1. Well Water Testing Workshop COAL CREEK CANYON
March 16, 2017
Roy Laws / Craig Sanders
Jefferson County Public Health

2. Presentation Outline Water Quality, Quantity and Health
Well Construction & Maintenance
Q&A time

3. Resources - Brochures It’s Your Water Nitrate Removal
Well Construction Advisory
Septic System Maintenance
Water Well Records
Septic System Records

4. Resources - Websites Jefferson County Public Health
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Environmental Protection Agency
EPA Private Wells
Montana State University Extension
Water Quality Videos

5. H2O

6. Water Wells – Water Quality
Water quality is tied to geology and hydrology
Localized ‘taste and odor’ issues
Hardness/acidity of the water
Radioactivity in the water
Water quality from private wells is unregulated
You can drink whatever you can pump out
Problems are not widespread, but do occur
YOU are the ‘water plant’ operator!

7. WHY TEST? Wells are a PRIVATE water supply
no one else will do it for you
Need to know so you can treat the water, if necessary
NO enforceable standards for private wells
WHEN TO TEST?
Property transactions
Baseline testing for broad spectrum of contaminants
Annual testing for bacteria (pick a date!)

8. WHAT TESTS TO RUN? ‘Potable’ is a misleading term
There may be many contaminants in water
Testing is specific, no ‘generic’ test
Will depend on physical location
City vs country
Residential vs commercial area
Deep vs shallow well
May also depend on water users
Children, elderly, immune compromised

9. RECOMMENDED BASIC TESTING
BACTERIA
Total coliform, with further tests if positive
Can also indicate well construction issues
NITRATES (baseline)
FLUORIDES (baseline)
Can cause dental issues in younger children (mottling)

10. Bacteria is the “Canary in the Coal Mine”
There should be NO bacteria in well water
Identifies pathway for other contaminants

11. ADDITIONAL TESTING MINING AREAS COMMERCIAL AREAS
Additional minerals and heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic, lead, etc.
COMMERCIAL AREAS
Hydrocarbons, BTEX, herbicides, metals
SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC AREAS
Uranium, Radium, Radon in Water (if air levels are high)
Hardness, pH

12. A LA CARTE or PACKAGE TEST?
A la Carte for specific or limited testing
Package tests can save money
Real Estate/HUD (coliform bacteria, lead, nitrate and nitrite)
Deluxe Colorado Package (alkalinity, arsenic, cadmium, calcium, coliform bacteria, chloride, conductivity, copper, corrosivity, fluoride, hardness, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, nitrate/nitrite, pH, sodium, sodium adsorption ratio, sulfate, total dissolved solids, uranium, zinc)

13. TESTING RESOURCES Private Laboratories State Health Department Lab
Look for EPA certification
Can often collect samples in the field
State Health Department Lab
Conducts a variety of tests
Does not perform field collection
Located at Lowry
Transport available from JCPH offices ($10 fee)

14. Treatment Technologies
Shock Chlorinate the Well
Ultraviolet (UV)
Cartridge Filters
Reverse Osmosis
Air Strippers

15. CHLORINATION
UV UNIT

16. Cartridge Filters

17. REVERSE OSMOSIS UNIT

18. AIR STRIPPING UNITS

19. Water Well Construction – Hand Dug

20. Dug Wells Can Be HUGE and DEEP

21. Water Well Construction – BIG Rigs

22. ACCESS ISSUES for DRILLING?

23. Water Well Construction - Basics

24. Water Well Construction in Areas with True Aquifers

25. Water Well Construction in Fractured Rock Areas

26. Craig Sanders, REHS Roy Laws, PE Q & A Time!
Environmental Health Services Division
645 Parfet Street, Lakewood CO 80215