Well Testing

[jdmidwest]

Chances are it will test ok.

I have seen people filling drinking water jugs at Lasseter's boat ramp on the Spring River After I chased the ducks off and cleaned a few fish. They were in their 70's, so the water must be good, right? Note: It is about a half mile from the spring source. The spring is fed by one collapsed cavern system and many sinkholes in the area that are all sterile. It passes thru a lake of ducks, geese, muskrats, and other vermin. Pass the Warm Fork that flows thru cattle country and the town of Thayer along a railroad line. I am sure the spring water is pure.

I have seen people by the dozens flock to an artesian well that was drilled for uranium exploration near Marble hill. It just flows out of a casing over some moss that I know for a fact that has had urine and other contaminates from time to time on it.

What does not kill you will make you stronger, you will develop antibodies for it. Water is just water.

[Al Agnew]

Biggest problem in rural areas is groundwater contamination from cattle farming. In our home well, we have somewhat elevated E. coli levels due to being surrounded by cattle farms, and our well goes down nearly 200 feet.

Wells can be problematical as far as water supply in the St. Francois Mountains, which Ironton sets right in the middle of the region. Unlike the rest of the Ozarks, which has abundant groundwater, the igneous rock of that area doesn't hold water very well, so if your land is sitting on igneous rock or the igneous rock is not far under the surface, you might have an inconsistent water supply. Our land sits upon the Lamotte Sandstone, which sits directly atop granite, but the granite is deep enough that the sandstone has plenty of room to hold water. Just a couple miles away, a guy I know was sitting upon the same sandstone, but when he went to drill a well, he hit granite about 50 feet down, with very little water. He kept drilling, an expensive proposition in the granite, and eventually went down 500 feet with no good water!

[MOPanfisher]

Just go see the county health department, they will steer you down the right path.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Testing might not be your only concern. I would try to find out who drilled it, County might know, and find out how deep it is lined. It could test fine today and be bad next week if it isn't piped deep enough.

[David Unnerstall]

Surely we need more info. Is it a professionally drilled well, it will be a 8 or 10 inch pipe with pump down in it. If it is larger, it may be a hand dug shallow and you may have issues with the water.

Professional drilled wells are drilled deep and cased to prevent shallow water that may be contaminated to leak into it. They should be fine as long as the cover has been on and no back wash has entered into it.

Local Health Dept or even a well company should be able to help you get up and running.

Thanks JD. It is an 8-10 inch pipe. I can't tell how deep it is. I see water about fifteen feet down. I will drop a sinker from a fishing pole and measure its depth.

[David Unnerstall]

The MO Dept of Health offers the least expensive testing option, and you can take the sample yourself;

http://health.mo.gov/lab/privatedrinkingwater.php

Since you're testing your own well, you'll use the "unofficial" test form. You can find the location of your nearest office on the website. Pay them a visit on a Monday, and you'll get sample container(s) and directions for use. Follow the directions to the T, or the test will likely fail. Take the sample(s) back to the office by Tuesday PM, and it will get sent out to the lab promptly. You'll get the results in the mail a few days later.

Added

Don't get bummed if the test report says "negative", that's what you want... no coliforms.

Thanks bfishn. I went to that link and called the number. It is a state agency. They are sending me a kit in the mail. I just need to get it back to them after taking the sample quickly. And there is no charge.

[David Unnerstall]

20 miles south of Ironton the water should be fine. You might want to check the well's capacity though. I have a friend who has a cabin outside of Annapolis on the river, and he is down to 150 gallons. He is wanting more rain. But as far as health issues go, you are in one of the most rural areas of the Midwest.

Jerry, I am not expecing any issues but one must practice due dilligence.

[Kelroy]

If you're going to plumb the bottom with a sinker, might I suggest you use tungsten rather than lead? ;-)

[David Unnerstall]

If you're going to plumb the bottom with a sinker, might I suggest you use tungsten rather than lead? ;-)

There will be no lead. I can't afford any more brain cells.

[bfishn]

Thanks bfishn. I went to that link and called the number. It is a state agency. They are sending me a kit in the mail. I just need to get it back to them after taking the sample quickly. And there is no charge.

You're welcome. No charge is cool too. Here in Arkansas they hit us for the lab fee and courier transport from the local Health Dept to Little Rock ($17). Cheap peace of mind.

PS Keep your fingers away from the rim and inside of the sample container.