Before I can file a building permit application I have to drill a well that meets the county’s health standards. The drilling company started today. Most wells are 60 to 80 feet deep but because my property is near the top of a hill mine will be approximately 320 feet. For a chemically sensitive person that is excellent because it provides a very large filter between any contaminants on the ground and the aquifer. The pipe will be interlocking metal sections rather than PVC sections with adhesive because I already have unusually high levels of phthalates in my system and I don’t want more. The county requires that water quality standards be met for iron, manganese, nitrate, and chloride levels, but I intend to test for other contaminants as well. I will then select a filtration system that can remove those specific chemicals. The Environmental Working Group recently published a database that greatly simplifies this process. You can enter your zip code to see if the water in your area meets federal standards, what additional contaminants might have been found, and what filtration system will remove them. Here is the link: https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/#.WdZPyMaZOqk
