Well Water in Lancaster County: What to Test and Why

Your well water comes from old crystalline rock deep underground. This rock is very hard and dense, with only small cracks and fractures where water can flow. The water sits in these tiny spaces for a long time before reaching your well.

Lead enters your water as it passes through old rock and soil on its way down. Radon gas comes from natural radioactive elements trapped inside the crystalline rock itself. Iron dissolves directly from the rock minerals as water sits in contact with them. Sulfate and sodium also come from minerals in the rock breaking down very slowly over time.

Your water is loaded with minerals and salt. You will see rust-colored staining on sinks, toilets, and laundry. The high sodium means anyone on a low-salt diet needs to know about it, and the sulfate and iron make the water taste and smell unpleasant. Test your well now and talk to a water treatment company about filtering out these contaminants.

Your Lancaster County well water has several health concerns that exceed EPA standards. Lead, radon, and iron are present at levels that warrant immediate testing. The high sodium and sulfate levels also exceed EPA health limits. This is a multi-contaminant situation that needs attention now.

Long-term exposure to lead harms children's brains and kidneys and can cause learning problems. Radon in water releases a radioactive gas into your home when you use the water. The extreme iron levels will stain your sinks, toilets, and laundry orange and make your water taste and smell bad. The very high sodium and sulfate levels make your water extremely hard, leaving white scale buildup on pipes and water heaters.

You need a certified lab test right away. A basic health screen for bacteria and nitrate costs fifty to one hundred dollars. A comprehensive metals panel costs two hundred to four hundred dollars and should include lead, radon, iron, sodium, sulfate, and chloride. Ask about whole-house treatment systems that combine filtration and water softening to address these multiple problems.