Proper well maintenance helps ensure a good home water supply, but many new owners of homes in Montana don't have experience in maintaining well, or even know that it needs maintaining, says a Montana State University Extension water quality associate.

Private well owners have only themselves to rely on for water quality monitoring, says Adam Sigler of MSU's Extension Water Quality Program in the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences. He adds that private well owners need to conduct their own water sampling once a year and understand what can be done to help protect their water source.

In addition to water sampling, well-water users should inspect the condition of the wellhead, which is the part of the well where it meets the ground surface and is capped.

"The immediate area around the wellhead and the well cap are the most vulnerable points in the wellwater system," Sigler said. This is because soil removes many contaminants as water moves into the ground, which is why ground water typically has good quality. However, as a well is drilled, the process cuts through all the soil layers and provides a quick path for contaminants to travel to ground water. Problems can occur if the well cap is cracked or the area is not properly constructed and maintained.

There are easy steps to protect the well head, said Sigler. He suggests that:
--Ensure your well has a sanitary well cap with a rubber gasket and a screen over the vent to keep insects and rodents out.
--Check that the casing, which is the outer wall of the well, extends at least 18 inches above the ground. If it doesn't, check with a certified well driller or plumber about adding a short extension.
--Check that the ground surface slopes away from the head so that water flows away from the top of the well rather than pooling and potentially infiltrating the well.
--Don't let garden hoses or faucets be submerged in water tanks or when mixing chemicals.  Backflow can suck contaminants directly into the well.

If your well has a problem in any of these areas, contact a certified well driller or a plumber for help.

Sigler said that keeping a file with information about the well, and another one about your septic system is very important for scheduling maintenance and isolating potential causes if a change in water quality occurs.

Well files should include construction information, including the name of the driller, depth of the well and depth to water, and additional information such as the gallons per minute the well can produce and the geology the well is drilled through. This is also the place to keep water quality test results, maintenance records such as what was done, when and by whom. Also include any information about required maintenance for water treatment systems and septic pumping.

"People need to test water regularly, not just when they suspect a problem," Sigler said. Regular sampling can detect quality changes before someone gets sick. Test for nitrates and bacteria every year and consider a more comprehensive test every five years. Check with a local health department or the local MSU Extension agent for a list of certified drinking water testing laboratories. Most laboratories will send you sampling bottles and instructions for water sampling.

In addition, Sigler said that simply drawing the property, showing the well and its surroundings can help identify obvious potential problems. Include the septic tank drainfield,  the well, places where chemicals are stored, animal pens,  streams, ditches and slope of the ground.

Estimate the distance to sewer lines, septic tanks, leach fields, pet and livestock pens, fuel tanks or chemical storage areas. Any sewer line should be more than 50 feet away. Leach fields, livestock yards, fuel tanks, pesticides and fertilizer storage should be 100 feet or more away. Manure storage piles should be more than 250 feet away.

"These separation distances are minimums," Sigler said. "Check with the local planning department about septic system regulations."

In addition, abandoned wells should be sealed by a professional well driller to ensure they will not contaminate ground water.

"Private wells are typically safe and reliable water sources," Sigler said, "but they do require some attention."

For more information, contact Sigler at (406) 994-7381 or asigler@montana.edu, or check the MSU Extension Water Quality web site at: http://waterquality.montana.edu.