Benefits Of Well Water: Cost, Taste, Health, & Water Security


If you are considering having a private well built on your property, you may be wondering if the benefits are really worth it. The CDC estimates nearly 15 million Americans rely on wells to obtain their water. In rural areas, this figure can be as high as 40% where well water is used for practically everything from drinking to bathing. But is having a well right for you?

These figures are not surprising; there are some truly amazing benefits of well water that we don’t normally hear about. For instance, did you know that well water is actually good for your nervous system, or that a well can save you hundreds of dollars every year?

In this post, we have compiled some of the most important benefits of well water. We also discuss if it’s healthy to drink, if it can be healthier than city water, how it compares to bottled water, and how often you need to test your well.

1. Water Supply is Nearly Endless  

One of the biggest benefits of well water is that the water supply is ongoing. Once you have a well installed, it can consistently generate fresh water for decades!

The level of water may fluctuate during dry and rainy months, but if your well is sufficiently deep and your water usage is sustainable, the likelihood of your well water completely running out is low. Even if you have used up a significant amount of water in a short period of time, the water level can quickly recharge.

2. Cheap

The average American paid 30% more for their water in 2019 than they did just a decade ago? Each glass of city tap water costs more now than it did only a few years ago, and the prices only seem to be going up.

In contrast, well water is relatively free. Other than the initial cost for installation and necessary tests for water quality, you have to pay almost nothing to keep using the well. Considering how the cost of water seems to be only going up, you are likely to save thousands of dollars in the long run.

3. Easily Available

In many rural areas of the US, the municipal water supply system is unreliable or even completely absent. A well can be an easy solution to this problem since it does not require you to wait for municipal authorities to figure out a way to deliver water to your home. Simply have it installed on your property, and you will get a near endless supply of water in no time.

4. Healthy

The US Department of Agriculture’s food nutrient database mentions that a single cup serving of well water contains up to:

  • 7 milligrams of calcium,
  • 12 milligrams of sodium,
  • 2 milligrams of magnesium, and
  • zero calories.

The calcium is good for your bones, whereas the sodium and the magnesium salts in well water are essential elements for your neurons to function properly.

Drinking well water also means that you avoid all the chlorides, fluorides and other harsh chemicals that are used to treat tap water before it is sent for public consumption.

Although the concentration of these chemicals you get in your tap water is low, it difficult to filter out – especially fluoride – and many people are concerned that consuming this water for years on end can have toxic effects on your health.

5. Tastes Better

Ever wonder why bottled water tastes better than the chlorinated tap water you get at home? It’s because water companies add specific minerals to the water during the bottling process. A well naturally has many of these minerals and more, so you get a similar (if not better) taste. Unlike bottled water, however, it comes free of cost and is completely natural.

6. Not easily affected by Natural Disasters

During natural disasters like floods or hurricanes, municipal water supply is often cut off, or the water can become heavily contaminated with sediment and many harmful bacteria and pathogens. Wells are practically immune to this since the water comes from underground aquifers.

This means in a disaster, you will have a continuous and reliable supply of clean water. This added level of water security is perfect you and your family in times when you need it the most.

7. Environment Friendly

Getting tap water to your home requires the government to set up large-scale plants, purification systems, chemical extraction systems and numerous pipelines. Additionally, they constantly consume energy to maintain this distribution system. Imagine the impact this has on the environment! With a well, all of this can be avoided.

There is certainly a concern of the natural water table being affected if too many wells are installed in the same area and if the water is drawn excessively. Practically, however, this can easily be avoided with responsible well placement and consumption. To be extra secure, you can even install a groundwater charging system with your well, so all the unused water you extract is circled back to the ground, restoring the aquifer again.

8. More Natural Way of Living

Ask any well owner what they love the most about their wells and they’ll often answer how organic it feels. Long before we had our modern water distribution systems, our ancestors survived by building wells whenever they were too far from a water source.

Today, having a well is increasingly becoming a part of a new, natural lifestyle that many people are being drawn towards. If living a more natural, greener life sounds appealing to you, a well might be a great place to start!

Despite the benefits, you may still have some concerns about the safety and quality of well water. We have addressed some of them here.

Is it safe?

With proper testing and/or a filtering system, well water is definitely safe to drink.

Most well water is derived from parts of the ground where bacteria cannot survive. Additionally, the ground itself acts as a filter for many organic contaminants. However, bacteria can begin to grow in the well itself and should be monitored through regular testing.

As far as chemical contaminants like lead or fertilizers are concerned, it really depends on where you are living and if your well might be prone to agricultural runoff. It is always recommended that you have your water tested by an authorized laboratory before consumption. If they give you the green light, you are good to go. You may have to install additional filtration systems to ensure that the water is 100% drinkable.

Healthier than city water

If properly tested to ensure quality and drinkability, well water can be healthier than city water.

There is a small but definite possibility of harmful minerals like lead and arsenic being present in your well’s water. Additionally, if your well is not deep enough or if it is not covered well, there is a risk of bacterial contamination.

Unlike city water, however, the government does not take responsibility for the quality of the water in your private well. Therefore, it is recommended that all well water be tested at an authorised laboratory when you first install a well and then at least annually thereafter to ensure that the water is safe to drink.

If your well water clears the test, it can certainly be healthier than city water due to the healthy mineral content and the lack of harmful disinfectants like chlorine.

Better than bottled water

If properly tested for safety, well water is often a better choice to bottled water in terms of cost, freshness and even purity.

Did you know that nearly 64% of bottled water in the US is simply tap water? Some brands even have the audacity to claim that they are selling natural ‘spring water’ when in reality you could get the same thing by simply opening your faucet!

The water industry also claims that their water is ‘purer’, but tests performed by organizations like the Natural Resources Defense Council show that up to one in five bottled water samples exceed “unenforceable state or industry bacteria guidelines.” Their study also showed that about 22 percent of the brands tested contained chemicals at levels above state health limits in at least one sample.

These chemicals could weaken your immune system, or even cause cancer when used over a long period of time. To add to this, water bottles aren’t always reusable, leading to millions of tons of plastic water bottles piling up in our landfills every year.

This is not to say that well water is definitely cleaner, but once you have performed necessary tests on your well, it is not only safer but also cheaper and much healthier for the environment.

Russell Singleton

Russell has a Bachelor of Science (Environmental and Marine Geoscience) with Class I Honors. He is currently completing his doctorate in science and is passionate about all earth processes, especially isotope geochemistry and paleohydrology.

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