How much do you know about the abandoned properties a quarter mile in each direction of your well? Better yet, how much do you know about all of the properties under which your water flows before you pull it out your well and drink it?

Residents in one town recently, and quite accidentally, discovered that a property in their community may have leached harmful contaminants into their drinking water… and they would never have found out if someone had not put in a request to re-zone the property for a new use.

East Norwalk resident Rick Giordano on Monday delivered to City Hall a petition requesting groundwater testing for the area surrounding the former Norden Systems, Inc. property.

The petition delivery comes days before the city’s Zoning Commission is scheduled to vote on a major housing plan the eastern part of the site.

“The problems with polluted drinking wells and soil contamination came to light during the process of rezoning … (The property) was found to have been the source of chemical pollution,” said Giordano during a news conference at City Hall on Monday. “I’ve delivered a petition with almost 300 names from Norwalk and from Westport, requesting that water test and soil vapor tests be performed for the residents living within a quarter mile of NordenPark.” ( source )

Test Strips for Mercury in Water

So even if you have taken proper precautions such as not installing your well within 100 feet of a septic system, you cannot always know for sure that your well water contains no harmful contaminants.

Only regular water tests performed by a certified well water testing organization combined with spot checks using at-home drinking water test kits offers the kind of protection that may be required to make sure no unwanted bacteria or other contaminants have entered your private drinking well.