Private Wells Serve Millions in New York, But Contamination Risks Lurk

Nearly 1 million New Yorkers depend on private residential wells for drinking water, more than 30,000 of them in Dutchess County alone. These wells, a staple in rural areas where public water resources are inaccessible, can offer a cheaper, more dependable water source to many. But they also carry significant risks.

“People ask why they would want to pay for pipes to bring in the municipality’s water when they can get it for free,” said Scott Chase, a Pine Plains resident and former executive director at Dutchess County’s Department of Water and Wastewater Authority. “Especially when they know a well will last for 20 years.”

However, private well water is not without dangers. When a study found that one in four residential wells were polluted with E.coli — a fecal bacteria that can cause severe gastrointestinal illness if ingested — the alarming findings prompted the state Legislature to enact the 2021 Private Well Testing Act. The law requires private well water to be tested before properties can be sold or leased.

Drinking water can be contaminated with a wide variety of harmful chemicals and microbes. Public water is treated, filtered and strictly monitored according to Environmental Protection Agency regulations, protecting consumers from getting sick. “A town’s central water is tested for bacteria weekly — sometimes daily,” said Chase. “Other contaminants are checked at least once a month. Public water is so much better protected.”

In contrast, 90% of private well owners in the U.S. test their water inconsistently or not at all, according to research published in the National Library of Medicine. Regular testing can host hundreds of dollars annually, and even frequent tests may fail to account for sudden contamination. “You’d almost have to test every day,” Chase said.

According to Chase, the purity of drinking water is dependent on environmental factors. Rainwater, which replenishes underground aquifers, can flush out some pollutants but can also carry new ones into the groundwater supply. With the ongoing drought watch in New York state, well water levels are declining, which may increase the concentration of some contaminants.

Common pollutants include E.coli from septic tanks or pastures, nitrates from fertilizers and heavy metals like arsenic that can seep into wells, especially if they are damaged or poorly drained. “Forever chemicals,” proven carcinogens found in products like nonstick cookware, have been increasingly detected in New York’s drinking water.

Nitrates, particularly dangerous to children, can cause methemoglobinemia or blue baby syndrome, in which red blood cells are rendered incapable of carrying oxygen. The condition is fatal. “It’s one of the reasons why farmers want to keep nitrogen out of groundwater and use it for fertilizer,” Chase said. “They collect manure and keep it in a non-leaking slurry pit.”

“The New York State Department of Health recommends testing private well water annually for E. Coli, and every three to five years for other contaminants like lead, nitrates, arsenic, sodium and iron. Certified test kits cost from $200 to $900, depending on the number of tests run. Additional checks are advised if drinking water looks, tastes or smells “off” or if a family member is sick with gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea. The department also advocates a yearly well inspection by a professional.

Disinfecting well water with chlorine kills E. coli. Installing an ultraviolet light system treatment will keep drinking water microbe-free, but that can cost $2,000. Granular activated charcoal filters will significantly reduce forever chemicals and heavy metals.

“We should all have public water — it’s safer,” said Chase. “I had E.coli in my drinking water the last time I tested, and had to flush chlorine through the system. That was five years ago.”