Well Water in Berks County: What to Test and Why

Your well water comes from old limestone and dolostone rock beneath Berks County. This carbonate bedrock is broken into many cracks and spaces that hold water. Water moves slowly through these openings underground.

Manganese, radon, and arsenic occur naturally inside this limestone and dolostone. Radon forms when tiny amounts of uranium in the rock break down over time. Manganese and arsenic dissolve directly from the rock into your groundwater as water sits in contact with the minerals. Road salt from highways also seeps down and adds sodium and sulfate to the water.

Your water is extremely hard, meaning it has very high amounts of dissolved minerals from the rock. Hard water leaves thick white crusty buildup on faucets and inside pipes and appliances. Iron in the water stains sinks and laundry rust-colored orange, and the high sulfate gives the water a bitter or medicinal taste.

Arsenic, iron, manganese, and radon all exceed EPA health standards in Berks County wells. Uranium also shows up above its limit. Your well water needs testing right away because these contaminants pose real health risks to your family.

Long-term exposure to arsenic and manganese damages the brain, nervous system, and bones in children and adults. Radon in water releases a radioactive gas into your home that increases lung cancer risk. The extreme hardness and high iron levels will stain your sinks, toilets, and laundry orange-brown and leave thick white scale buildup on fixtures.

Call a state-certified lab today and order a comprehensive metals and uranium panel, which typically costs two hundred to four hundred dollars. You need treatment that combines a water softener, activated carbon filter, and aeration to tackle these multiple problems together.