When you are looking to buy a house in a rural area or the country side, there are some features you might come across that you may not be very familiar with. One of those features is having your own private well.
This is very different than highly populated cities that have a robust water utility system so no one needs to have a well.
But what does having a private well mean? Should you consider this a benefit or a drawback?
Let’s find out.

What is Well Water?

Before we make a decision on whether this is beneficial for us or not, we first have to know what it actually does for us.
A private well is a water source that gets you water directly from the earth. To get access to this water source underground, a hole is drilled all the way down to the aquifer which is a permeable layer of rock that contains water.
Once the hole reaches that layer of rock, a pump system is installed and connected to the plumbing of your house. And viola! You now have your own private water supply.
But is it any better than tap water that you’ve gotten used to? Here’s the difference:
Tap water is treated by the municipally to make sure that bacteria and microorganisms don’t get into the water supply. They use chemicals like chlorine and chloramines to achieve that.
With your own well water supply, there is no chemical processing taking place. And the best part about this, the water is already getting filtered by all the layers of rock and soil that it passes through.
But there is a catch with well water – there is no guarantee that it won’t have any bacteria or microorganisms.
To ensure that it is completely safe to drink, you can have proper filtration and slow travel time between the aquifer and the ground surface. So the water can have enough time to go through the filtration process. And by the time it reaches your glass, it will be the purest water you can drink, according to Water Masterz.

Pros of Having Your Own Well Water

1. It is healthy

Having your own private source of water is the best way to make sure that there aren’t any chemicals being added in it without your knowledge. Not only that, it is also full of minerals because the water travels through soil and rock underground.
But as I mentioned above, you have to make sure that it is free from bacteria. If it isn’t, then your well water won’t be healthy. But, it is pretty easy to filter out the bacteria.

2. No water bill

This is a big plus if you’re someone like me who likes to not rely on things he cannot control. And not having to pay any water bill is a great side effect.
You get to be self-reliant while also keeping expenses down. You are essentially cutting out the middleman between you and your water supply.

3. Knowing exactly where your water is coming from

This is another very important benefit of having a private well.
The time you were living in the city, did you ever stop to think about where you water comes from?
I think very few people think about those things. It gives you an uneasy feeling when you think about it. Because you don’t know why you are trusting your local municipality so much.
When you have your own well, you’ll have peace of mind knowing exactly where your water supply is coming from and whether or not it has been treated with chemicals.

Cons of Having a Private Water Well

1. There is a risk of contamination

In Mississippi, more than 90% of the inhabitants rely on ground water and according to the estimates from the EPA, more than 20% have shallow water wells that have undrinkable levels of nitrate in it.
You see, having your own private well is a blessing and a curse at the same time. If your water is free from bacteria, it is assumed that you will be drinking water that is healthier than other sources. But when it comes to wells there is always a risk of contamination; a risk of pollutants making their way into your well or your pump system.
So you want to make sure that your well goes deep into the aquifer and that it is well maintained. By having regular checks to make sure nothing is contaminated, you can have peace of mind and know that you are drinking the healthiest water available anywhere.

2. It uses electricity

You save money on your water bill, but you end up spending around the same amount or maybe less (depending on your pump system) on electricity.
Now, since you are living in a rural area, it is possible that your power might go out. And that might be a disaster for you because not having electricity is a pain in itself. But if you can’t have water as well, now that might be a dealbreaker for someone like me.
This is the reason why most rural homes have a backup source of electricity. In most cases it is an emergency generator but more people are now opting for solar power. It all depends on your use cases though.

3. Your water might stain or have an odor

This is a major side effect of having a lot of minerals in your water. Depending on your well, you might notice a sulfurous taste or staining because of high levels of iron. This is definitely unpleasant.
Good thing is, you can add filtration systems to get rid of those things. In addition to filtration systems, you can also add a water softener to help with that.