Private Well Owners
It is recommended that homeowners relying on their own well, get their water tested on a regular basis. There are two types of water test, one for bacteria and another for general inorganic chemistry.

Bacteria test
The bacteria test measures both total coliform organisms and E. coli. These bacteria tests provide a general indication of the condition of the well and plumbing system (total coliform), as well as contamination by more serious sources of bacteria such as sewage or manure (E. coli). Generally it is suggested that private wells be tested at least once a year for bacteria, or any time you notice a significant change in the taste, odour or appearance or the water.

Chemistry test
The chemistry test measures a total of 19 parameters that include the most common chemical constituents typically found in drinking water on PEI. They include both health based parameters such as nitrate, chloride and sodium; parameters that may affect the aesthetic quality of water such as pH, iron and manganese; and others that simply describe the basic characteristics of the water. It is normally recommended that wells be sampled for chemistry when they are first constructed, and then once every few years.

The above informtion was obtained from the PEI Government website: http://www.gov.pe.ca

That's it for now,

George, Red Soil Real Estate Inc., 902-962-2050, http://www.buysellpei.com