If
You have a well, and flood waters have covered it, DO NOT use
the water for drinking or bathing. Also DO NOT turn on the
pump if it is located outside the well.
By drinking or washing with water from a well that has been covered
by flood waters, you can get sick from the germs or chemicals
that may have seeped in.
By turning on a flooded well pump that is located outside of the well,
you risk electrical shock and damaging your pump.
What To Do
1. If your pump is located outside of the well, then have it checked
by a qualified electrician or well contractor before using it.
2. Have your well inspected, cleaned and disinfected with bleach by
a qualified well contractor.
3. After your well has been cleaned and disinfected, run the well
until the water is clear.
For more information, contact your local or state health department.
Click HERE to find
your state health department.
OR
If you are unable to find a qualified well contractor to clean
and disinfect your well, you can do the following yourself:
1. Wait for the flood waters to recede.
2. If your pump is located outside the well, then dry the pump
thoroughly so there is no chance of getting an electrical shock or
damaging the pump.
3. Run your water for 3 hours in order to get rid of the flood
water that seeped into your well. You may have to do this in phases
if 3-straight hours of use is too much for your pump to handle.
If the water you're getting rid of isn't going into a sewer, then
you should hook up a hose and run the water far away from the well
so it doesn't contaminate it again.
4. Mix one gallon of fresh bleach with three gallons of clean
water. DO NOT Use Bleach Substitutes.
To get clean water, either buy bottled water, or boil your well's
water for 3 minutes, and then let it cool before using it.
5. Pour this 4-gallon mixture into your well.
6. Run your water through EVERY faucet or spout in your home,
including all outbuildings, until the water smells of chlorine.
If you are unable to smell chlorine coming out of the faucet,
add more bleach to the well casing from a fresh unopened container
of bleach.
Use the same combination of 3 gallons of clean water, with 1 gallon
of bleach.
7. After you are able to smell bleach at each faucet or spout in your
home, turn the water off and let the system sit undisturbed for 24
hours.
8. After 24 hours, run your water until you are unable to smell
chlorine. This could take several days.
9. Have your water tested by a water testing facility.
10. You can order the necessary water tests for flooded wells by clicking
HERE.
11. Until Water Testing proves otherwise, your water is NOT safe
to drink.
12. In the short term you should either buy bottled water, or boil
your water for 3 minutes before drinking it or using it to prepare
food.
IMPORTANT
The bleach should have eliminated the threat of Bacteria contamination
to your well.
But, the flood waters could have put pesticides, heavy metals, and
other dangerous contaminants into your well water.
Depending on how bad your area was flooded, the way in which way the
flood waters travel underground, or if septic tanks malfunction in
your area, your water may be contaminated for months to come.
Only water testing can tell you for certain what is in your well water
now.
Click HERE to order
the correct water tests for flooded wells.
Go
To AquaMD Water
Testing Home Page
|
|
Contact Us
