How Rain Affects Your Well Water

If you are a homeowner who relies on a private well, environmental factors, such as drought or times of heavy rainfall, could lead to some concerns. Rainfall directly impacts local water tables, but if these are shallow, it could impact your private well too. Less rain could cause your well to become non-water bearing, but heavy downpours could affect the safety of your water. Below, our water treatment team at North Florida Water Systems Inc has put together a handy guide on how rain can affect your well water.

For water treatment or water testing, contact the professionals at North Florida Water Systems Inc. Schedule an appointment today for quick and efficient water treatment services.

Groundwater

During a drought, a homeowner may decide to drill a deeper well in response, but this could cause more mineralized water with elevated levels of minerals such as hydrogen sulfide, iron, magnesium, or other metals that can cause health concerns. For example, ingesting a large amount of magnesium from groundwater has been linked to the risk of cardiovascular disease, reproductive failure, and other health problems. But, deeper wells are also protected from man-made contaminants sources, such as agricultural chemicals. If you are thinking about deepening your well, weigh your options, then reach out to an experienced water well contractor to see what they recommend.

Contamination

During heavy rainfall, your well can be submerged by flooding, putting your well water at a higher risk of contamination. One significant possible contaminant is coliform bacteria. While most of them are harmless, there are disease-causing bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal distress and flu-like symptoms, such as fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Therefore, if your well has been submerged by flooding, we recommend having your well inspected to see if the appearance, smell, or taste of the drinking water has changed.

Water Discoloration

If you have noticed brown or cloudy water coming out of your faucets after a bout of heavy rainfall, this could mean surface water is leaking into your well. This water discoloration could cause health issues if the runoff from your property or neighbors contains pesticides, fertilizer, or animal waste. These can carry fecal coliform and E. Coli, which can cause severe bacterial infections that could seriously affect the health of children and the elderly. An experienced water treatment technician should test this discolored water to fix and test the discolored water.

Acidity

Acid rain forms when water droplets in clouds collide with contaminants in the air, such as sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. Acid rain can seep into the groundwater and your water well after a storm. Acidic groundwater is corrosive, causing your plumbing, fixtures, and appliances to corrode. Over time, the erosion of your plumbing can weaken the walls of your pipes or create holes through which water can seep into your home. If you think your water well contains acidic groundwater, a water test is recommended to help avoid damage to your property.