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| Protect your well from surface runoff and groundwater contamination. Locate it upslope from animal holding areas and at least 50 feet from the septic system. Do not spread manure, fertilizer or agricultural chemicals directly upslope of the well. |
When selecting a new well location, be sure to consider possible sources of contamination. Generally, the farther water travels through sod, the safer it becomes as contaminants are diluted or filtered out. Nitrate is an exception. It is not filtered out of water by the sod, so a new well must be totally isolated from nitrate leaching to prevent contamination. Because different sods have different filtering abilities standards for well depths and for distances between wells and contaminants cannot guarantee a safe well. The Private Water System Rules specified by the Ohio Department of Health are intended to provide minimum standards to protect private systems.
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| Protect your well from surface runoff and groundwater contamination. Locate it upslope from animal holding areas and at least 50 feet from the septic system. Do not spread manure, fertilizer or agricultural chemicals directly upslope of the well. |
New and existing wells also need to be protected from surface drainage. Barnyard surface runoff, for example, can drain directly into an unprotected well and cause serious contamination. Also, if a well is not properly cased, subsurface drainage can move down beside the well casing and contaminate groundwater. Abandoned wells must also be properly sealed to prevent similar groundwater contamination. For more information on well placement and protection, contact the local health department.
Like wells, sinkholes are a direct route to the groundwater. Though they may be located miles away from a well, sinkholes can contribute to groundwater contamination. Garbage, dead animals, chemical containers chemicals or other forms of waste should never be thrown into a sinkhole or stored where water might drain into a sinkhole. If there are sink-holes on your property, it is very important to make sure they are not used to dump garbage. Sinkholes are favorite dumping grounds and have contaminated several water systems without the landowner being aware of the situation.