Reverse osmosis system (Picture taken by me with my iphone 7 )

High mineral content in underground water poses a challenge to the availability of good quality water.

An alternative to this is getting water from the rivers and lakes where the water wouldn't need much treatment for it to be suitable for everyday purpose usage(It may require further treatment to be drinkable).

Considering Bayelsa state- where I'm from, Although being a riverine state, the larger and urban settlements exist far from the riverside, and while getting the water from the rivers to supply the town(like many riverine settlements do) is a brilliant idea, it is simply not feasible for reasons that stray from the topic on ground.

As a result, most homeowners dig wells for themselves.

Underground water, however, needs to be treated properly before usage. Although drilled wells in places like the northern part of Nigeria doesn't need much treatment due to more friendly mineral content.

Regardless, ground water always contains these kinds of contaminants regardless of the location of the well.

Common Ground water contaminants and their effects

• Dissolved salts and minerals: Minerals like sodium, calcium and magnesium may not pose any direct health risks, but they are the cause of Hard water which results in dry, itchy skin. And can reduce the lifespan of clothes and household appliances.
• Trace elements and heavy metals: Arsenic, lead, iron, boron and radon can be common. And private well owners should know the risk. Some of these contaminants come from industrial runoff. And others like lead, can enter a water supply through the plumbing. Lead is a primary concern for homeowners. And it is especially harmful for pregnant women, infants, and young children.
• Farm chemicals and Nitrates: Private well owners located near farmland should take caution. And especially where fertilizers and pesticides are heavily used. Phosphates and nitrates can leach into the groundwater. And those chemicals cause a number of health issues, such as kidney problems and cancer. These risks are high for pregnant and nursing women, infants and the elderly.
• Bacteria and other pathogens: In comparison to public drinking water supplies, E. coli and Crypto present a greater risk in private well water. These pathogens enter water through the feces of infected humans or animals. And their health effects can include severe intestinal illnesses.

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Ensuring Safety of private well water

• Know your areas well water concerns: The location of your home impacts the quality of your well water. And knowing the risks will help you to take the measures to protect your well

• Construct the right kind of well: Drilled wells are deeper and have plastic or metal pipes. This protects the water from outside contaminants. Consult a licensed contractor or professional to construct the right well for your home.

• Test water regularly: At a minimum, your should test well water annually. Both at the tap and source. Shallow wells require more frequent testing, because they are more susceptible to contamination. Your local water resource technician is equipped to collect a water sample. And an EPA-certified lab can provide analysis.

• Invest in water treatment systems: If your water tests positive for any of these contaminants, don’t panic. Water resource technicians have a range of personalized solutions. Water softeners reduce problems caused by magnesium and calcium. And a filtration like reverse osmosis(The machine in thumbnail picture) can remove a wide range of harmful contaminants.

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My private well water treatment system

twin filtration plant(left) and treatment tank(right)
{picture taken by me using an Iphone 7}
The reddish coloration on the tank is as a result of excess iron content in the water in my state. Our water requires more attention than most their regions.

For our private water treatment my family and most well owner where I'm from employ the following means.

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My home water treatment plant makes use of a 3000 liter tank for treatment at bottom of my tank stand and a 5000 liter tank for storage and usage at the top. The supply tank is elevated to roof level for fast flow of water.

My home bored hole(picture taken by me using an Iphone 7)

Using a submersible pump within the bored hole, fresh well water is pumped into a filtration tank which sits at the base of a steel tank stand where it is treated with lime and activated charcoal

coarse and sharp sand are used for filtration while the treatment chemicals occur in layers within the treatment tank.

The top tank does not need treatment but is cleaned out yearly while the treatment in the base tank is change one in two years or twice depending on color change observed in the water.

We do not drink this water though, and that's why we rely on visual observation to determine the condition of the water.
For drinking water you can use any good home water test kit

Getting good quality water can be quite a challenge, but it is necessary for everyday activities so it is unavoidable.

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Thanks for dropping by!!

References

• Culligannation.com
• Wikipedia
• Youtube
• Healthybutsmart