What’s In My Water?

As the streams calm from the snowmelt-initiated spring runoff, some private well owners may have noticed changes in their water. The high flows that sometimes result in flooding or other infrastructure damage can carry contaminants from surface waters into our groundwater network. Private well water supplies are not monitored by the government or municipal agencies, meaning it is up to the well owner to take responsibility for monitoring water quality.

In deciding whether or not to test your well water, MSU extension provides some indicators to look for in your tap that could help guide your decision. In general, private wells should be tested annually for bacterial or nitrate contamination, however tests should be performed more frequently if:

1. You notice a change in your water quality,
2. People using the water suffer from an illness that may be waterborne,
3. There is a flood or large storm that may have carried contaminants into your wellhead,
4. Maintenance work is done on the well,
5. A pregnant woman, a woman anticipating pregnancy, or an infant under the age of six months becomes a water user.

The Well Educated program is a water quality testing program, started by MSU Extension in 2005. The program hopes to provide private well owner education about water quality as it relates to health and quality of life. By partnering with organizations, such as Conservation and Water Quality Districts or Environmental Health Departments, this program can help prevent nonpoint source groundwater contamination through wells, while also providing a means for homeowners to monitor and report ground water quality.

A wide range of contaminants can find their way into your water supply, and testing for everything is expensive, so it is important to asses which you are greatest risk of. Depending on where you are the in the state, different contaminants can be more prevalent. When choosing the parameters for your well testing, the following are some of the pollutants to be most concerned about in Madison County.

As mentioned earlier, nitrate and bacteria should be tested regularly. Homeowners may be at increased risk of nitrate and bacteria if: (a) they live near a location where agriculture operations use pesticides or fertilizers, (b) their well is within 100ft of a septic system or leach field, or (c) their septic system is not operating properly. A musty odor and gastrointestinal illness after water use is also associated with the presence of bacteria.

Lead can be concerning if the household plumbing was installed before the mid-1990’s, especially if the well water is corrosive. A metallic taste or smell is often associated with contamination by lead or other heavy metals. Homeowners should also be concerned if they notice pitting of plumbing fixtures and deposits on sinks and pipes.

Copper may be an issue if household plumbing includes copper and well water is corrosive. Water that is contaminated by copper may have green or blueish appearance and can leave similarly colored stains on clothes. It may also a have a metallic taste. Lead and copper typically come from plumbing infrastructure rather than groundwater

Arsenic, copper, fluoride, nitrate, uranium have also been found above the human health threshold in Madison County. The presence of arsenic in several of the tributaries of the Madison Watershed and the groundwater is often attributed to local geologic sources and geothermal water of the Yellowstone Park Caldera.

Homeowners can test private wells by contacting one of the certified testing labs to obtain bottles and instructions, or through the Well Educated program. If you are interested in getting a test kit for your private well in Madison County (with the well owner selecting their own parameters and paying for own analysis), reach out to the Madison Conservation District at maia@madisoncd.net, or call our office at (406) 682-3181. For more information about the Well Educated program or tips for taking care of your groundwater, visit https://waterquality.montana.edu/well-ed/.