Why You Need to Test Your Well Water Annually

Mosman Well Works • May 15, 2021

Clean, fresh well water is some of the best you’ll ever taste. But private well owners and those who rely on a shared well or community system bear responsibility for treating their water, which is no small task. Well water filtration systems can be expensive and difficult to maintain. And if your well is blocked or damaged, it’s up to you to handle the necessary repairs, which may extend to your filters.


No matter how clean your water appears, it’s critical to have your water tested annually. Several types of contaminants can seep into your underground well water supply, including:


  • Water runoff from rain or melted snow containing microbes and bacteria
  • Waste from septic tanks and underground storage tanks
  • Chemical and animal waste fertilizers
  • Bacteria and microorganisms from decaying carcasses
  • Chemicals, plastics, and heavy metals from nearby production, mining, power generation, and other industrial facilities
  • Fluoride from rocks and soils



Consuming or bathing in water containing high concentrations of these pollutants can make you quite sick. The presence of these contaminants can also signal mechanical damage to your filtration system, plumbing, or other components of your household water supply system. To protect your health, ensure your water supply system is in good, working order, and minimize the risk of costly repairs by having your well water tested at least once a year.

Signs Your Well Water Is Contaminated

If your water smells or tastes funny, don’t wait to have it tested. Stop using it immediately and get it tested without delay. However, it is important to remember that just because your water doesn’t taste different is not a good reason to skip having it checked once a year. Some pollutants don’t change the odor, taste, or even the color of your water. However, your water may be contaminated if you:


  • Experience gastrointestinal distress after drinking
  • Develop a rash after bathing or otherwise immersing yourself in it



See scale buildup on shower heads/faucets or green, brown or red stains in sinks, showers, and other areas of heavy water use

Of course, if your water begins to smell like rotten eggs, detergent, or chlorine, or taste salty, metallic, soapy, or chemically, have your water tested immediately.

Testing Your Water

While many DIY testing kits are on the market, it’s best for private well owners to use a professional water testing service. Private wells and shared systems are uniquely vulnerable to a variety of contaminants, and it’s essential to know which may be in your water. DIY testing kits often test for a limited scope of possible pollutants and may return false positives. Professional water testing will detect the full range of contaminants in your water with a high degree of accuracy. When you know what’s in your water, you can determine the best way to treat it and put permanent filtration and other solutions in place to ensure your water is clean in the future.

At Mosman Well Works, we specialize in professional well water testing. And we’ll not only accurately evaluate what’s in your water, but also help you:


  • Pinpoint potential sources of contamination
  • Identify weaknesses in or damage to your well, filtration system, or plumbing system
  • Handle regular ongoing maintenance of your well water supply system


If you’re a well owner in the Woodbury or Southbury area, or live anywhere in Connecticut, call us today at 203-586-1688 or contact us here to schedule a water test.

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