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ah okie thanks for clarifying. That makes sense, was confused why people would bother with wells when there is water from public plumbing, didnt realize there are lot of properties in NJ with no public water.
lol, been living in cities all my life. Owning a townhome is as close to a house as i come. Dont think i can ever deal with the stress of owning a single family - all the yard work, cleaning, stuff breaking down, moldy basement. And a house with only well water? that's so far out there - like dance with wolves territory for me.
a house with only well water? that's so far out there - like dance with wolves territory for me.
Too funny! The water is pumped from a well into the house and it comes out the faucet just like homes with public water. The difference is the source. I've always been hesitant about well water (probably for no good reason) but then again, just look at Flint, MI.
That makes sense, was confused why people would bother with wells when there is water from public plumbing, didnt realize there are lot of properties in NJ with no public water.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Badfish740
No offense, but you need to get out more
Should we really shock him by mentioning that there are also homes in NJ that are not connected to public sewer lines?
I've had well water in Harding Township for the last 25 years. We tested it about 3 times in all those years for volatile organics, minerals, and bacteria. No problems.
The only maintenance we've done is replace the well pump two summers ago. That stirred up a lot of sediment and we had to use bottled water for about 3 days for cooking and drinking until the water ran clear again. The water was OK enough for showers and washing dishes and clothes.
You can get a water softener since there is a high mineral content in the water, but we did not as my husband loves the taste of the water without it.
One thing to consider with a well, is that you need electricity for the pump, so if your electricity is out (Hurricane Sandy-12 days) you have no water.
Thanks, Macrodome2. I'll keep the electricity for the well pump in mind if I end up buying a home with a well.
Also, just FYI, the only way to power a well is via a generator that is directly connected to your electrical panel. Well pumps are hardwired (no plug) and run on 220/240V, which requires both legs of the panel, so you're looking at, at minimum, installing an inlet plug and transfer switch with a safety lockout. Of course, once you do this, you're guaranteed not to loose power for at least 10 years
Some people have softeners to remove minerals which produce the bad taste and crust up faucets and fixtures. My in-laws (Sussex County) have never used a softener and their water tastes great. Any filtration/softener system has nothing to do with the safety of the water, just the taste. The vacation home you mentioned probably drew water from what is known as a "surface well," in other words a shallow (less than 100') that draws water from the water table near the surface of the ground. That water is subject to bacteria and all kinds of other contamination. They were fine 200 years ago when houses were much further apart, etc...but not now.
Modern wells are drilled deep (often more than 200') to access water trapped in or below bedrock formations. The water is filtered naturally as it seeps through the layers of sand and rock. It is possible for bacteria to contaminate your well casing, but this is usually bacteria introduced from the surface. You can easily "shock" the well using bleach to remedy this problem. Finally, NJ state law requires that the well be tested and documented as safe prior to closing.
Here in South Jersey, wells are generally dug much less than 200 feet deep. Our water table is not trapped below bedrock formations.
To answer the OP, we treat our well water for iron and pH. In some places in South Jersey, you also have to treat for nitrates, mainly because there are still areas with a lot of farms and the fertilizers put a lot of nitrates in the ground.
Here in South Jersey, wells are generally dug much less than 200 feet deep. Our water table is not trapped below bedrock formations.
OP is looking in Bridgewater/Hillsborough
Quote:
Originally Posted by LoriNJ
To answer the OP, we treat our well water for iron and pH. In some places in South Jersey, you also have to treat for nitrates, mainly because there are still areas with a lot of farms and the fertilizers put a lot of nitrates in the ground.
If you're treating for nitrates you need a deeper well. It would be cheaper in the long run than installing/maintaining an ion exchange or reverse osmosis system. Minimum well depth in an unconsolidated formation (no bedrock) is only 50', but again, if you're getting nitrates from fertilizer in there you need to go deeper.
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