Well Water in Benzie County: What to Test and Why

Water in Benzie County comes from old limestone and dolomite rock layers buried deep underground. These rocks sit beneath newer sand and gravel deposits. The limestone is naturally cracked and fractured, which lets water flow through slowly.

Arsenic, chloride, and bacteria show up in some wells because the limestone dissolves as groundwater moves through it. Chloride comes partly from road salt that seeps down through the sandy soil above. The deeper the well, the more protection it gets from bacteria because soil acts as a filter.

The water here is extremely hard and carries a lot of dissolved minerals. Iron reaches high levels and will stain sinks and laundry orange or brown. Sulfate and sodium are also present at high concentrations, which can give water a bitter taste and make soap work poorly.

Arsenic is found at levels that warrant testing in Benzie County wells. The county data shows arsenic is a concern, even though current test results do not exceed EPA health standards. E. coli and chloride also show up in some local wells. Testing your well will tell you what is actually in your water.

Long-term exposure to arsenic raises cancer risk. The mineral levels in your area are very high, especially sulfate and hardness. You will likely see staining on fixtures from iron and scaling buildup from the hardness. Your water may taste bitter or have a rotten egg smell from sulfate.

Get your well tested by a state-certified lab. A basic health screen for bacteria and nitrate costs fifty to one hundred dollars. A full mineral and metals panel runs two hundred to four hundred dollars. Ask the lab to test specifically for arsenic since it is a priority in your county.