Living in the beautiful state of Colorado, it's easy to take for granted our most precious natural resource - water. With an abundance of rivers, lakes, and underground aquifers, water can seem plentiful. However, taking the time and effort to properly maintain your water well Inspection in Colorado is essential to ensure access to clean, safe drinking water for you and your family.

The Importance of Clean Drinking Water

Having access to clean water is something many of us in developed countries like the United States often take for granted. But the infrastructure required to pump water from aquifers deep underground, treat it, and deliver it to our homes is complex. Groundwater can easily become contaminated from natural and man-made pollutants if wells aren't properly sealed and maintained. Drinking contaminated water can cause serious health issues.

Some common water contaminants in groundwater include:

• Bacteria like E. coli or coliform bacteria from animal waste
• Nitrates and nitrites from fertilizers
• Heavy metals like arsenic, mercury, or lead
• Industrial chemicals and fuel hydrocarbons
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Many of these pollutants are odorless, colorless, and tasteless in water. The only way to know if your well water is safe is to have regular testing and inspections carried out by professionals.

How Water Wells Work

To understand why well maintenance is so critical, it helps to understand how water wells function. A water well is essentially a hole bored into an underground aquifer - an underwater lake hidden below the earth's surface. An electric submersible pump at the bottom of the well pushes the water to the surface through piping. Wells access groundwater reservoirs called aquifers. In Colorado, common aquifers tapped by residential wells include:

• The Denver Basin aquifer system
• Laramie-Fox Hills aquifer
• Arapahoe aquifer
• Dawson aquifer

The depth of these aquifers and residential wells in Colorado can range anywhere from 50 to 800 feet deep. Some municipal water supply wells can be drilled thousands of feet deep into the earth in our state.

Potential Issues with Older, Unmaintained Wells

Most of the early homesteader-era wells dug pre-1950s lacked proper construction and sealing techniques to protect groundwater from contamination. Older wells tend to be shallow, hand dug wells often less than 50 feet deep. Some early wells were ringed with stacked rock rather than sealed properly with casing.

As these old wells age, the risk of contamination entering groundwater supplies increases. Some potential well issues include:

• Deteriorating or corroded well casing allowing seepage of contaminants into aquifer
• Cracked, damaged, or unsealed well heads exposing water to contaminants
• Faulty, malfunctioning pump equipment that can no longer reliably deliver water
• Lack of proper backflow prevention devices
• Outdated electrical systems that don't meet code

Even properly constructed modern wells require ongoing inspection and maintenance to keep them operating safely and efficiently.

Routine Well Inspection and Maintenance

To keep your well in good working order, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recommends:

• Annual inspections by a qualified professional to check well components and identify potential issues
• Testing well water annually for bacteria and every 3-5 years for chemicals, metals, etc.
• Periodic pump motor servicing and inspection
• Checking well equipment like timers, pressure switches, pitless adapters
• Listening for changes in well pump sounds that may indicate issues
• Checking for leaks, corrosion, cracks in well caps/seals

Professional well contractors use specialized equipment like downhole cameras to visually inspect the entire well casing for damage or sediment buildup. They can detect problems long before you ever notice changes in well water quality or volume.

Major Repairs From a Well Contractor

While you can perform basic inspections yourself or with a home inspector, major repairs require the expertise of a qualified well professional. Repairs a well technician may perform include:

• Replacing worn or damaged pump and pump components
• Acidizing, brushing, or jetting the well to remove scale and sediment buildup
• Shock chlorinating the well to kill harmful bacterial growth
• Replacing old fashioned dug wells with drilled, cased wells meeting current code
• Upgrading outdated electrical and plumbing systems
• Replacing or mending holes in well casing
• Resealing well caps or well heads
• Treating water for contaminants like radon gas, nitrates, arsenic etc.

Having an experienced well company handle major repairs ensures the work is done properly to keep your water supply clean and plentiful.

New Well Construction Best Practices

For new well construction, it's critical to hire an experienced driller that adheres to current well standards and codes. They should be able to advise you on:

• Recommended well depth and diameter based on water usage needs
• Optimal well casing material (stainless steel, PVC etc.) for longevity
• Proper sealing and grouting methods for maximum sanitary protection
• Installing the right pump and components for optimal performance
• Water testing during drilling to determine water quality
• Disinfecting the well upon completion before drinking the water

Reputable drillers will also know to obtain permits, file a well completion report with the state, and provide documentation of the well's construction.

Water Well Inspection Colorado Can Help

Having clean, uncontaminated water is too important to leave your well maintenance and repairs to chance. For Colorado homeowners, regularly inspecting and maintaining your well is essential. An inspection by a qualified professional like Water Well Inspection in Colorado is the best way to keep your well and water supply safe for your family's consumption and use for years to come. Contact the knowledgeable team at Water Well Inspection Colorado when it's time for your next well inspection or repair.

Well Inspections Ensure Reliable Water Supply

Your family likely relies on ready access to plentiful water every day for drinking, cooking, bathing, watering gardens, and recreation. When your well experiences issues like:

• Low water production
• Pump cycling on and off frequently
• Sand or sediment in the water
• Changes in water quality or color

A thorough inspection by a well professional is the first step toward identifying and remedying the problem. A well inspection can pinpoint issues like:

• Excessive drawdown indicating overuse or aquifer issues
• A shut off pump or float switch needing repair
• Collapsed or blocked piping preventing water flow
• Accumulated mineral scale or sediment limiting water flow

Timely repairs prevent nuisance water shortages and damage to well components. Routine inspections also monitor conditions indicating the well needs servicing before problems arise.

Prevent Costly Emergency Well Repairs

Like other home systems, lack of maintenance often means breakdowns seem to happen at the worst times. Emergency well repair costs significantly more than routine preventative maintenance. Regular well care today prevents unexpected repair bills tomorrow.

Imagine facing dry taps on Thanksgiving or discovering brown water on the morning of a planned event at your home. Or waking up to a non-functioning bathroom and kitchen with overnight guests. These stressful scenarios can be avoided with periodic inspections detecting issues early before they become major failures.

A sudden cessation of your water supply disrupts daily life and incurs expensive emergency service charges. Prevent panic about water access by scheduling a well check and performing recommended maintenance.

Well Inspections Protect Health and Safety

However, the most compelling reason for well inspections is the health and safety of your family and guests. Your well water quality should be checked annually for dangerous contaminants. E. coli, chemicals, metals, nitrates, and other pollution can all impact well water safety.

Unfortunately, water quality can change gradually over time. Or a heavy storm or flood might introduce runoff into your well. Regular testing is the only way to confirm water potability.

If a well inspection discovers contamination, solutions might include water filtration and treatment systems or drilling a new well tapping alternate aquifers.

Safe water is an essential foundation for good health. Protect your family with routine well inspections and testing. Contact Water Well Inspection Colorado to discuss a water analysis and inspection tailored to your specific well situation.

Signs Your Well Needs Attention

Homeowners rely on wells to conveniently deliver water without thinking much about the complex pump systems running quietly in the background.

But when well pump problems arise, you may notice issues like:

• Reduced water volume or pressure
• Rust colored water or sediment
• Strange smells or tastes
• Pump short cycling on and off
• Pump running continuously but producing little water
• Pumps, pipes or tanks freezing in winter

Any of these signs indicate it's time to call a professional well inspector. They have the equipment and expertise to diagnose issues accurately.

A well inspection begins above ground checking the visible well head, cap, casing, electrical wires, and pipes. Next, the well technician runs diagnostics checking:

• Water levels, production volume, and drawdown rate
• Pressure and flow rates
• Motor and pump operation
• Water quality analysis
• Pipe and tank integrity

Armed with this data, your technician can recommend repairs and perform needed maintenance to restore optimal well operation. Don't wait until problems progress. Schedule inspection twice a year before wet and dry seasons.

Why Well Age Matters

Have you ever wondered how old your well is? The age of your well provides clues to its expected life, construction methods used, and risks of contamination. Very old shallow wells may not provide safe clean water anymore.

Well construction standards have evolved substantially over the decades:

• Old hand dug wells (pre-1900s) were prone to contamination and water shortage. They relied on rainfall to refill shallow unprotected aquifers.
• Cable tool driven wells (early 1900s) involved literally pounding pipes down until they hit water. While an improvement, these wells didn't keep out sediment and surface pollution well.
• Modern rotary drilled wells use water or mud to drill down while adding casing and sealant to the hole to prevent contaminant entry down the outside of the well pipe.
• New code compliant wells require permits, testing during drilling, steel or PVC casings, sanitary seals, proper capping and more.

If your well dates back 50+ years, you can't assume it meets modern safety standards. An old well inspection is recommended to check its viability to keep supplying your home with clean water.

Replacement or sealing of an unsafe old well protects your water quality while improving your home's value. Contact Water Well Inspection Colorado to evaluate your old well.

Buying A Home With a Well? Get an Inspection

Purchasing a home is already stressful enough without extra worries about the water supply. Approximately one third of Colorado households rely on private well water. If you are considering buying a home with a well, protect yourself with a professional pre-purchase well inspection.

A thorough well inspection should examine:

• Well location - Distance from septic tanks or pollution sources?
• Well age and original construction methods
• Well depth - Is it deep enough for drought resilience?
• Well output - Does it meet household water needs?
• Water quality - Is treatment system needed?
• Pump/motor age - Any issues or signs of failure?
• Pipes and storage tanks - Leaks? Rust?
• Casing condition - Corrosion? Cracks?
• Electrical systems - Up to code? GFCI installed?

While sellers may provide old water testing results, it's wise to collect new water samples yourself to assess current water safety. Examine the well log and confirm it was properly sealed and permitted.

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Buying land for building? A pre-purchase well inspection helps determine best well site and depth. Be sure to use a licensed Colorado well inspector when buying property relying on well water.

Well Inspections for Home Buyers Peace of Mind

Buying a property on well water understandably brings up many questions for home buyers. How old is the well system? What shape is the well pump in? Is the well water potable enough for drinking? An inspection delivers valuable information.

In particular, a well inspection looks at:

• Water quality - Testing for bacteria, chemicals, heavy metals
• Well depth & construction - Meets current code? Properly sealed?
• Pump & equipment - Operating efficiently? Signs of leaks or damage?
• Supply capacity - Provides adequate water volume for property needs?
• Water treatment - Sediment filters, softeners, or reverse osmosis installed?
• Electrical systems - GFCI and wiring in good repair?

While the seller may provide old well records, new water testing and well evaluation on your behalf is prudent. Know exactly what is needed before purchasing to make an informed decision.

Look for a certified well inspector with geotechnical expertise. They can examine all aspects of a residential well system inside and out. Getting their unbiased assessment provides home buyers peace of mind.

Don't rely on information about the well solely from the seller's disclosure forms. Protect your family by independently having the well thoroughly inspected first.

Partner With a Reputable Well Company

Clean, plentiful groundwater is a precious resource. Our wells tap hidden aquifers deep below the earth that require skill and care to access safely.

For new well construction or maintenance of an existing well, it pays to partner with an established local well company. What should you look for in a reputable contractor?

• Licensing & Certifications - Proper licenses for well drilling and pump installation in your state. Additional certifications indicate advanced training.
• Experience - Many years in the business and hundreds of successful well projects completed. Look for multigenerational family companies.
• Expertise - Knowledge drilling in complex geologic formations. Experience inspecting and servicing all well components.
• Equipment - Owns their own customized well rigs plus tools like video cameras needed to properly inspect well interiors.
• Reputation - Positive customer reviews back up claims of quality service. Members of industry associations like National Ground Water Association.
• Local - Area knowledge and adaptation to local aquifers, soils, codes etc. Quick response time without big travel costs.

For well owners, having a transparent, communicative contractor relationship built on expertise and trust provides confidence in your water supply. Consider Water Well Inspection Colorado to be your local well expert.

Be Prepared for Natural Disasters

From heavy flooding to winter storms, Colorado experiences various natural disasters. Their occurrence is unpredictable but preparation can minimize their impact on your well system.

Here are tips to prepare your well for disasters:

• Keep well components above flood levels when possible
• Install flooding protection devices like check valves on pipes
• Brace above ground pumps and equipment for hurricane-force winds
• Ensure electrical lines are buried and insulated properly
• Have backup generators ready for power outages
• Disconnect and drain water from plumbing to prevent freezing
• Stockpile extra pump parts likely to need emergency replacement
• Keep equipment to disinfect and purge plumbing post-flooding

After a natural disaster, don't drink from your well without inspection - even if water looks clear. Flooding can contaminate wells with bacteria, chemicals, and debris. A thorough cleaning and shock chlorination of the well may be required before it's potable.

Take preventative steps today to prepare your well for potential disasters tomorrow. Your local well company Water Well Inspection Colorado can help ensure your well's resilience.

How to Maintain Your Water Well System

Owning a home with a private well comes with the responsibility of being your own water provider. Maintaining your well system prevents untimely breakdowns and protects your health. Here are tips for DIY well care:

Routinely:

• Check seals on well cap for cracks allowing contaminants in
• Listen for changes in pump sound indicating service needs
• Clear debris/plants from well head area improving access
• Monitor pressure tank and keep it properly pressurized
• Drain spigots to purge stagnant water from plumbing
• Check for leaks around pump, tanks, and piping

Annually:

• Hire a Certified Inspector to evaluate well components
• Get well water tested for bacteria and chemicals
• Service the well pump motor even if working fine
• Pour chlorine down well to kill harmful bacterial growth
• Check electrical wires and boxes meet current code
• Verify backflow preventer is working properly

Every 5-10 Years:

• Pull up and inspect pump, pipes and hardware
• Brush/jet interior well walls to remove mineral scale
• Treat well for iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfides
• Replace very old well casings that risk collapse

Don't defer maintenance waiting for failure. Preventive care reduces serious issues keeping water flowing safely to your taps. Partner with Water Well Inspection Colorado for all your well upkeep needs.

Ensure Proper Well Abandonment

Over time, factors like drought, falling water tables, or contamination may force wells to be permanently sealed. Proper well abandonment protects groundwater supplies from pollution and physical hazards.

According to Colorado regulations, well abandonment requires:

• Removing well hardware like pumps and piping
• Chlorinating the well to sanitize the aquifer
• Sealing off with impermeable grout, clay, or concrete from bottom to top
• Permanently capping the top with a welded steel plate
• Filling above ground hole with native soil and compacting
• Leaving no depressions for water to collect and seep down old well
• Filing closure documents with the local health department

Never attempt to DIY abandonment or temporarily just cap off a well no longer in use. These open holes act as a direct conduit for contamination to enter groundwater.

Make sure any abandoned well on your land meets current standards. Contact Water Well Inspection Colorado to safely seal unused wells protecting water resources.