How do I keep the well in good condition?
I inherited a farmhouse with a well that's at least 50 years old. The water still seems good, but I'm not sure if I need to do regular checks or special cleaning. What maintenance does a rural well need?
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An old well needs regular checks to stay safe. First, you should have the water tested at least once a year, maybe before summer when consumption is higher. You can contact your local health department or a private lab for bacterial and chemical tests - check especially for coliforms, nitrites and hardness. If you notice changes in taste, smell or colour, that's urgent.
Cleaning is important because after 50 years a well accumulates sediment and debris. Every 2-3 years it's worth inspecting the inside with a camera (there are specialized companies that do this) to see the condition of the walls and bottom. If there's a lot of sediment, you need a proper cleaning, but it's expensive and you need professionals to do it safely - it's not a DIY job. In the meantime, keep the well opening clean and well protected so nothing dirty gets in.
Also check the pump if you have one - if it's as old as the well, it might start having problems. Small maintenance work (sealing surface cracks, checking the channels around it) slows down deterioration. Oh, and if you're thinking of using the water regularly for drinking and cooking, install a good filter in your house and consider disinfection treatment, especially if the well isn't well isolated from nearby fields.
Have the water tested by a laboratory every year and clean the well at least once every five years, because even if it looks good there could be invisible bacteria or contamination! Also check that the pump is working properly, that the inner lining has no cracks, and that there's no sediment buildup at the bottom, otherwise the water starts to deteriorate quickly.
I'd say cleaning every five years is too infrequent for a 50-year-old well - I'd do inspections more often, maybe every two or three years, especially if you don't know when the last work was done. Water testing is the right move, but don't underestimate visual inspection of the structure either: check for cracks, seepage, excessive moss inside, or strange smells. If the farmhouse is isolated and the well supplies the main water for the house, it's really worth getting a thorough inspection from a plumber who knows rural wells, not just a chemical lab analysis. In the meantime, keep track of any changes in the taste, color, or smell of the water - it's often the first sign that something's wrong.
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