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Filtration Technology
Well Water Filtration - Which Type of Filter Is Best?
8 min read
- 01 | How Wells Work
- 02 | Who Is Responsible for Keeping Your Well Water Safe?
- 03 | Common Well Water Contaminants
- 04 | Other Well Water Contaminants
- 05 | Finding Out What’s In Your Well Water
- 06 | Whole House Filter vs Under Sink Filter
- 07 | Types of Water Filters
- 08 | What’s the Best Type of Filter for Private Well Water?
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 14% of Americans get their water from privately-owned wells, and many of them have high levels of sulfur, iron, bacteria, or worse...
If you want to cut to the chase and discover which type of filter is the best for well water, skip to the end of this article.
If you want to understand why certain water filters are better than others, read this article from beginning to end like a book.
Don’t worry, it’s a quick and painless read (5 mins) and by the time you’re done you’ll know everything there is to know about choosing the best type of water filter for your private well.
Here we go!
Wells tap into underground pockets of water called aquifers and pump the water into your home.
Before building a well, detailed survey measurements are used to calculate the level of the water table and to ensure that it will work long-term.
If done correctly, the well will naturally refill as rainfall filters through the ground.
State laws regulate the types of wells and how many can be installed in a given area. Local runoff patterns and well construction methods are taken into consideration to help prevent contamination.
There are three main types of wells, including:
- Dug wells are made by digging a large, deep hole and lining it with stones, bricks or tile. They are relatively shallow and less expensive, but are more prone to contamination. They are also more likely to dry up during a drought.
- Driven wells are made by driving narrow pipes into sand and gravel deposits up to 30-50 feet down. Like dug wells, driven wells are relatively inexpensive, but because they’re shallow they are also more likely to become contaminated.
- Drilled wells are made using percussion or rotary drilling equipment. They can reach over a thousand feet below the surface through solid rock and have the lowest risk of contamination.
No matter which type of well you have, it’s up to you to keep it safe.
Although the construction of private wells is regulated by the government, the quality of the water is not.
Private well contamination is the sole responsibility of the owner, and unlike public water supplies, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is not involved.
This makes it extremely important to regularly test your water and conduct physical inspections to make sure everything is working properly.
It’s a good idea to look for:
- Changes in water quality
- The well cap is secure and watertight
- Pipe joints and connections are sealed
- Pump and water pressure are adequate
You should also keep a lookout for changes in the area that might contaminate your water table, like animal farm operations, new construction projects or septic tank installations.
Local agriculture and nearby construction are just two of many possible sources of well water contamination.
Leaks from manufacturing facilities are also a threat, as are toxins from graveyards, atmospheric fallout in the rain and snow, and runoff of chemicals from roads and highways. Even nuclear waste is a big issue in states like California and Texas, and homes built before 1986 are at risk of contamination from lead pipes.
Some of the most common types of well water contaminants are:
- Pathogenic microorganisms: Bacteria like e.Coli are found naturally in the soil due to human and animal waste. Other pathogenic bacteria can cause cholera, dysentery, polio, typhoid fever and hepatitis. Viruses and parasites can also sprout up in your well water.
- Heavy metals: Heavy metals like arsenic can enter your water supply from industrial runoff and mining operations. Lead and copper can even enter your water from the plumbing inside your own house if it hasn’t been updated. Heavy metals can cause kidney and liver toxicity, intestinal problems and cancer.
- Radionuclides: Radioactive material doesn’t just come from nuclear power plants. It can also be released into the water table from coal plants, metal mining, smelting, fertilizer production and some medical facilities. Common radionuclides are radium uranium and radon. Long-term exposure through drinking water can lead to cancer.
- Fluoride: Fluoride is added to the public water supply to prevent tooth decay, but if it builds up in your well water it can lead to conditions like skeletal fluorosis, a painful bone disease. Ironically, prolonged fluoride exposure can even damage tooth enamel and discolor your teeth.
- Nitrates: Nitrates are naturally occurring compounds that may enter your well water as runoff from agricultural operations, industrial activity, sewage and septic systems. High nitrate levels are especially bad for people with compromised immune systems, pregnant women, the elderly and developing babies. In fact, nitrates can cause methemoglobinemia, or “blue baby disease,” where the infant’s blood fails to carry enough oxygen.
From 1971 to 2010, the top causes of outbreaks in private wells were hepatitis A, Giardia, e.Coli, shigella, Cryptosporidium, Salmonella, nitrate, phenol, gasoline and selenium.
Outbreaks aside, high levels of chloride, iron and manganese are also common, and they can cause hardness and corrosion in your pipes.
Even worse, elevated sulfate can make your water stink like rotten eggs!
Sulfate is easy enough to discover with your nose, but what about other hard-to-detect contaminants?
For those, you’re going to need a test...
In the event of an outbreak, always boil your water before using it, or temporarily use another water source. Wait at least 7-10 days after disinfection and test the well water one last time to be totally sure. Keep in mind that water testing cannot be done until all traces of chlorine have been flushed from the system.
Before you decide which type of water filter is best for your private well, you’ll need to discover which water contaminants are lurking inside.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends routine testing.
Many do-it-yourself tap testing kits are available, but they’re not always the most accurate.
The EPA has a list of state-by-state certified testing labs that you can search for here. Tests range in price from $20 to $150.
In addition to contaminants like coliform bacteria and nitrates, they also test for pH levels so that you can know how alkaline or acidic your water is.
Once you know what’s in your water, you can choose a filter that’s right for you.
The first decision you need to make is if you want to treat the water for your whole house or just the water you drink.
If you have issues with minerals like sulfur, manganese and iron, you may want to consider a whole-house filter to get rid of the nasty rotten egg smell and to protect your pipes from mineral gunk and corrosion.
Hard minerals can also stain appliances, prevent soap from lathering, and make your skin itchy.
However, if your water smells fine and it isn’t too high in hard minerals, then you can probably get by with an under-sink system for drinking water only.
Let’s take a closer look at your well water filtration options…
When your well tests positive for pathogens, hard minerals or other dangerous contaminants, there are a number of filtration options to choose from...
Some are great for removing specific substances, while others are complete systems that remove 99.9% of all contaminants.
Here’s a quick overview of the main types of home water filters:
If you’re dealing with high levels of multiple contaminants, reverse osmosis systems are the way to go.
They remove all of well water’s most notorious problems, like bacteria, sulfur, iron, lead, arsenic, radionuclides and hard minerals.
Most RO systems start with a sediment filter to remove large particles and discoloration.
They then pass the water through a carbon filter for chlorine, ion exchange resins to remove hard minerals, RO membrane for the gnasty, difficult-to-remove pollutants, and a polishing carbon filter to catch anything that may have slipped through.
Most high-end systems also include a final remineralization phase to add healthy electrolytes back into the water.
If you want to go all-out and ensure the cleanest water possible, some RO systems even incorporate ultraviolet treatment that zaps bacteria with UV-spectrum light.
On its own, RO is capable of killing germs, but UV adds another layer of safety and security.
Your water will be entirely toxin-free, taste great, smell clean and contain nutritious electrolytes.
Whole-house RO systems can cost up to $18,000, but under-sink systems can be as affordable $600 or less depending on the level of quality and the stages of filtration.
Ultraviolet (UV) systems are a cost-effective solution to bacteria, viruses and parasites.
UV light inactivates the pathogens in your drinking water by disrupting their DNA---they’ll be dead as a doorknob and your water will be safe as can be.
Most UV systems include a sediment pre-filter because large particles block the UV light and make treatment less effective.
If you want to treat your whole house for bacteria, it’s best to install a whole-house UV system and pair it with an under-sink RO system to remove the more serious contaminants from your drinking water.
Whole-house UV systems cost up to $1,500 and under-sink systems cost around $350.
UV systems are best when paired with reverse osmosis.
Distilled water is made by heating water into steam, funneling the steam through a tube, and then allowing it to cool in a separate sterile container.
Distillation removes 99.9% of all contaminants, from bacterial pathogens to arsenic and radionuclides.
However, not all countertop distillers will remove chlorine. When heated, chlorine turns into a vapor, and if the distiller is not properly designed some chlorine vapor may remain trapped with the distilled water.
Although distillers are not suitable for whole-house use, there are plenty of countertop distillers on the market for $600 or less.
Ultrafiltration (UF) systems are an alternative to RO systems for removing dangerous contaminants like nuclear waste, arsenic and lead.
However, they do not remove hard minerals or dissolved particles, so they typically aren’t the best for well water. If you don’t have an issue with hard water or dissolved particles, then UF systems are a viable option.
UF systems consume less energy and are more environmentally-friendly than RO systems.
Under-sink systems cost $500 or less.
For dealing with less serious contamination and improving taste and odor, carbon (charcoal) filters are affordable and easy to install.
They use activated carbon to remove chemical disinfectants like chlorine. Many also include a sediment pre-filter and often a third filtration medium to control scale, heavy metals, bacteria and algae growth.
In most cases, however, carbon-based systems will not be enough to purify your well water.
Under-sink carbon systems cost $150 or less.
In most cases, a reverse osmosis (RO) system with remineralization and ultraviolet (UV) treatment is the best type of filter for private well water.
RO systems include multiple stages of filtration to remove 99.9% of hard minerals, pathogenic microorganisms and hard-to-remove toxins.
UV treatment adds another layer of bacteria-killing protection, and remineralization adds healthy electrolytes back into the water, making it the purest, healthiest drinking water possible.
High-end, whole-house systems can cost up to $18,000, but you can find premium under-sink systems for $600 or less.
Cloud Water Filters make affordable, top-of-the-line RO systems.
They even sync with an app on your phone so that you can monitor your water quality in real time.
Click here to learn more.
