If you're like me and don't have city water (we have drinking water delivered), be sure to get your well tested.
Our results came back yesterday via a phone message: "Your water is bad." The message went on to explain that I should run my garden hoses for 24-48 hours to flush it until he can rechlorinate the system.
I finally caught our well guy on his phone this morning.
"Oh yeah," he said. "You have E. Coli in there. Haven't seen that in years."
What?!?!?
"E. Coli?!?!?" I sputtered. "I've been brushing my teeth with that stuff!"
"Oh, no no no, sir. You aren't gonna want to to do that," he replied. "Any ingestion is bad news."
E. Coli?!?!? Fortunately, the rest of the family left town; I'm home alone.
"Wait a minute," he suddenly said. "Did I say E. Coli on the phone message I left you? I think that's someone else. Yeah, I'm pretty sure that was another house."
"'Pretty sure'?"
"I have to go out to Yorkville; I'll call you when I get back to the office and let you know."
And so it goes. Wish me luck.
UPDATE: All clear.
I take it your well head was not submerged? There are lots of areas of the state that need to think about contamination even if the casing is good and well head is protected. Lots of avenues for contaminants to get to the aquifer in many areas of the state, especially south.
Posted by: borges | June 20, 2008 at 09:40 AM
We're getting re-tested today. I think we may have to think about capping the well and hooking up to city water, unfortunately.
Posted by: John Michlig | June 20, 2008 at 10:00 AM