I grew up living outside of town without own well supplying water to the house. Overall, it was convenient for my family and I don't recall there every being any issues. However, if you are planning on installing a well on your property there are a few things to think about it. Here are some pros and cons to factor into your decision.
First, contamination can still happen when the water is pure as it hits the ground. Rainwater or faucet water can be perfectly fine as it enters the earth. The problems begin once it starts seeping into the ground. Pesticides and other chemicals don't just disappear because they've disappeared from the surface. They leave pieces of themselves in the soil that are soaked up by the water soaking through and taken down into the larger water reservoirs hidden below the surface. Once it's mixed into that water, it can travel and influence the underground water community.
Going Green-Having your own well benefits the environment at large. There is far less pollution and energy used on your own well when compared to the industrial size machines used to filter water for towns or cities.
2. Heating the Water
Initial Costs-Depending on the system that you choose the initial cost can actually be quite high making it take longer to cover the costs of your investment and make it worth the time. Beyond the hardware and time that you will be spending you will also need an expert come over for groundwater mapping so you know the best location to place the well.
Third and finally, is fracking. Fracking is a process of teasing out natural gas from layers of rock deep in the earth. High powered water is shot down into the rocks to create little fissures and fractures. Those fissures will allow natural gas to escape and be sucked up through high powered machines.
Reliance on Electricity-Most water wells will work on electricity (although you can add hand pumps) and if your electricity ever goes out, there is a black out, or the system goes out you can find yourself with just the water that you have left in your tank. Ways to diminish this risk include having your own backup generator or having an excess store of water to be used in emergencies.
These are three ways you may not have realized are contaminating the subsurface water. Measures are being taken to prevent contamination as much as possible, but increased awareness can help that movement forward with individual care and responsibility.
First, contamination can still happen when the water is pure as it hits the ground. Rainwater or faucet water can be perfectly fine as it enters the earth. The problems begin once it starts seeping into the ground. Pesticides and other chemicals don't just disappear because they've disappeared from the surface. They leave pieces of themselves in the soil that are soaked up by the water soaking through and taken down into the larger water reservoirs hidden below the surface. Once it's mixed into that water, it can travel and influence the underground water community.
Going Green-Having your own well benefits the environment at large. There is far less pollution and energy used on your own well when compared to the industrial size machines used to filter water for towns or cities.
2. Heating the Water
Initial Costs-Depending on the system that you choose the initial cost can actually be quite high making it take longer to cover the costs of your investment and make it worth the time. Beyond the hardware and time that you will be spending you will also need an expert come over for groundwater mapping so you know the best location to place the well.
Third and finally, is fracking. Fracking is a process of teasing out natural gas from layers of rock deep in the earth. High powered water is shot down into the rocks to create little fissures and fractures. Those fissures will allow natural gas to escape and be sucked up through high powered machines.
Reliance on Electricity-Most water wells will work on electricity (although you can add hand pumps) and if your electricity ever goes out, there is a black out, or the system goes out you can find yourself with just the water that you have left in your tank. Ways to diminish this risk include having your own backup generator or having an excess store of water to be used in emergencies.
These are three ways you may not have realized are contaminating the subsurface water. Measures are being taken to prevent contamination as much as possible, but increased awareness can help that movement forward with individual care and responsibility.
About the Author:
Willowstick helps you create a groundwater map, and gives you insight into hdrogeologic conditions.Take guesswork, trial and error out of the equation, with accurate and reliable groundwater maps and models.
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