Wells are the primary source of water when you don’t live in the city. Cities have water treatment facilities that send clean water to your home. In the country, like in many parts of the Hudson Valley, it is likely that you will be managing your very own well. It is imperative that you know as much as possible about your new well system. After all, you and your family will use the water for drinking and bathing.
First, it is important to know WHERE the well is on the property. Every homeowner should know where on the property the well is situated because the well should be protected from bacteria and contamination. Many wells are accessible from ground-level, but sometimes we find wells that are buried, so finding the well head can be more complicated. Also, if the well is close to the septic system, then there may be problems with cross-contamination. Read our article on septic systems.
Second, it is also helpful to know about the TYPE OF WELL SYSTEM and what equipment is used. This can inform you on the amount of water available at taps, and what kind of filtration has been added, or needs to be added to make the water potable.
To start, search for your well here:
New York State requires that all wells are documented and entered into a special database. Doing research on a well is as easy as doing a search.
And then read more about wells, bacteria, and well systems. all imperative for homes in the hudson valley.
Well Types and Bacteria
The three most common types of wells found in our area are dug or bored wells, driven wells, and drilled wells. The most common and modern type of well is the drilled well. Older homes in the Hudson Valley may have multiple wells because of various reasons. For example, if the home was built in the 1800’s, then it most likely started with a dug well. As modern technology advanced, and more there was more understanding about bacteria, people moved away from dug wells, which allow bacteria to enter easily, to drilled wells.
Regardless of the well, bacteria should not be allowed to enter into the home. Typically enters the well because of ground contamination. Bacteria that enters the body either through drinking or bathing, can make people seriously ill. Routinely we find bacteria in wells, so we encourage prospective home buyers to always test well water.
Well Systems
Wells systems control the water flow from the well into the home. The systems, at their core, are very simple. There are three main parts. The three main parts well controller (what I call the “brain”), the pump, and the pressure tank. These parts work in conjunction to pressurize the water into the home and allow you to have water at all the taps in the house to drink, bathe, clean dishes, etc. Refer to images at the right for examples.
Beyond the three main parts there are many more additions. These additions improve the water quality, including controlling bacteria. Examples of additional components include a water softener (to control for hard water), a water filter (for sediment), and ultra-violet light (for bacteria), and many other advances.