BLOG: Easy Tips for Protecting Your Well, Your Water, and Your Wallet This Winter.

The cooler weather and pumpkin pies can be a welcome change from the summer heat, but it also means one looming fact: winter is coming.

While many of the water well systems in the northern U.S. are required to be built under the frost line, there is a large section of the South and Midwest where pumping systems are constructed above ground or above the frost line. For these systems, it’s important to take steps to keep your well safe and operating through the winter.

1. Get Your Well Inspected

NGWA and Wellowner.org recommend an annual inspection of your water well system. If you haven't had your inspection done, scheduling before the winter weather arrives could save you a lot of time and money! Find a qualified contractor.

2. Protect Your Pump

Many well systems are buried deep underground, which provides protection from the cold. But for well owners with above ground pumps, action should be taken to keep the system insulated and warm. Constructing a small insulated enclosure covering the pump will help keep the system above 32 degrees and reduce the risk of freezing and other damage. This small “well house” can save thousands of dollars in repairs and ensure a well operates throughout a cold winter. Find a qualified contractor.

3. Protect Your Pipes

As water freezes, it expands and can burst your pipes, leading to significant damage to your home and well. Frozen pipes are a common winter issue for homeowners, but can be avoided with a few easy steps. 

• Turn off your exterior water and blow out your pipes. Ideally your house will have a shut-off valve for its exterior water supply. If so, turn off any water that flows to outside irrigation systems and faucets. Once you have turned the water off, then drain the remaining water or use an air compressor to blow out the pipes. If you don't have a shut-off valve, find a local contractor for other options to shutting off exterior water.
• Insulate your pipes. For houses with piping that runs through non-heated spaces like basements, we suggest insulating pipes. Wrapping pipes with rubber casings or fiberglass insulation can keep their temperature above freezing and the water flowing.
• Inspect your pipes. This is a great time to do a general inspection of your water system and piping. Spotting a problem in your system now could save you from a costly problem this winter. Find a certified contractor to schedule an inspection.

4. Prepare for a Power Outage 

While there is little that can be done by the homeowner to prevent power outages due to winter weather, there are steps to take so you have water to drink while waiting for the lights to come back on.

• Always have a portable gas generator and plenty of gas to connect to your pumping system.
• Stock up on bottled water before the winter; this way if there is a prolonged outage, you can still have clean drinking water in the house.
• Contact a local contractor to learn more about backup generators and other options to keep your water flowing during a power outage.

Adapted from wellowner.org.

BLOG: Request a Free Well Owners Guide

Do you have a water well? Do you know someone who has a water well? If so, make sure you get a copy of the Well Owners Guide.

The Guide is a comprehensive information piece for consumers with nearly everything you could ever want to know about water wells.

Packed with detailed, easy-to-understand information, the Guide addresses:

• Well construction
• Well maintenance
• Water testing
• Water treatment
• Groundwater protection

The guide takes consumers step-by-step through getting a well drilled, hiring a qualified groundwater professional, how wells work, following a maintenance schedule, abandoning old wells, how to get the well water tested, options for water treatment for various contaminants, and how well owners can protect groundwater.

If you want more information, check out Wellowner.org.

Contact Aaron Martin at the National Ground Water Association to request your free copy of the Well
Owners Guide today. Call 1-800-551-7379 extension 1564 or email amartin@ngwa.org.

BLOG: Understanding Water Test Results

by Jennifer Wemhoff, Groundwater Foundation

We've preached for years the importance of regular testing of private well water - at least once a year or more often if an issue is suspected. (side note: use this handy tool to help find a certified testing lab)

Understanding the results can be tricky, especially when you see terms like ppm, mg/L, ppb, µ/L that you may not recognize.

• ppm = parts per million
• mg/L = milligrams per liter (one ppm = 1 mg/L)
• ppb = parts per billion
• µ/L = microgram, which = 1/1,000 of a milligram

Water tests generally list the concentration of most minerals in parts per million. Pesticides and other chemicals aren't usually found at concentrations as high as parts per million, so they're listed in parts per billion or micrograms per liter. Compounds other than minerals or pesticides may be listed in other forms of measurement - water hardness is noted as grains per gallon, the corrosion index says if water is corrosive or not corrosive, bacteria may be listed as positive or negative.

While the labels may make sense now, do you really know what 1 ppm means? Here are some easier ways to think about them:

Think of 1 ppm as:

• 1 inch in 16 miles
• 1 minute in 2 years
• 1 cent in $10,000
• 1 bad apple in 2,000 barrels

One part per billion compares with:

• 1 inch in 16,000 miles
• 1 second in 32 years
• 1 cent in $10,000,000
• 1 bad apple in 2 million barrels

While these comparisons emphasize how small the amounts being measured are, keep in mind that cumulative exposure over the long-term to even small amounts of a contaminant may be of concern. 

For more information on testing your well water or interpreting your test results, visit wellowner.org/water-quality/water-testing.

BLOG: Seven Ways to Maintain Your Private Well

by Jennifer Wemhoff, Groundwater Foundation

Well maintenance is an important part of protecting groundwater. For a private well owner, understanding and practicing the basics of regular well maintenance can reduce the risks to the water supply as well as money by preventing costly maintenance issues.

Here are seven ways to maintain your well:

1. Never try to service your own well.

It's always best to contact a professional water well contractor - they use specialized equipment, materials, and techniques to keep your water safe and well system up and running. A homeowner who attempts to service their well in some way may accidentally introduce contamination into the well, drop objects into the well, or cause damage to the pump. It's always a best practice to use a professional!

2. Regular maintenance costs less.
It's much better to catch and address a small issue with a well system early before it turns into a much larger and much more expensive issue.

3. Learn what a well check-up or service should include.
A well maintenance check should include a flow test to determine system output (along with a check of the well's water level before and during pumping, pump motor performance, and general water quality), an inspection of the well equipment, and a test of the water for bacteria and nitrates (and any other potential contaminant of local concern). You should also receive a written report detailing the check-up that explains results, recommendations, and test results.

4. Maintain your well on an ongoing basis.
Check out this Homeowner Checklist from WellOwner.org for ways you can protect your well and groundwater every day - doing things like keeping chemicals far away from your well, sloping the ground away from your well for drainage when landscaping, and keeping your well records in a safe place.

5. Use qualified professionals.
When your well needs attention or inspection, find a qualified professional to do the job. Use this handy tool to find a certified contractor near you.

6. Ask questions and understand the problem.
Don't be afraid to ask questions of the well contractor. It's their job to help you understand what's going on and help you find ways to correct the issue. You'll get a better understanding of how your well system works and what happened to cause the problem in the first place.

7. Find old, unused wells on your property.
Abandoned wells should be properly sealed by a professional - not only do they provide a direct pathway for contaminants to enter an aquifer, they're also a safety issue, particularly abandoned hand-dug wells that are large enough to fall into. Find out more about old, unused wells.

Find out more about wells and well maintenance, and remember that maintaining a private well is the well owner's job!

Adapted from WellOwner.org.

BLOG: Protect and Prepare Your Well for Flooding

Heavy rainfall events are becoming more and more common, triggering devastating flooding. Hurricanes and strong thunderstorms have dumped massive amounts of rain on many parts of the U.S. recently, and experts fear it's getting worse.

If you're a well owner, you need to be prepared to deal with keeping your well safe before, during, and after flood and storm events.

1. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
When a storm is imminent, take some time to protect your wellhead and pump if they're exposed to the elements. Covering or securing them can help protect them from any flying debris. If you don't have a surge suppressor on your pump, now is a good time to add one. Power surges during and after storms can damage a well's electrical components. Also, it's a good idea to fill your tub and sinks with water before the storm - if you lose power this water can be used to wash hands and flush toilets - as well as stock up on bottled water for drinking.

2. Ride Out the Storm
If your well loses power during the storm, make sure you turn off the pump at the circuit breaker and leave it off through the duration of the storm. Power outages can result in spikes/surges which can damage the well's components. Stay away from the well during the storm to avoid electrical shock.

3. After the Rain
If you didn't have any flooding, examine your well equipment for damage. If you see any damage, contact a professional before you attempt to turn on or operate the pump.

If your property has flooding, you'll want to be extra cautious. Do not turn on the power! Don't go near it for your safety and to avoid electrical shock. Wait until the water has receded before you approach the well. Don't drink the water or use it for cooking or washing - use an alternative source like bottled water. Get in touch with a qualified water well contractor or pump installer to get your well up and going.

Adapted from Wellowner.org's Hurricane/Flooding Resources

BLOG: What will YOU do during Groundwater Awareness Week?

by Jennifer Wemhoff, The Groundwater Foundation

Happy Groundwater Awareness Week! (#GWAW2018)!

Every March, we work with our friends at National Ground Water Association to help promote National Groundwater Awareness Week. It's a win-win for everyone - it's an opportunity to bring a national and local focus to groundwater and help people find ways to learn more about it and protect this vital resource.

So what can YOU do during #GWAW2018?

The possibilities are endless, but here are some great ideas to get you started:

• Follow The Groundwater Foundation (Facebook, Twitter) and National Groundwater Association (Facebook, Twitter) on social media; like, share, and retweet #GWAW2018 posts, or customize posts with local information.
• Plan a Test Your Well event for local private well owners. It's a win-win - you get to raise awareness about groundwater, and well owners get their water sample tested and learn more about it. 
• Set up a presentation for a community club/group to talk about local groundwater resources.
• Offer to present to a Girl Scout/Boy Scout troop, 4-H club, FFA chapter, science or environmental club, or other youth group to get them excited about groundwater. Hands-on activities are fun, brains-on ways to get kids involved.
• Conserve water inside and outside your home by taking short showers instead of baths, running full loads of dishes and laundry, checking for and repairing leaky faucets and fixtures, watering outdoors only when necessary, and using native plants in your landscaping that require less water.
  
• Track your daily water use to identify where you can use less. Try the free 30by30 app and start tracking today.
• Always follow label instructions for household chemicals, and look for ways to decrease or eliminate fertilizer and pesticide usage.
• Dispose of chemicals properly by taking them to recycling centers or household hazardous waste collections.
• If you have a private well on your property, have the well inspected by a licensed water well contractor and the water tested once a year for coliform bacteria, nitrates, and any other contaminants of local concern.
• Find out about your community’s drinking water source and mobilize to protect it. The Groundwater Guardian program is a good place to get started. 
• Teach others about ways to protect and preserve groundwater!

To find out more about groundwater and how you can get involved in protecting it, please visit us at www.groundwater.org.

BLOG: #GWAW2018

by Terry Morse, CEO, National Groundwater Association

Next week, the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) will once again celebrate National Groundwater Awareness Week (#GWAW2018). An annual observance established to highlight the responsible development, management, and use of groundwater, the event is also a platform to encourage yearly water well testing and well maintenance to prevent waterborne illnesses.

From manmade contaminants such as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and naturally occurring ones like arsenic affecting its quality to potential depletion of the resource in India, South Africa, Australia, and the American West, groundwater was an important topic in 2017. NGWA expects much of this narrative to continue throughout 2018, emphasizing the need for increased awareness regarding one this critical natural resource.
Consider the following:

• Americans use 79.6 billion gallons of groundwater each day.
• Groundwater is 20 to 30 times larger than all U.S. lakes, streams, and rivers combined.
• 44 percent of the U.S. population depends on groundwater for its drinking water supply.
• More than 13.2 million households have their own well, representing 34 million people

Established in 1999, #GWAW2018 provides an opportunity for everyone to learn about the importance of the resource and how it impacts lives. During the event, NGWA encourages folks to ask, “what do you know about groundwater?” Prior to joining NGWA, the only thing I knew about water was when you turn on the tap, water fills your cup. But I now understand that’s not the case for millions of folks around the world, and even for many people in the American West who are dealing with drought conditions and overuse, a situation which recently led Cape Town, South Africa, to implement a 6.6 gallon daily water-use limit per person.      

Here in the States 132 million people rely on groundwater for drinking water, so, simply put, it makes life possible. Groundwater is used for irrigation, livestock, manufacturing, mining, thermoelectric power, and several additional purposes, making it one of the most widely used and valuable natural resources. During #GWAW2018 we’re asking folks to think about how they’re using groundwater, and to share their stories on the ways they’re reducing their groundwater footprint.  So, if you decide to take an 8-minute shower as opposed to a 10-minute shower every day during the week, share it!  You never know, there could be a prize for the most creative and impactful submission!

If you’re a private well owner, the 2018 #GWAW2018 theme of “Tend. Test. Treat.” was established to encourage a more holistic approach to sustain an adequate supply of quality groundwater. Testing your water might prompt well inspection and maintenance, and water treatment can mitigate naturally occurring contamination revealed by the test. So, test your water, tend to your well system, then treat the water if necessary.

NGWA encourages every person to be a “groundwater advocate” both during #GWAW2018 and beyond by protecting and conserving groundwater. Businesses, individuals, educators, students, federal agencies, cities, associations, and everyone in between can share their story through our website or on social media. Find downloadable information on #GWAW2018 at www.groundwaterawarenessweek.com, including:

• A social media toolkit
• Facts about groundwater
• Event FAQs
• Logos and graphics
• Videos

BLOG: Protect Your Groundwater Day is September 5

If you are a private water well owner, there are many ways to protect your water quality. Two of the most important are:

1. To make sure your well is properly capped, and 
2. To properly plug any abandoned wells on your property. 

That’s why the 2017 theme for Protect Your Groundwater Day, on Tuesday, September 5, is “Cap It, Plug It!” 

Why is this so important? A water well provides a direct connection between the what’s above the ground and groundwater in the subsurface. 

If an active water well is not properly capped—or if an abandoned well is not properly plugged—it can create a direct pathway for contamination in the same groundwater you and others use for their drinking water supply. 

If you own a household well, you are responsible for making sure that your well is properly capped and any abandoned wells on your property are properly plugged. 

What makes a properly capped water well? First, not just any covering will do on top of the well casing, that vertical pipe that extends above the ground in your well. A proper well cap should: 
• Be bolted or locked, so that it cannot be easily removed, 
• Have a rubber seal to prevent anything from infiltrating the well where the cap is joined to the well casing, 
• Be in good condition. 

A tight-fitting well cap that is not bolted or locked can be jarred loose or removed by someone other than the well owner. Also, a well cap that lacks a rubber seal or is cracked or otherwise broken can allow bugs, vermin, bacteria or other types of contaminants above the ground surface into the well.

 Well caps should be installed by a water well system professional, and any well cap maintenance or replacement should be done by a professional. Also, a well system should be disinfected when a well cap is installed, repaired, or replaced. 

How do I properly plug an abandoned well? First, the challenge is to find abandoned wells on your property. Some abandoned wells are obvious while others are not. Survey your property for: 
• Pipes sticking out of the ground. 
• Small buildings that may have been a well house. 
• Depressions in the ground. 
• The presence of concrete vaults or pits. 
• Out-of-use windmills. 

Other tips for finding old, abandoned wells can be found in: 
• Old maps, property plans or property title documents. 
• Neighbors. 
• Additions to an old home that might cover up an abandoned well. 

A water well system professional may do additional checking—including a records check—for more information about abandoned wells. 

A water well system professional should always plug an abandoned well using proper techniques, equipment, and materials. The professional should: • Remove all material from the well that may hinder proper plugging. 
• Disinfect the well. 
• Then plug the well using a specialized grout that (1) keeps surface water from working its way into the borehole, and (2) prevents water from different subsurface levels from mixing. 

The cost to plug a well depends on factors including: 
• The depth and diameter of the well 
• The geology of the area 
• Accessibility to the well, and 
• The condition of the well. 

For more information, please visit www.ngwa.org.

It’s Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {Awesome Aquifer Kit: Improperly Abandoned Well}

This week in Frannie’s exploration of the Awesome Aquifer Kit is all about why you should properly seal abandoned and unused wells.

Did you know that 42 million people in the United States use a private, or individual well to provide water for their families?  But as cities grow and develop, more and more people are turning to municipal systems to get clean, treated water directly to their faucets.  An unused well is basically a direct line for contaminants to enter the groundwater, so it is very important that, if a well is going to be decommissioned, then a well contractor should be called to seal it properly.

But what actually happens if a well is not sealed properly?

In rural areas, such as homes on or near farms, an open well can be contaminated with animal waste, fertilizers, and pesticides.  After a rain, runoff may simply pick up these dangerous chemicals and flow right over the open will, depositing them into the groundwater supply.   If a well is dug deep enough and is connected to other water supply sources in the area, it could contaminate large sections of the aquifers and prevent many other people in the area from being able to access clean water.

Forgotten wells are a big problem too.  Well casings may rust or break down and, even without the help of any outside contaminants, pollute the groundwater.

Wells that are dug, instead of drilled, are typically shallow enough not to majorly affect groundwater quality.  However, if these wells are not sealed properly, their wide shape may cause unsuspecting people and animals to fall into them and injure themselves.

To learn more about wells and to find out where you can go to test and protect yours, visit The Groundwater Foundation's Wells and Wellhead Protection webpages. 

BLOG: Groundwater: Out of Sight, But Not Out of Mind

by Kevin McCray, CAE, Executive Director, National Groundwater Association

Some 44 percent of the U.S. population depends on groundwater, the water that fills cracks and other openings in beds of rock and sand, for its drinking water supply — be it from either a public source or private well. In rural areas, the number is about 96 percent. That fact alone justifies the need for National Groundwater Awareness Week, to be observed this week, March 5-11, 2017. 

But groundwater is important to us in many other ways, as well. Consider:   

• Groundwater provides much of the flow of many streams; often lakes and streams are "windows" to the water table. Groundwater adds 492 billion gallons per day to U.S. surface water bodies. In large part, the flow in a stream represents water that has flowed from the ground into the stream channel.
• Scientists estimate U.S. groundwater reserves to be at least 33,000 trillion gallons — equal to the amount discharged into the Gulf of Mexico by the Mississippi River in the past 200 years.
• The United States uses 79.6 billion gallons per day of fresh groundwater for public supply, private supply, irrigation, livestock, manufacturing, mining, thermoelectric power, and other purposes.
• Groundwater is tapped through wells placed in water-bearing soils and rocks beneath the surface of the Earth. There are nearly 15.9 million of these wells serving households, cities, business, and agriculture every day. Wells are constructed by the 8,100 contracting firms employing nearly 45,000 people dedicated to providing and protecting our nation's groundwater supplies.
• Irrigation accounts for the largest use of groundwater in the United States, about 67.2 percent of all the groundwater pumped each day. Some 53.5 billion gallons of groundwater are used daily for agricultural irrigation from more than 407,913 wells. Irrigation is a major reason for the abundance of fresh produce and grains that we all enjoy.
• One ton of groundwater used by industry generates an estimated $14,000 worth of output.

These facts help us connect with the important role we each play as stewards, or protectors, of groundwater. Man can adversely affect the resource. Fortunately, there are simple steps that will help protect groundwater and the wells systems that distribute it.

• Always use licensed or certified water well drillers and pump installers when a well is constructed or serviced, or when the pump is installed or serviced.
• Keep hazardous materials away from any well. Never dump such materials, motor oil, or anything else that could impact water quality onto the land surface, into a hole or pit, or into a surface water supply.

These tips and more are available from sources such as a state groundwater or water well association, NGWA, or from your county agricultural extension agent or state government agency with responsibility for groundwater. A convenient source for a broader understanding of our groundwater protector role can be found at www.wellowner.org, a Web service of NGWA.

National Groundwater Awareness Week is not a celebration such as the Fourth of July has become. Instead, we should use the week to reflect more deeply on groundwater's value and its contributions to our lives.

Groundwater Awareness is Important to You!

by Cliff Treyens, Director of General Public Outreach, National Groundwater Association

National Groundwater Awareness Week is March 6-12, 2016. Now well into its second decade, Groundwater Awareness Week spotlights one of the world’s most important resources — groundwater.

Who should be “aware” of groundwater? Quite simply, everyone.

 

Groundwater is essential to the health and well-being of humanity and the environment. Whether you’re on a public water system or a private well, whether you are a health care official, policymaker, regulator, an environmentalist or a groundwater professional, you can get involved in protecting this vital resource.

Groundwater Awareness Week is a great opportunity to raise awareness in your community about the importance of groundwater to all of us. Even if we don't have a water well ourselves, groundwater is an integral part of life on Earth.

Forty-four percent of the American population depends on groundwater for its drinking water supply — reason enough to act to protect groundwater. Another reason is that contaminated groundwater can harm the environment, including the ecosystems that depend on groundwater.

All people by their living habits can protect or harm groundwater — our nation and the world's most abundant freshwater supply. The first step toward protecting groundwater is to become aware of how it can be contaminated. The second step is to do your part to keep from contaminating groundwater. 

We challenge you to take this pledge:

 

I pledge to take one or more of the following actions to protect groundwater from contamination.

1. Properly store hazardous household substances* in secure containers
2. Mix hazardous household substances over concrete or asphalt where they can be cleaned up or absorbed
3. Dispose of hazardous household wastes at an appropriate waste disposal facility or drop-off
4. Do not put hazardous household wastes down the drain or in the toilet
5. Do not put any wastes down a dry or abandoned well
6. If I own a septic system, I will service it according to local health department recommendations
7. If I own a water well, I will get a yearly maintenance check to ensure sanitary seals are intact
8. Decommission abandoned wells on your property using a qualified water well contractor
9. Fix or replace any leaking aboveground or underground tanks storing hazardous substances.

For more information about National Groundwater Awareness Week, please visit NGWA's website. 

How We View Water

By: Anthony Lowndes, The Groundwater Foundation

With close to half of the United States relying on groundwater for drinking water, it is important to ensure a sustainable supply. In Nebraska, it’s close to 85 percent. The 2015 Statewide Groundwater-Level Monitoring Report indicates that Nebraska’s groundwater supplies are on the rebound. Aside from subsiding drought conditions and heavy rainfall, the implementation of technological advances in irrigation have reduced water consumption. On the domestic water use side, public awareness and the installation of water saving appliances has helped lower demand.

But quantity is not the only issue facing Nebraska, or any other area. While drought often causes increases in the amount of water withdrawn from the ground resulting in declines, contamination can ruin an entire source of water. There are several contaminants highlighted in the 2015 Nebraska Groundwater Quality Monitoring Report that are not so unique to Nebraska, such as nitrates and uranium. We need to continue to think critically and creatively when it comes to protecting water sources.

In several states, communities can proactively develop local protection measures for source water through Wellhead Protection programs. For the 43 million Americans who supply their own water through a private well, be sure to have your well tested on a regular basis and check with your local USGS office about potential contamination concerns.

Water issues can be shared through a wide variety of mediums. For example, Kaneko, a public non-profit cultural organization in Omaha, NE, is currently exploring water issues in the Midwest and around the world through a variety of research and technological innovations and fine art displays, drawing the viewer into the world of water. One particular exhibit caught my eye. It is a to-scale outline of Nebraska that is over eight feet tall. The data points from the Quality Monitoring Report are represented by pompoms and color coded for each type of contaminant. Another is a fantastic artistic rendition of a combine and center pivot circling an enormous water drop.

Creating ways for people to visualize a resource that is often taken for granted is the goal of both the reports and the Kaneko Water exhibit. Find out more about water in your area and get involved in conserving and protecting it.

End of Summer "to do" List

As we near the end of yet another summer, we need take a look at what's left on our summer “to do” list. For the many people who rely on a private well for drinking water, summer is often the time to have their well tested.

In order to maintain a clean, safe supply of water, testing and other regular maintenance are critical. To help you remember these important tasks you can join the Water Systems Council’s wellcare® Well Owner’s Network. As a member of the Network, which, by the way, is FREE, you will receive important notifications, reminders, updated information and handy tips for maintaining your private well.

To join the Network today, call 1-888-395-1033 or visit www.watersystemscouncil.org/network.php.