Coliform bacteria are a group of bacteria commonly found in our environment, including the feces of man and other warm-blooded animals. While most of the bacteria in this group are found on the ground and within the first few feet of soil, it does include bacteria that can cause disease in humans, such as E. coli and Salmonella sp. The presence of coliform bacteria in drinking water indicates that the water has been contaminated with surface water, which may contain disease causing bacteria from the fecal material of man or other animals. This poses a potential health risk exists for those drinking the water.
Here in the Columbia Basin, high nitrates are the most common contaminate of our ground water. Nitrate (NO3) is a naturally occurring chemical made of nitrogen and oxygen. Nitrate is found in air, soil, water, and plants. Much of the naturally occurring nitrate in our environment comes from bacteria in the soil breaking down plant and animal wastes. People can add excess nitrate to the environment when we over-apply fertilizers, over irrigate, improperly store and/or spread manure and by failing septic systems.
Wells most vulnerable to nitrate contamination include shallow wells, dug wells with casings which are not watertight, and wells with damaged, leaking casing or fittings.
When a single family well provides water to a family with small children, it is helpful to know what the fluoride levels in the water. Fluoride is a naturally occurring element found in water. A level of 1.0 mg/L in drinking water is sufficient to reduce dental caries without harmful effects on health. At excessively high levels fluorosis may occur. Knowing the fluoride levels in your drinking water will help you and your dentist to make the appropriate decision about any fluoride supplements that may be prescribed.
Hardness is caused by compounds of calcium and magnesium, and by a variety of other metals. You may have felt the effects of hard water, literally, the last time you washed your hands. Depending on the hardness of your water, after using soap to wash you may have felt like there was a film of residue left on your hands. In hard water, soap reacts with the calcium (which is relatively high in hard water) to form "soap scum". When using hard water, more soap or detergent is needed to get things clean, be it your hands, hair, or your laundry.
Hard water is not a health hazard. However, hard water contributes to inefficient and costly operation of water-using appliances. Heated hard water forms a scale of calcium and magnesium minerals that can contribute to the inefficient operation or failure of water-using appliances. Pipes can become clogged with scale that reduces water flow and ultimately requires pipe replacement.
General guidelines for classification of waters are: 0 to 60 mg/L (milligrams per liter) as calcium carbonate is classified as soft; 61 to 120 mg/L as moderately hard; 121 to 180 mg/L as hard; and more than 180 mg/L as very hard.