The routine, in order
- Get a sample kit. Pick up a sample bottle and form from a Durham Region Health Department location or a designated pickup point. Check the health unit's website for current locations.
- Choose a tap. Use a cold tap without an aerator screen or filter if possible.
- Disinfect the tap. Remove the aerator and clean the tap opening as directed on the form.
- Run the water. Let it run for several minutes before sampling.
- Fill the bottle. Do not touch the inside of the cap or bottle; fill to the line.
- Return it quickly. Drop off the sample within the time window stated on the form, usually within a day, kept cool.
- Read the results. Results report total coliforms and E. coli. Follow the health unit's advice if anything is detected.
Why this matters in Pickering
Hamlets such as Claremont, Brougham, Greenwood and Whitevale, and many farms between them, are not on municipal water. Well water can look and taste fine while carrying bacteria. Contamination can follow heavy rain, snowmelt, flooding, nearby septic issues or damage to the well cap. Ontario provides free bacteriological testing for private well owners, which makes regular testing easy.
Call when testing shows a problem that may involve the plumbing, when water pressure drops, or when treatment equipment such as a UV system, softener or filter needs installation.
Slips worth avoiding
- Sampling from an outdoor tap or a hose.
- Testing only once and assuming the result stays valid.
- Skipping tests after flooding or well repairs.
- Assuming the free test covers chemicals. It checks bacteria only; minerals, nitrates and other contaminants need a private lab test.
Time to ring a plumber
Call when testing shows a problem that may involve the plumbing, when water pressure drops, or when treatment equipment such as a UV system, softener or filter needs installation. A licensed well contractor handles well construction and disinfection of the well itself, while we handle pumps, pressure tanks and the plumbing in the house.
Keeping the well itself in good shape
Look at the well head every season. The cap should be secure and vermin-proof, the casing should rise above the ground, and surface water should drain away from it rather than pooling. Keep fuel, fertiliser and pet waste well away. Septic systems and wells need safe separation; our note on septic and plumbing covers how the two interact. If the buried line from the well to the house fails, the repair is similar to water service line repair on a municipal property. Record each test date and result in a notebook kept near the pressure tank.
When buying a rural home, ask for recent well test results and the well record, and have a fresh sample taken before closing. A lender or insurer may also ask for proof of potable water.
Questions callers ask
How often should I test my well?
Health authorities recommend at least three times a year, plus after any flooding or repairs.
What if my test shows bacteria?
Follow the health unit's instructions, which usually include using boiled or bottled water and disinfecting the well.