To Julie Nathanielz
If you’re concerned about the quality of your water, the county department of environmental health is a good place to start.
chathamnc.org/government/departments-programs/environmental-health/well-permits-and-water-sampling.
If you are interested in the water quality for agricultural purposes then you might start with the department of agriculture, agronomic division, http://www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/uyrsoln.htm
And you can have your water tested for almost anything you want to test for until you exhaust available funds. I fail to remember the company I checked with in the past, but there were probably more than a hundred potential tests running from about $50 to about $2,000 per test depending on what you want to test for – dozens of different pesticides, petroleum distillates, bacteria, etc, etc. So what are the likely culprits? What are your concerns.
A well that is carefully constructed can provide some of the best water in the world. I drink from one of those holes in the ground daily. The water is strained through 100s of feet of soil and rock. On the other hand, a poorly constructed or compromised well can be just a cut above a cesspool that should be filled and sealed. The environmental health department can help you evaluate your well and your water quality.
My impression from your post is that you have an incomplete understanding of acidity in water. Most water is either acidic or alkaline – simply a measure of hydrogen or hydroxide ions in solution. Not necessarily good or bad. (And just BTW, over the counter pH testers run the gamut from reliable to not.). But I also note that you ask intelligent questions. So the resources I mentioned should be helpful. One other thought is the history of the land’s use. That may suggest whether you need to test for agricultural chemicals, petroleum derivatives, heavy metals, or other potential problems. Those questions can be more challenging. The county register of deeds may help with previous land use.
Start with the Environmental Health Department. Good people with outstanding knowledge base.
– alcooke
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2020 20:21:43 -0400
From: arcooke
Subject: Well water quality