National Ground Water Association (NGWA) recommendations for well water testing, according to WellOwners.Org, suggests that well owners perform testing on their wells at specific times and also at other times for a variety of reasons:

• Annually for bacteria, nitrates/nitrites, and any contaminants of local concern
• More frequently than once a year if there is a change in the taste, odor, or appearance of the well water, or if a problem occurs such as a broken well cap or a new contamination source
• If family members or houseguests have recurrent incidents of gastrointestinal illness
• If an infant is living in the home
• To monitor the efficiency and performance of home water treatment equipment

The experts at WellOwners.Org go on to say: “You should also check with your local health or environmental health department for recommendations regarding the type and frequency of testing specific to your location.”

Note: The reasons listed above represent just a few of the possible reasons that might cause a well owner to get the water quality of the water from their well checked. Other reasons exist. The responsibility of making sure well water remains safe for human consumption and use lies with the well owner, not a brief list of reasons like the one above. The Water Testing Blog provides information designed to aid those interested in water testing, not diagnose and troubleshoot every possible water quality issue.