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and show off your Weiss, v weir everyw ere - pir is it safe to drink? 905-985-4900 and ask for Garry or Ted. Experts are appalled by what they have found seeping into the water sources rural home owners * . depend on. The quality of municipal water supplies is on every- one's mind these days. The public inquiry into the con- tamination of Walkerton's water by a dangerous strain of E. coli and the resulting illness and deaths are highlighted in daily media reports. The coverage should be a red flag for families who must depend on their own wells for water and for anyone considering a rural property or home. It is becoming clear that thousands of private wells are badly contaminated: The water is unfit to drink, and many property owners pay scant attention to water testing or well main- tenance. Some don't even' know where their wells are located. Horror stories are legion among health and building officials and well maintenance contractors. Checking Water problems at the source To test the water in a well, pick up special con- tainers from the health unit for free water laboratory analysis and fol- low instructions. A few days after returning the sample, you should receive a letter saying whether the water is safe for drinking or 'if col- iform or E. coli have been found. If the level of conta- mination - is' unacceptable, < you should 'also. get a phone call with advice on - whattodo. i New drilled wells should be flushed for three to four weeks after con struction and water test should be taken before an home hooktip. Abandoned contaminate wells can neighbouring wells and underground water and - must be plugged. - : Information .on how to." disinfect a well with ordi- nary chlorinated house- hold bleach is published in a Canadian Institute . of Public Health Inspectors local leaflet and is usually avail- able from health units. Some ways that wells can be contaminated include . openings in the well seal, well casing faults, cracks in joints and connections, insecure well caps or seals and surface water ponding near the well. ~~ Drinking water treat- ment devices for bacteria include chlorinators, ultra- violet 'lights with filters, distillers and ozonators. Carbon filters and reverse osmosis do not kill bacte- ria. However, those treat- ment methods may improve bad tasting water and remove odours. and some inorganic chemicals, such as nitrates, Ceramic filters use a silver-impreg- nated cartridge to disinfect water, Where water treat- ment is necessary, condi- tions always vary. Basically, there are four | types of wells: a dug well, typically 30 feet deep or less; a bored well of up to about 50 feet lined with. concrete tile; a driven, jet- ted and sand point well of 50 to 60 feet; and a modern drilled well that goes to at least 200 feet and has a steel casing. To plug an old well, it must first be disinfected, then filled at the boson : with special grout ° 'cement, then sand-filled a : near the. surface before being topped up with com- pact clay. A drilled well needs to have its cap at least 10 ground and a dug or bored well should have 18 inches of clearance with the ground outside sloping away. 'Among things, Pound: o A pail' dropped down a' plywood- covered well on a rope came up with 20 dead inches above mice and three rats, and the .home's tenants had been drinking the untreat- 'ed water. o In the top four feet of another well, about 4,000 slugs had their home all producing excrement that: was falling into water and causing E. Coli readings. o While a woman believed her well water was being treated with bac- teria-zapping ultra-violet light, the bulb was burned out and it was hooked into water. pipes. with rubber laundry hoses, a prime 'area for bacteria to grow. . Ontario's environment: 'ministry says. there are about 500,000 existing wells in the province, most- FREE PREVIEW OF ALL 35 NEW CHANNELS until January 1, 2002 (almost 4 months!) ly privately owned. The responsibility for mainte- nance is with the owner of the well. for information on water treatment call EcoWater at Courtesy of Eco Water Systems Port Perry Plaza Fax 434-5229 Mobile 718-6436 * Installation Extra "Receive | 00 CE CE eee Satellite & Electronics In. a a i a a i is 105-357-2575 80 ~ (You pay $9900 Basic Installation) OFF PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION IH ITERTAINMENT "Where Quality and Service Come g Sales, Service & Installations -- _ Carpet & Upholstery Steam Cleaning ~ 24 Hour Service Flood & Smoke Damage Emergency Service Shop at Home Service Exper Restretches & Repair Service Port ny 985- TI OI EINE 728- S10 AS) See in-store for additional offer. Expires September 22 $50 Value " 1] I it / i ! 2 ll 10-275 PYYY