Well Water in Mercer County: What to Test and Why

Your well water comes from cracks and layers in old rock that formed hundreds of millions of years ago. This rock sits under Mercer County and holds water in the spaces between its grains and in fractures. Water moves slowly through these tight spaces and picks up minerals and dissolved materials along the way.

Iron, lead, and sulfate come straight from the rock itself. As groundwater sits in these low-oxygen spaces for years, it dissolves iron and sulfate out of the stone. Lead enters through corrosion of pipes in older homes and from the acidic water that moves through the rock. Road salt spread on winter roads also seeps down and adds chloride to the groundwater.

Your water is extremely hard with very high amounts of iron and sodium. This means you will see white scale buildup on pipes and fixtures, and orange-brown staining on sinks and laundry. The water tastes metallic and salty. A whole-house treatment system that softens the water and filters iron is worth the investment.

Lead in this county's groundwater exceeds EPA health standards, and so do iron, sulfate, and chloride. This is a serious situation. High lead levels harm the brain and nervous system, especially in children. Even small amounts of lead pose a real health risk over time.

Long-term exposure to lead damages how the brain works and slows learning. Iron stains sinks and laundry orange-brown and leaves a metallic taste. Sulfate makes the water smell bad and can cause stomach problems. Your water is also very hard, which means scale builds up on pipes and fixtures.

Get your well tested now through a state-certified lab. A basic health screen costs around fifty to one hundred dollars. A full metals panel runs two hundred to four hundred dollars. A water softener combined with a treatment system that removes lead will help protect your family.