December 3, 2007:
Regular water testing is key to managing water contamination risk. Under normal conditions, private water supplies generally do not need to be tested more than once every one or two years, says Ken Williamson, a water specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Food (AF). However, it's important to learn to identify changes in the water source and take appropriate preventative action.
"Surface water changes continually, but wells shouldn't change significantly between seasons or between rainstorms. If it does it's a red flag that something is wrong with the well and an indication that it's time to do a water test," he says.
More information on water testing is available in this Tech Talk on the AEFP Web site.