Chlorinating your well, also known as shock chlorination, kills bacteria and disease-causing organisms that can enter your well. This can happen after a flood or period of heavy rain, which causes surface water to enter your well or can just naturally occur over a period of time. It can also be caused by construction near a well or on the home’s plumbing system.  

 Chlorinating a well eliminates other water quality problems, as well, like the presence of iron bacteria and hydrogen sulfide. These contaminants can give the water a bad taste and cause a rotten egg smell when the faucet is turned on. 

 When to Test Your Water Quality 

 Aside from the initial water well drilling of your well, water testing can unintentionally be pushed to the wayside for years. Yet, the truth is that water quality and water supply can change frequently. After the first well drilling, you should have your water quality checked annually. Set a specific date on a calendar, or better yet, have a professional like Kaufman Well Drilling set your annual appointments for you ahead of time. Many occurrences can contribute to your water quality, including runoff, flooding, and nearby well drilling. Testing your water annually will give you peace of mind about your drinking water.  

 

Oftentimes, Indiana lenders require a clean water test before a loan can be closed. Typically, buyers are on a time crunch to get this completed prior to their home closing. By testing and treating water early on, you can avoid later issues with obtaining a clear water test. Homeowners can typically take their own water sample to a local health department for testing purposes.  

 Drinking clean and contaminant free water is a no-brainer. Some bacteria in your water wells can cause health issues. If you and your family experience recurring sickness it may be time to test your well. Digestive issues are typically a main side effect of high bacteria levels. However, children and elderly individuals may experience extreme illness from water with high levels of E. Colil and coliform.  

 Most water tests check for two main types of bacteria: E. Coli. and Fecal Coliform. If your water results have been deemed "unacceptable" due to high levels of these bacteria, it may be time to "shock" or chlorinate your well. while homeowners can sometimes complete this process themselves, it is often a good idea to ask a company that specializes in water well drilling to help out. The Health Department recommends having a professional handle the chlorination process.  

 These chlorination chemicals are allowed to sit in the well for a period of time, in an attempt to kill harmful bacteria. After a specific amount of time has elapsed, water is circulated throughout the house (without being consumed or bathed in) in order to run the chlorinated water through the home's plumbing system. A new sample will then be taken and tested for any remaining bacteria. This process can be completed several times.  

 Completing a water test and obtaining results that you can evaluate is the first step to ensuring a clean water supply from your well. Once the test results come back as "unacceptable" it is time to take action. Seeking assistance from a professional Indiana well company can have some advantages.  

 

Well drilling companies deal with this type of service frequently, so they are familiar with the process and guidelines for properly shocking a well. They can also offer advice on keeping your water supply clean until another water test is scheduled. Finding a well company that will stick with you throughout the process and perform multiple water tests, if necessary, is the ultimate goal. Water quality is no joke, especially when the health of you and your family is at stake.

Call Kaufman Water Well Drilling today to have your water tested. We Have been improving the water quality of residents in NE Indiana and NW Ohio since 1976.