The owners of private household water wells in areas of flooding should act to address possible threats to their drinking water quality, according to the National Ground Water Association. The organization offered four steps well owners can take to protect their water wells, health during flooding.
If a well has been flooded:
Do not drink the water or wash with it, but use an alternative supply, such as bottled water
Stay away from the well pump while it’s flooded to avoid electrical shock
Get a qualified water well contractor or pump installer to —
Clean and turn on the pump
Flush the well
Disinfect the well
Perform any other necessary maintenance
Check with the local emergency management agency about any guidance relating to local conditions or specific contamination threats due to area flooding.
“Bacterial contamination is to be expected in a flooded well, so disinfection of the well system after it has been pumped out and cleaned will be necessary,” said Cliff Treyens, NGWA Director of General Public Outreach. NGWA recommends that water well system professionals be used to assess and service the well.
Well owners can search for NGWA-member or NGWA-certified professionals under Finding a Contractor, at the website. Other resources for well owners in flood situations can be found in the Water Quality section and in a 10-minute video on well flooding viewable on YouTube.