Tag Archives for " bacteria "
Coliform Bacteria Testing At Home: The Do’s and The Don’ts
Health authorities strongly recommend annual coliform bacteria testing for private water wells as contamination can occur without any change in taste or odor to the water. Depending on your needs, there are many options available for coliform bacteria testing, ranging from testing yourself at home to EPA-certified, lab quality testing.
There are many ways that well water can become contaminated by coliform bacteria, so it is most important to test:
- Once a year for all private residential water wells
- After a new well has been constructed
- After recent work has been done on the well
- If you suspect or see any indication that contamination has occurred due to interaction with flood water
Contaminant of the Week: Iron Bacteria
Iron bacteria are organisms that consume iron to survive. In the process, they oxidize available iron that produces iron deposits (rust) and a red or brown slime called a “biofilm.” Though the organisms are not harmful to humans,they can exacerbate an already troublesome iron issue in water.
Coliform Bacteria Contamination: Causes, How To Test For Bacteria, and Prevention
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, coliform bacteria are common in the environment and are generally not harmful. However, the presence of these bacteria in well water or spring water usually indicates that the water may be contaminated with germs that can cause disease and can even contaminate your well water without any change in taste or odor to the water. Therefore, the US EPA recommends annual testing of residential water wells for coliform bacteria.Read More
Well Water Testing and Test Kits: Which Kit is Best for Your Well Water?
There are a large number of water testing labs and test kits on the market for the home water well owner. This brief article looks at the different options you can choose from in order to make sure your water is safe. If you already understand your water is safe but are attempting to solve a specific well water problem such as staining, odors or corrosion there are a number of excellent home test kits now available. You can easily analyze your water in the convenience of your home and get immediate results.Read More
Giardia – Its Effects, How to Test for It, and How to Treat It
Giardia effects – According to the EPA’s Giardia fact sheet: Giardia (je-ar’de-ah) are protozoan parasites which occur in a trophozoite and an oval-shaped cyst form. They are commonly excreted in the feces of an infected host, after which they can move freely through the environment. Infection is transmitted when these excreted cysts are ingested by another suitable host.Read More
Testing for and Treating Tannins
Tannins are astringent, bitter-tasting plant polyphenols that bind and precipitate proteins. The word tannin refers to the source of tannins used in tanning animal hides into leather; however, the term is widely used to refer to brown color in water caused by decaying organic substances.Read More