Water should not pond around your well, where it can flood and introduce pollution to your drinking water supply.
Stormwater flow
Next time it rains, go outside and notice how the rainwater or snowmelt moves from roof areas, driveways, and other paved surfaces. Make sure that this water is not flowing toward your private drinking water well.
As stormwater flows over the land, it can pick up and dissolve potential pollution sources and carry those toward your well. Drinking water wells that have been flooded with stormwater runoff are likely to be contaminated with bacteria and other germs.
In the event of drinking water well flooding, seek guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at: http://www.epa.gov/privatewells/whatdo.html.
Tips:
- Make sure your well extends above the ground at least 1 foot and that water cannot pond around the wellhead.
- If stormwater runoff flows toward your well, consider re-grading and/or landscaping the area so that stormwater flows away from the well.
- For more information on stormwater and its effects on water quality, see the U.S. EPA's "After the Storm"resources.
