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I'm about 90% complete on my purchase of a house in Peru, ME right outside of Rumford.
I had the House Inspected, the Septic System and Well Inspected.
(It co$t $850) ! OUCH !!!
The well water did have Coliform Bacteria present.
I called Northeasten Water Testing Labs, and spoke at length with a very educated lady, who told me that "80% of wells in Maine have Coliform present (!).
It's an easy process to dump bleach down the well, and 'purge' (run) the water system out to clear it, then have it retested in 6-8 weeks. ($30/test).
Is this normal, for well water in Maine to have Coliform bacteria in it?
(Do I REALLY want to drink it)?
It happens with a well that has been standing. Easy to clear- even with a bleach shock... Above was given the link how to do it. ( Ran into this at our home we had in Virginia. Shocked the well, ran the water afterwards- tested clear. Good to go- checked again later on. All good )
I think that shocking the well is the most common approach, and that should work well. I purchased a home 1.5 years ago, and it has an ultraviolet light that sterilizes water going to the kitchen faucet. The previous owner tested the water and found coliform, and this was their solution. I can't speak to its efficacy, but it could be another option to look at.
If an ant gets under your well cap, freezes to death and falls down the well, you will have coliform bacteria. The "very educated lady" is correct. Most of the $800 the OP spent was to have his septic system inspected. Most of us in Maine abide by a principle that says, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Our forefathers had two wells. Children were taught from the time they could lift a bucket that you NEVER put the barn bucket down into the house well and vice versa.
I have cleaned and flushed a few wells. It is not a big deal.
I have two friends who each maintain large public facilities with wells. They have to get their water tested regularly. Both have told me that they let it run to flush the pipes a few minutes before taking the test sample.
There will always be some tiny level of bacteria in the water. Unless you 'want' Chlorine in your water.
Many of us went to well water because we do not want chlorine in our water.
The ancient Greeks found that their best method of dealing with well water is to mix it with wine.
Interesting post. Several of the houses i'm getting ready to come up and see have had their wells "shocked."
I have well water in NJ and we use a Pur filter on the faucet, and then a Brita pitcher - just to be sure. I dont trust the water here because it's all farmland and who knows what it was polluted with. Guess i better Google and see what these filters DO remove.
Interesting post. Several of the houses i'm getting ready to come up and see have had their wells "shocked."
I have well water in NJ and we use a Pur filter on the faucet, and then a Brita pitcher - just to be sure. I dont trust the water here because it's all farmland and who knows what it was polluted with. Guess i better Google and see what these filters DO remove.
If the home has been vacant for a length of time, most wells should be "shocked". Easy enough to do.
I use to know someone that did water testing, and pros at it for decades. "Shocking" was common practice even for wells that had not been used for as little as 60 days.
By the Way- Sooo Happy for you Irv in Ct... Soon to be " Irv in Me"
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