Well Water in Mifflin County: What to Test and Why

Your well water sits in the folded and fractured shale and sandstone layers beneath Mifflin County. These old rock layers were squeezed and bent during ancient mountain-building, creating cracks and spaces where water collects. This fractured bedrock is where your well draws its water.

Iron, radon, and sulfate come straight from the rock itself. Iron dissolves out of the dark shale as water flows through it. Radon forms from tiny amounts of uranium trapped inside the stone. Sulfate enters the water from minerals in the rock layers that break down slowly over time.

Your water is extremely hard and loaded with minerals. This means white crusty buildup will form on your pipes and water heaters. You will also see rust-colored staining on sinks and laundry. Your well needs testing to know exactly what you are dealing with.

Your well water in Mifflin County exceeds EPA health standards for radon, lead, iron, sulfate, and chloride. Radon is the top health concern from your groundwater. Lead can enter your water as it sits in pipes. Iron and sulfate also exceed safe drinking water limits.

Radon gas released from your water during showers and baths poses a serious lung cancer risk over many years. Long-term exposure to lead harms brain development in children and causes nerve damage in adults. High iron stains your sinks, toilets, and laundry orange or brown. Extremely high sulfate levels cause digestive problems and give water a bitter taste.

Get your well tested right away by a state-certified lab. A comprehensive metals and radon panel costs between $200 and $400. A radon mitigation system paired with a whole-house treatment system combining aeration and filtration can address multiple contaminants.