, or
• Chlorine tablets _at_ 0.5 lb.per 150 of water
  depth
• Circulate water back down well
• Load chlorinated water intoplumbing system

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Shock-Chlorinating Your6-inch Diameter Well 3

• Let chlorine water stand insystem at least 12
  hours
• Flush system with water,starting outside
• Retest for bacteria after 7-10 days
• 10 cost DOH has sterile sample bottle
• Keep sample cool dark, get to lab in 6 hours
• Keep test results with important papers

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University InformationGuides Available

• WQ100 Water Testing What to Test For
• WQ101 Understanding Your Water Test
  Report
• WQ102 Bacteria in Drinking Water
• WQ103 Nitrate in Drinking Water
• WQ104 Understanding Home Water
  Treatment Systems

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Questions???

• Robert A. (Bob) Schultheis
• Agricultural Engineering Specialist
• Webster County Extension Center
• 800 S. Marshall, P.O. Box 7
• Marshfield, MO 65706-0007
• Voice 417-859-2044
• Fax [phone]
• E-mail schultheisr_at_missouri.edu
• Website http//outreach.missouri.edu/webster