Most homes around Whitewater Lake and Rice Lake have a private well. When you live in the country, water supply and water treatment is different than what you are used to in the city (Learn more about water supply & treatment).
What is a Private Well?
A private well pumps water from your well to your home. A private well is usually located on your property and serves a single home.
A well taps into underground aquifers and draws water to your home with the help of a pump. A well consists of the following:
A water source
Well construction
Pump
Water treatment
Buying a Home With a Private Well
When it comes to buying a home, you will want a well inspection and a well water test. As part of the home buying process, the buyer often pays for the well inspection as part of their due diligence. Whoever pays for the inspection is specified in the purchase contract.
A well inspection provides information on the condition of the well, evaluates if the well is up to code, and determines the water quality. If a well inspection is done, the State of Wisconsin requires a licensed well professional conduct the inspection.
A well inspection includes:
Visual inspection of the physical condition of the well & compliance
Inspection of pump, pressure tank, and related system components
Water flow test to measure the rate that water is drawn from the well
Water quality sampling to check for contaminants and to test characteristics.
The well water test will analyze the water and identify any contaminants that may go unidentified based on sight, taste, or smell. Contaminants in water may include bacteria, viruses, parasites, or potential carcinogens (i.e., arsenic and radon).
A well inspection may uncover a few common issues:
Mineral build-up impacting water quality
Deteriorating well casing
Faulty pump or pressure tank
Contaminants such as coliform bacteria (includes E. coli)
The presence of nitrates, arsenic, mercury, metals, radon, etc.
If a contaminant is found, ask a professional for the best course of action to resolve the issue. Some issues that arise may be easily treated and resolved. However, if there are larger issues to the well, the buyer and seller may negotiate the course of action.
Well Testing & Maintenance
As the homeowner, you are responsible for testing and maintaining your well.
Testing the water regularly is important for health safety, proactive maintenance, environmental changes, and rising contaminants. The Wisconsin DNR recommends annual testing to keep you and your family safe. It is usually recommended to test in spring. Melting snow and excess water can introduce contaminants to your well.
In Walworth County, homeowners can obtain a water test kit from Walworth County Health and Home Services (Learn More About Well Water Testing). Homeowners are responsible for collecting their own water samples and returning samples to the lab. Samples can be collected from any faucet with cold water. The following tests are available: Bacteria (Coliform and E. coli), Nitrate, Arsenic, and Lead. During July, Walworth County Public Health offers private well sample kits at a discounted rate.
Over time, as the homeowner, you are also responsible for well maintenance and any issues that arise. To keep your well working as expected, make sure the well cap is in good condition and secure, keep the area around the well clean, ensure the ground slopes away from the well, and avoid damage to the well casing.
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