Not feeling your best lately? Well, it could be your well water that's causing the problem.
Where water is a source of life and hydration, it can also be the source of your sickness. Even though it's hard to guarantee that the bacteria in a sample of water is contaminating the whole water body, there are a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for to know if your well water is the culprit.
Well water seems like a convenient solution for freshwater, but that does not mean it's necessarily safe. Unlike the public water system, your well water is not certified safe by the government to drink, and nearly 25% of the wells contain bacteria that are above safe levels.
But how to tell if well water has parasites? And, is it safe to shower with well water? We will be covering these points, along with signs your well water is making you sick, so without further ado let's jump straight into it.
How to Identify Signs Your Well Water Is Making You Sick?
Plenty of indicators can point out if your well water is making you sick, and it's better to catch them earlier to keep the problems from escalating. This is because the idea that the water you are using could be contaminated doesn't come as quickly to the human mind, which might be causing the problem in the first place.
However, it might not always be your fault since the signs of water contamination are subtle but present if you're not willing to forego the idea completely and are aware of the signs beforehand.
Here are some physical and common signs your well water is making you sick.
Physical Symptoms of Contaminated Well Water
Persistent diarrhea or stomach problems that just don't seem to be going anywhere, even after medication, might strongly indicate your well water containing harmful bacteria.
Skin-related issues like rashes, annoying itches, extremely dry or flaky skin and allergies are also a result of using contaminated water, which answers your question, "Is it safe to shower with well water".
Other physical symptoms include:
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fatigue and dizziness due to lead or nitrate poisoning (the effects are more severe in children, causing blue baby syndrome and learning difficulties)
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darker urine or urinary infections due to contaminants like iron
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Kidney and liver damage, or even cancer due to prolonged usage.
These symptoms aren't always a byproduct of using contaminated water. However, that does not rule it out of the equation.
To clear your confusion, you can look at these non-physical signs that your well water is making you sick.
Common Indicators of Poor Water Quality from Your Well
Look out for a weird taste or smell in your water; if it tastes anything like it shouldn't smell or taste like, then that's a strong indicator it might be contaminated.
Unusual tastes include:
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Metallic: caused by metals like iron, manganese or zinc
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Salty: may be a telltale sign of sodium, chloride or road salt
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Chemical: these include VOCs, pesticides, or even industry chemicals
There are certain smells that you should also be aware of, including:
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Rotten eggs: presence of sulfur
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Chlorine
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An earthy odor that indicates algae and decayed plant material
Animals are also aware of the purity of water and are better at detecting it than humans. If you have a pet around, you can observe its behaviour to tell whether or not your well water is safe to drink. They will usually refuse or be hesitant to drink the water or might be experiencing stomach problems, much like humans.
Types of Contaminants That Can Make Well Water Dangerous
Several types of contaminants in well water can make you sick, but there are two main categories.
Biological Contaminants in Water
Biological contaminants mainly refer to microorganisms using the water body as a breeding ground. They may be responsible for the sickness you are feeling. Where the microorganisms include:
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Bacteria, such as E.coli (responsible for stomach-related problems, Coliforms from the fecal matter of humans and animals alike, campylobacters and shigella
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Viruses such as rotavirus, HAV (cause of hepatitis A) and Norovirus
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Parasites like Giardia and Cryptosporidium
Parasites are known for their harmful nature among microorganisms as they feed on their environment while causing harm to the living organisms they live on. So, how to tell if well water has parasites?
The best way to tell if these bad boys have infected you is to keep track of any unusual physical symptoms you might feel since they can't usually be detected by sight, smell or taste. Most of these biological contaminants cause stomach-related problems like nausea, diarrhea and abdominal cramps in humans and animals. Prolonged usage could cause more serious health problems like hepatitis, neurological impacts on children and even respiratory issues due to algae or fungus, so it's best to get them checked beforehand.
Chemical contaminants
Unlike biological contaminants, chemical contaminants can be both natural and man-made. For example, runoff from industries, household wastes and pesticides from agricultural runoffs come from human sources. However, some may be naturally present in water through deposits like uranium and radon, although the percentage is quite low.
Chemical contaminants range from
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heavy metals like lead, arsenic and mercury, which can cause neurological damage, kidney failure and cancer
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Nitrates, responsible for baby blue syndrome
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VOCs or volatile organic compounds (e.g. benzene, TCE) sourced from industrial waste and fuel leaks
Just like biological contaminants, chemical contaminants can be extremely damaging to human health, especially in children, where they stunt brain development and can be the leading source of cancer and other fatal diseases.
What To Do If Your Well Water is Making You Sick
You can take several steps to counteract the effects of contaminated water on you and your loved ones and prevent them altogether, some of which are listed below.
How to Test Well Water For Contamination?
To get the most accurate results, collect a water sample and send it to your local laboratory to check for contaminants. This might be one of the more expensive testing methods, which will take around $50 to $500, but results will be more detailed and precise in terms of the one you do yourself.
For a more organic approach, get a water testing kit from an EPA Water Testing Lab in your area if you want a basic idea of whether your well water is safe to drink. The results will be based on pH results and colour changing reagents, which might not give you a full summary of the contaminants present in the water but give you enough signs your well water is making you sick.
Steps to Take After Identifying Contamination
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Stop drinking the water and use bottled or boiled water instead.
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Inform your friends and family in the area.
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Identify the source of the contaminant (e.g., a leak in a sewage pipe, nearby industry and agricultural land)
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Inform the local authority, but use a temporary solution to minimize the harmful effect (i.e., chlorination).
Best Water Filtration For Well Water
You can use several filtration methods to purify well water that is specific to different types of contaminants.
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Use activated carbon filter to get rid of pesticides, VOCs, and chlorine as well as foul taste and odor
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Reverse osmosis systems to remove lead particles
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UV water purifiers for harmful bacteria and pesticide
For more advanced filtration technology, explore your options at SimPure, where it offers options like SimPure Y7P-BW UV Countertop RO Water Filter combines UV system and reverse osmosis to eliminate bacteria and remove dissolved solids all in one go.
Bonus: Is it Safe to Shower with Well Water?
It is generally safe to shower with well water. Still, it can cause skin-related issues in the long term. Your hair might become more brittle, your skin more dry and flaky, and you might even develop persistent itches and allergies due to the contaminants present in the water.
Harmful chemicals could be present in your well water, as we discussed before, and when used in a hot shower, these chemicals could be inhaled as steam and cause respiratory issues. Prolonged usage could also lead to cancer in severe cases due to the presence of mercury and radioactive material.
Conclusion
Well water is a convenient source of replenishment, but it may not always be safe. Even though the signs of contamination might be a bit hard to detect, you can always pay close attention to the little things like an off taste or smell, changes in pet's drinking behavior or a constant stomach ache or itch, which are telltale signs your well water is making you sick.
If that is the case, investing in a good water filtration system, might be a wise decision, where you can opt for a SimPure whole house filter solution to ensure clean water for the full family. After all, prevention is better than cure.
