Accessing well water

[PepperThePrepper]

We habe an old, disused well in our garden. We are about a third of the way down a hill so I'm guessing that the water in there is mostly run off from further uphill.

I did get in touch with the council a few years ago and asked about having it tested but they basically said that this was pointless as it could come back as drinkable today and then a farmer spread something uphill the next day and the water would likely no longer be drinkable.

I still figure it's better than nothing (although I store bottled water too) and keep filtering straws and chlorine tablets and hope that these, along with boiling the water, will make it drinkable in emergency situations.

Anyway!

The well is currently covered with a manhole cover and the water sits quite far down (obviously!), about 2 meters. Has anyone got any reliable and cost effective ways of bringing the water up? Im guessing either a pump or a well bucket.....I know it's a bit niche but I'm hoping someone has a recommendation.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Old school bucket on a rope cheap nothing much to go wrong

Pumps manual need maintenance (seals etc)


For filtering look at the British Berkefeld several sizes available depending on your needs / size of household

[Frnc]

You need to get it tested. Council's reply is misleading.

The council says there's no point in testing because "it could be fine today and contaminated tomorrow." While that’s *technically* true, it **misses the point**. Here's a clearer, more practical breakdown:

[ This is from Chat GPT. It can help you find a lab, if you ask it. ]

---

## **Why Testing Still Matters – Even if Things Can Change**

The goal of testing isn’t to guarantee perfection forever — it’s to **understand the current baseline**, and to detect:

* **Chronic contamination** (e.g. arsenic, lead, nitrates – which don’t just come and go)
* **Ongoing issues** with bacteria or sewage leakage
* Whether a **filter system is needed**, and what type

Without that first test, you’re flying blind. You won’t know what, if anything, needs filtering.

---

## What About Filters?

Filters can be a great solution — **but only if they're matched to the contaminants**.

Filter Type | Removes | Notes
----------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------
UV Filter | Bacteria, viruses | Needs clear water; doesn’t remove chemicals or metals
Carbon Filter | Chlorine, pesticides, VOCs | Doesn’t remove bacteria, nitrates, or heavy metals
Reverse Osmosis (RO) | Nitrates, heavy metals, some bugs| Needs pre-filter; very effective overall
Sediment Filter | Dirt, rust, debris | First-stage filter; doesn’t clean chemically or biologically
Iron/Manganese Filter | Iron, manganese | Only needed if test shows these are present
Water Softener | Calcium, magnesium | Softens water, but doesn’t make it safer to drink


---

## Recommended Approach for the UK

1. **Get a baseline test anyway**, ideally via a **UKAS-accredited lab**. Even if the council won’t help, you can:

* Search: "UK private water supply testing lab"
* Or use commercial services (often £60–£150 depending on the depth of the test)

2. **Choose a filter based on results.**

* Don’t spend £££ on a fancy filter system if you don’t know what it’s for.
* If bacterial contamination is found: UV filter + pre-filtration is a common UK solution.

3. **Set a schedule** for **annual or semi-annual testing** — just like farms or B\&Bs on private supplies are required to do.

---

## A Note on Responsibility

In the UK, if this is a **Private Water Supply**, the **local authority has a duty under the Private Water Supplies Regulations (2016)** to:

* **Assess and test** supplies (especially if used by tenants, employees, or multiple households)
* Provide advice on water safety and treatment

If you're supplying water to others (e.g. rental), **the council has to be involved** — it's not optional. If it's just for personal household use, you're not legally required to test, but it’s still wise.

---

## Bottom Line

* **Yes**, filters can help — but only **after you know what you're filtering out**
* The council's logic is flawed — **testing gives you clarity**, not a forever guarantee
* In the UK, **you can and should get independent testing** done for peace of mind

[Frnc]

Told GPT it is in NI.

"Thanks for clarifying that this is for someone in **Northern Ireland**. No worries—we can still point them in the right direction even without a precise location:

---

### Testing Private Well Water in Northern Ireland

#### 1. **Available Testing Options**

* **NI Water Analytical Services** runs **UKAS-accredited (ISO 17025)** labs in **Belfast** and **Derry/Londonderry**—ideal for thorough chemical and microbiological analysis. Contact them via email ([LabEnquiries@niwater.com](mailto:LabEnquiries@niwater.com)) ([niwater.com][1]).
* If it's a **single dwelling** (i.e., private domestic use), the **local council’s Environmental Health** department can usually **collect a sample** and arrange testing ([daera-ni.gov.uk][2], [nidirect][3]).
* The **Drinking Water Inspectorate NI (DWI‑NI)** oversees private supplies, and the **DAERA website** offers resources like the **“Single Private Well Assessment”** app to help owners understand risks and mitigation steps ([The Northern Ireland Executive][4], [daera-ni.gov.uk][2]).

#### 2. **Regulations & Responsibilities**

* **Single household supplies** don’t require mandatory monitoring, but owners are still responsible for ensuring water is safe ([daera-ni.gov.uk][2], [Legislation.gov.uk][5]).
* For supplies serving multiple homes or businesses (like farms or B\&Bs), **registration and regular testing** under the **Private Water Supplies Regulations (NI) 2017** are required ([daera-ni.gov.uk][2], [Legislation.gov.uk][5]).

#### 3. **Risks & Why Testing Matters**

* Private supplies in NI fail quality tests more often than public mains water—mainly due to poor source protection, plumbing faults, or lack of treatment ([watersafe.org.uk][6]).
* Testing identifies issues like bacteria, nitrates, or heavy metals so you can choose the correct filters or treatments.

---

### Suggested Steps (Copy-Paste Friendly)

```
Steps to Getting Well Water Tested in Northern Ireland:

1. Contact your local council's Environmental Health department:
- Ask about how they handle private well testing for single dwellings.

2. Reach out to NI Water Analytical Services:
- Address: Altnagelvin Lab (Derry/Londonderry) & Westland House (Belfast)
- Accredited for drinking water testing (ISO 17025)
- Email: LabEnquiries@niwater.com

3. Use DAERA’s “Single Private Well Assessment” tool:
- Online app helps assess risk and recommends actions.

4. If the supply is shared or commercial:
- Register the supply with DAERA (DWI‑NI).
- Undergo required risk assessments and monitoring per regulations.

5. Always use UKAS-accredited testing labs when possible.
```

---

### What Others Say (From a Reddit Conversation)

> “For domestic (non‑commercial) use only you are not obliged to test it, although you probably should.”
> “There are places that will test the water… tests cost about £200 IIRC and they get it done annually.” ([Reddit][7])

So while testing isn’t mandatory for a single home, many NI residents test annually for peace of mind—and it usually costs around £200.

---

### Next Steps

Let me know if they'd like help finding the **right local council** (e.g., “Ards and North Down Environmental Health”) or would like a version of this guidance as a **PDF or Word document** they can share easily.

Would that be helpful?

[1]: https://www.niwater.com/about-your-wate ... hatgpt.com "Analytical Services - Northern Ireland Water"
[2]: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/pr ... hatgpt.com "Private Water Supplies | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs"
[3]: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/de ... hatgpt.com "Dealing with drinking water problems | nidirect"
[4]: https://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news ... hatgpt.com "Minister launches new On-Line App for Private Water Supplies | The Northern Ireland Executive"
[5]: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/201 ... hatgpt.com "The Private Water Supplies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017"
[6]: https://www.watersafe.org.uk/news/lates ... hatgpt.com "Private Water Supplies More Likely to Fail Water Quality Tests"
[7]: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/comments ... hatgpt.com "Who do I call to investigate an old well?"

[Adjee]

We have a well/bore hole also a seep hole at the end of our garden/field.

In the well we use a slim electric water pump connected to a hose pipe which fits nicely into the bore hole which is @ 8 metres down. It has enough power to run our water sprinklers over 150 metres away.

Our seep hole we dug out and it filters water in from a natural water pit in the farmers field next to us. It is about 5 metres deep and again we use an electric pump with an additional home made filter basket. The pump is run off a portable generator.

I would try and trace the water source of your well, ours is from an underground spring, it is cleaner and free of all the chemicals they add to the domestic water today. You can buy test kits from companies such as Watersafe (if they still exist) who also used to do lab testing to give an indication of the water quality.

[Frnc]

By the way, the list I got off GPT doesn't include the hollow fibre filters used by backpackers. Of course filtering large volumes of well water is very different to backpacking. I was asking it about the filters I have in my BOB, and I asked it again about a well and British Berkfeld. It suggested multi-stage filtering. NB most hollow fibre filters don't filter viruses, but some do now. Viruses are not common in UK streams, but risk is not zero. There is a big difference between a stream up high in the Lake District (low virus risk), and a river that gets sewage discharge in a city (high risk). In between is moderate risk downstream from farms.

"If you're treating well water, here's a practical multi-stage approach:

Sediment pre-filter: Removes sand and large particulates to protect downstream filters.

Iron/manganese removal: Use specialized media filters (like greensand or catalytic filters).

Berkefeld gravity filter: Ideal for bacteria and chemical taste improvements.

Optional UV purification: If viral contamination is a concern or for added safety.

RO or ion-exchange: If you need to reduce TDS or dissolved heavy metals."