
Well Inspection Checklist
Buying a Property With a Well
In rural areas, many homes do not have connections to municipal water and sewer lines. Homeowners rely upon privately owned or communal (shared) wells as their drinking water source and individual septic systems to treat and discharge their wastewater. Homeowners must ensure that their well water is safe to drink and that their well system is properly maintained. A malfunctioning well system can pose a health risk to your family and neighbors and can be expensive to repair or replace. It is, therefore, important to conduct a detailed inspection of an existing well system prior to purchasing a home or land.
Well Systems:
Drilled wells are used to penetrate aquifers of various feet below the ground and provide the safest source of drinking water. Common features of well systems include:
Casing— structure around the well hole, which keeps it from collapsing. It could be a steel casing, concrete rings, or an open hole in the bedrock.
Inlet— allows water to enter the well from the bottom. There might be a screen at the inlet to prevent fine particles from entering the well and a foot valve (check valve) to maintain the system’s prime and pressure.
The pumping system - includes a pump, piping, necessary electrical connections to pump water from the well into the house, and a pressure tank to maintain constant water pressure in the house. Submersible pumps are usually used in drilled wells, while shallow wells usually use centrifugal pumps located out of the well, most likely in the basement or in a pump house.
Surface protection— prevents surface water and contaminants from entering the well. It includes: a watertight seal placed around the casing (annular seal), a well cap (12-16 in.) above the ground, and mounded earth around the top of the well casing to divert rainwater.

Well Inspection Checklist
The well should be inspected before the house or land is purchased. If there is a problem with the physical state of the well (for example, cracked seals, settled casing), contact us Minden Water Wells.
Well Record—Obtain a copy of the well record from the owner or the Ministry of the Environment. This should include: location of well, date of well drilling, depth and diameter of well, static water level, pumping water level, recommended pumping rate and the recommended pump setting.
Location—A well should be located at least 30 m (100 ft.) from any source of
contamination. Sources of contamination include: septic systems, manure storages, fuel storages, agricultural fields (manure or fertilizer runoff), and roads (salt runoff).
Well cap—The cap should be at least 0.3 m (12 in.) above the ground. The well cap and seal should be securely in place and watertight. A locking cap would give some added security against tampering.
Well casing—No cracks or settling of the casing should be visible. The ground should slope away from the casing.
Drainage—Surface water should drain away from the well and water should not pond around the well casing.
Well pump—The well pump and distribution piping should be in good condition.
Abandoned wells—All abandoned wells on a property must be decommissioned
(plugged) by a licensed well contractor. Ask the owner if there are any abandoned wells on the property and if they have been properly decommissioned.
Inside the house—Check for sand or grit in the faucet strainer which indicates a
corroded well screen. Verify that the pressure tank reads between 250 to 400 kPa (40 and 60 psi). Ensure that the check valve (or foot valve) is able to sustain the system pressure by drawing no water for 30 minutes to an hour and monitoring the pressure. The pressure should not drop nor should the pump start up during this dormant period.
Water Quantity
Wells draw water from aquifers, which are zones of saturated permeable soil or rock. Some types of soil make for good aquifers, such as gravel and fractured bedrock that can support high water pumping rates, while other types of soil make for poor aquifers, such as silty sand and clay that cannot support high water pumping rates. Wells can run dry for the following
reasons:
The pumping rate is higher than the groundwater recharge rate.
The water table (level of saturated water in the soil) has dropped to below the pump suction or inlet.
The well screen has become plugged by fine sand, chemical precipitation, bacterial fouling or corrosion.
If a well vent becomes blocked, a negative pressure may occur (in the well) during draw down and reduce or stop the pump from drawing water.
If there is a water supply problem, Minden Water Wells should be consulted. Solutions may include: water conservation in the home, digging a deeper well, unplugging a fouled well screen or replacing a corroded well casing or screen. The cost of fixing the problem should be considered when negotiating the sale price for the home. There are two sources of information to help determine if a well can produce a sufficient quantity of water:
Well record
Water recovery test
Well Record
Obtain a copy of the well record from the previous owner or the Ministry of the Environment. The pumping water level indicates if the well is shallow or deep (less than 50 ft. is considered a shallow well). The recommended pumping rate should be greater than 3.6 US gal/min.
Water Recovery Test
Minden Water Wells and Pump Services can be hired to conduct a recovery test, which involves pumping water out of a well and then giving it time to recharge. This can help you determine how much water you can draw from the well. A well should be able to pump 3.6 US gal/min for 120 minutes. Source: MOE, Procedure D-5-5, 1996.
Water Quantity Checklist
Ask the owner, neighbors or Minden Water Wells if there have been any problems with the well or area wells running dry.
Verify the depth of the well and pumping rate from the well record. A surface well is more likely to run dry in times of drought.
Have Minden Water Wells conduct a recovery test, if necessary.
Water Quality
The quality of the well water is very important. Poor water quality can lead to health problems, unpleasant taste and odor, costly treatment systems, and/or the costly use of bottled water. Well water can be contaminated with bacteria and chemicals. Common sources of contamination include: infiltration from septic systems, manure runoff, pet waste, road chemicals as well as dissolved chemicals naturally present in the groundwater such as calcium, sulphur, chloride or iron.
Water Sampling
Your offer of purchase should always include a requirement that closing is conditional upon an acceptable water quality evaluation. The samples should be analyzed for: total coliform, E. coli, nitrate,sodium, hardness, sulphate, chloride, lead, iron, manganese and pH. Additional analyses
can be conducted including: metals scan and pesticides if the well is in an agricultural area with heavy pesticide use, or gasoline and solvents if the well is near a gas station or industrial area.
Test Results—What Do They Mean?
If concentrations are higher than the limits described below, consult Minden Water Wells to determine if a water treatment system is needed.
Health Indicators
Escherichia coli (E. coli) or faecal coliform
These bacteria are found only in the digestive systems of humans and animals. Their presence in your well water is usually the result of contamination by manure or human sewage from a nearby source such as a septic system or agricultural fields. Drinking water contaminated with E. coli or faecal coliform causes stomach cramps and/or diarrhea as well as other problems and can even cause death. The drinking water standard for both E. coli and faecal coliform is 0 counts/100 ml. A value of 1 or more indicates that the water is unsafe to drink.
Total coliform
This group of bacteria is always present in manure and sewage, but is also found naturally in soil and on vegetation. The presence of these bacteria in your well water may indicate that surface water is getting into your well. A total coliform value of 1-5 suggests that the safety of the water is doubtful, while a value of greater than 5 indicates that the water is unsafe to drink.
Nitrate
The presence of nitrate in your well water is usually the result of residential yard or agricultural fertilizers, or seepage from septic systems. Infants less than six months old can become sick from drinking formula made with water high in nitrate (greater than 10 mg/L). If you have an infant less than six months old, it is recommended to use bottled water.
Sodium/potassium chloride
Individuals who are on a sodium (salt) reduced diet should consult with their physician if the level of sodium in their well water exceeds 20 mg/L. Domestic water softeners typically use sodium chloride and this increases the level of sodium in the drinking water. Potassium chloride is an alternative to sodium chloride for softening water. However, individuals suffering from hypertension, kidney disease or congestive heart failure should consult their physician prior to using drinking water containing high levels of sodium or potassium. A separate, unsoftened water supply (by-passing the water softener) can be installed for drinking and cooking purposes if sodium or potassium is a health concern.
Sulphate
At concentrations above 500 mg/L, sulphate can have a laxative effect and give a bitter taste to
the water.
Lead
Lead concentrations in water are likely due to lead piping and concentrations as low as 0.01 mg/L could cause long-term health problems.
Aesthetic Indicators
Hardness
Hardness is a measure of calcium and magnesium in water. These elements precipitate with carbonate in boilers and pots to form scale. Hardness also makes it difficult to form lather, requires more soap, and creates a soap scum. Many homeowners decide to purchase a water softener, that replaces calcium and magnesium ions with sodium or potassium ions. Hardness
(as calcium carbonate) above 80 mg/L could require a water softener.
Chloride
Chloride concentrations above 250 mg/L can give a salty taste to the water and may corrode piping.
Iron and manganese
Well, water with iron concentrations above 0.3 mg/L and manganese concentrations above 0.05 mg/L could stain plumbing fixtures and clothing; water may appear to rust-coloured or have black specks in it; it can also cause a foul taste in the water and bacterial fouling of the good screen.
pH
pH values of less than 6.5 or greater than 8.5 may cause corrosion of piping.
Water Quality Checklist
Water sampled for: total coliform, E. coli, nitrate, sodium,hardness, sulphate, chloride, lead, iron, manganese and pH.
Obtain copies of previous water quality test results from the homeowner. Ask if there have been any water quality problems: frequent stomach illness (bacteria), odours (hydrogen sulphide, methane), rust spots (iron), scale (hardness), slime growth in faucets (iron or manganese), salty taste (chloride), bitter taste (sulphate).
Review with the owner the operation and reason for any water treatment systems (water softener, disinfection system, reverse osmosis system, chlorination unit, etc.). Ask to see all treatment device operating manuals.
Sample a glass of water for taste (salty, bitter), odours (hydrogen sulphide, methane), cloudiness (small particles) and colour (a rusty colour can indicate a high iron content). Remember you will be drinking this water every day.
Look for scale on fixtures or around the faucets indicating hard water. Lift the lid and inspect the back of the toilet tank (the cistern) for sand, sediment, rust particles, scaling, biological growth and any other visual clues which may indicate water problems.
Is there a “rotten egg” smell from the hot water heater? This indicates hydrogen sulphide gas, which can corrode piping.
Drilling a New Well
The cost of a new well depends on the depth of the well and the local market. For drilling and casing, please contact Minden Water Wells for a drilling estimate. Additional charges may be
required depending on the well such as unexpected geological conditions, water source (artesian) and if a screen is required.
Please contact Minden Water Wells at our office (208)920-9140 if you have any questions or are interested in getting a Quality & Quantity Test and Inspection, Pump Recovery Test or Drilling a New Well for your property or a prospective property.