Top Reasons to Consider Drilling Your Own Well

While water is essential for life as we know it, many people around the world lack access to clean and safe drinking water. In the United States, between 40 and 50% of the water sources have been called “impaired.” The term “impaired” indicates that the body of water cannot support at least one of its intended uses. This can mean a variety of things ranging from it not being suitable for human consumption, the fish that swim in it are not safe to eat and/or people should not swim in it. More and more people are looking to well water for their water needs and drilling companies are busy around the country putting in new wells for residential use.

You do not have to live in an area like Flint, Michigan where the water has been found to have lead in it nor do you need to live in fear of the zombie apocalypse to be interested in having your own well. Many people prefer the water from a private well. People all over the country have drilling companies put in private wells to make sure they have the best water possible for their families.

1. You have a different mineral content in well water. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not monitor wells and water systems that serve 25 or fewer people for 60 or more days of the year unless they have more than 15 service connections. This means the information the federal government collects on the nutritional content on well water is limited. Despite this, the Department of Agriculture estimates that eight ounces of water from a private well should contain about seven milligrams of calcium, 12 milligrams of sodium and two milligrams of magnesium. Water that comes from the tap has about seven milligrams of sodium. If you have your own well, the mineral content may be a little different so you should have your water checked.
2. Your own well will not smell like pool water. Many cities and municipalities add chlorine to the water supply to kill various kinds of bacteria. This is very effective at killing the bacteria but has other problems. Your own well water will be free of all of the chlorine that is added as well as other harsh chemicals. The chlorine is also very hard on many people’s skin and can be very irritating.
3. Your water will be free of drugs. A number of drugs have recently been found in salmon in the Pacific Northwest. These range from over the counter medications such as naproxen sodium to prescription drugs like oxycontin and Paxil. This is because water treatment plans have a hard time filtering out medications. So far, there has been no impact on human health but you can avoid all of that by having your own well.
4. It is cheaper. Once one of the many drilling companies has put in your residential well, you can quit paying a water bill every month. Once you have your own private well installed, you no longer have to pay the fees for municipal water. You may also be eligible for federal and/or state tax credits if you have your own well drilled on your property.
5. Well water tastes better. Most people who have gone through drilling companies to install their own water wells say that the water they get from their well tastes a lot better than what was provided by the city or municipality. They say it tastes fresher than city water.
6. It is better for the environment. Residential well drilling produces water that is naturally filtered. That means that to clean it, no one needs to add a lot of harsh and potentially damaging chemical to it. This means that the process of getting water from a private well is a lot better for the overall environment than relying on the municipal water supply. When chemicals are added to the city water, they have to wind up someplace. The best way to keep these out of the environment is to not use them in the first place.

We all want to make sure the water we have coming into our homes is as safe was possible. For many, private wells are the best way to get the best water.