COMNTY - Community water source. These are quite common in small developments with their own wells. In newer developments these systems are owned by the homeowners association or by a private company that will maintain the wells and charge you for the water. In our area many of the 3 season communities of old had these sources and they have now shut down the wells and the homeowners have had to drill their own wells. These systems may or may not contain fluoride additive.
DRILL - Drilled Well. This is a private well that is fully contained on the property and maintained by the homeowner. This type of well is drilled usually deep into the ground to access a safe water source. The water is pumped up from below the ground using an electric pump. It is important with this type of system that the water be tested prior to purchase to insure that it is safe to drink and has sufficient water pressure. Your home inspector can assist you with this. If a well has problems with quality it can often be treated and retested. It is a good practice to test your well water every couple of years after the purchase of the home. Low water pressure can be more difficult to remedy as it can be an issue with clogged piping, a bad well pump, or worse, low water table not producing enough water for the well to pump up. This type of system does not have fluoride additive as many municipal sources do.
DUG- Dug Well. Another private well owned and maintained by the homeowner that has been dug rather than drilled. It is a more shallow system and may be more easily contaminated by ground water run off, be more likely to have lower water pressure, and have more chance of running dry in drought conditions. Again a home inspector will help you in testing the water quality and explain more fully the system's needs. Many people have dug well systems that function well and provide good quality and quantity of water to the home. This type of system does not have fluoride additive as many municipal sources do.
MUNICIPAL- Municipal
NONE- Just like it reads. This home has no water supplied to it. Normally this will be on listings for land that has no house or on cabins or weekend places that have not been upgraded or are unable to locate a well on the property, Be cautious of listings for houses that have no water source, sometimes you are able to drill a new well and sometimes you are not. This type of purchase may be more difficult to finance as there is no water available for the house.
SHARED- Shared Well. This is a private well system that is shared by one or more neighboring houses. This system must be tested and maintained by the owners of the separate properties. This type of property may be difficult to finance unless there is an agreement by the owner(s) to share expenses and that the well is designated as co owned in the property deed. A bank will not want to take a chance on financing a property that will not have water in the future due to the well owner taking away the other property owner's ability to access water. This type of system does not have fluoride additive as many municipal sources do.
SPRING- Water Drawn From a Spring. This is another private water source where water is drawn from a natural spring and piped into the house. This type of system is more likely to be contaminated by pollutants than other private systems. It should be thoroughly tested and maintained by the homeowner. Financing on a house with a spring fed system may be difficult.
SEE REMARKS- ASK YOUR BUYER'S AGENT - This is used when the listing agent is not certain of the water source or in new construction when the house has not been built yet. Further explanation is needed before you look at this house.
It is important for you to understand the type of water system you are thinking about buying. Your buyer's agent, home inspector, and other resources can help you to learn about the different systems and choose a home that will provide you with adequate, safe water for your needs.
There are options here in the Greater Hudson Valley of NY to meet everyone's needs. We have urban, suburban, village and rural locations that can provide you with the perfect blend of country for you. Working with an experienced buyer's agent can help you to choose what is best for you. If you are looking for a home in Orange, Ulster, or Sullivan County NY I would love to be your Buyer's Agent. If you are looking elsewhere I would love to find someone in your chosen location to help you. Give me a call or send an email today.
I'm Paddy Pizappi - Work
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845-800-7086