Mary Jane Conboy

In 1997, over 300 rural drinking water wells throughout Southern Ontario and 148 wells in rural Zimbabwe were tested for bacteriological water quality. Total coliform, fecal coliform and fecal streptococci were enumerated in each sample with standard membrane filtration techniques. Clostridium perfringens was monitored by presence or absence. In Ontario, all of the wells were tested in the spring, when the fields were near saturation, and resampled in late summer. Just under 50% of the wells exceeded the Ontario drinking water objectives (DWO) in spring and summer. On both occasions, approximately 20% of the wells tested positive for Clostridium perfringens, which is an indicator for fecal contamination of animal origin. Zimbabwe wells were sampled during the dry season, June 1997. Ninety-five percent of the wells had bacteria in excess of Ontario DWO, and 59% of the wells tested positive for Clostridium perfringens. The wells in Zimbabwe provided a comparison in soil moisture and type, and there were also differences in well construction and management practices. This study shows that a significant percentage of the bacteria of fecal origin found in rural wells originated from animal manure. Some factors affecting well water quality are discussed.

The Sustainable Water Well Infrastructure (SWWI) Expert Panel was conducted according to the guidelines for Expert Panels developed by the Royal Society of Canada. These guidelines specify the formation of three different assemblies to carry out the duties of expert review, panel facilitation and report preparation support, and coordination of panel selection and peer review. These assemblies and their members are listed below: Panel Members: Kent Novakowski, Panel Chair, P.Geo., PhD (Hydrogeology), MSc (Hydrogeology),

89% of private wells in Ontario need a repair.  There are an unknown number of abandoned wells.  The Ontario Groundwater Association estimates indicate 1.5 million abandoned wells.  Most private well owners are not testing their well water.  The Sustainable Water Well Infrastructure Expert panel concluded that wells that are not maintained, left open at the end of their useful life and wells that are not tested regularly are the biggest threats to the sustainability of private wells in Ontario. 

This paper highlights a study done to inform future outreach and educational iniatives for well owners and some of the existing tools developed to improve the management of private wells.  The Well Wise Resource Centre is a new non-profit organization established to support private well owners, professionals connecting with private well owners and to conduct research on issues relevant to private wells.  Some of the tools that have been used in Ontario to educate well owners that will be discussed are the Well Aware program and  the Well Wise Resource Centre.  The Well Aware program has an educational home visit as one part of the program.  This visit is an onsite tutorial for the well owner but also an established risk assessment tool for private well owners.  The first walk through of the assessment tool is done by a trained water guide with the well owner engaged.  Follow up includes a written report with recommendations and a copy of the assessment tool for well owners to use in future years evaluation of their supply.  External evaluation shows that this approach results in well owners taking action.  Ontario well owners do not routinely test their well water and rarely test beyond a complimentary bacterial assessment.  Well Wise has established a province wide water testing program with comprehensive packages to help well owners learn about their water supply and to help researchers understand the risks to groundwater in Ontario.  Well Wise has also established a children’s program that engages primary and junior students and facilitates an Awesome Aquifer contest to engage the entire student body and members of the community.

Bacterial contamination of drinking water wells is a commonproblem in many rural areas. Some of this contamination may berelated to manure spreading or housing of livestock; another source is on-site septic systems. Current indicator organisms are able to detect the presence of fecal contamination, but where there may be more than one potential source of fecal material, the current indicators are unable to ascertain the origin. This laboratory investigation was undertaken to determine the longevity and reliability of a selected suite of indicator organisms. Total coliform, fecal coliform, fecal streptococci and Clostridium perfringens were monitoredin a simulated contaminated groundwater environment for 6 months. All four indicator organisms were present at the end of6 months. The number of fecal streptococi bacteria decreased most noticeably, allowing assessment of relative age of contamination. C. perfringens was found to be a reliableindicator of contamination from animal manure. Fecal material from 28 different animals and three septic systems were assessed for the presence of the indicator organisms. Totalcoliform, fecal coliform and fecal streptococci were present in the fecal material of all animals tested including reptiles.C. perfringens was detected in feces from all but two of the animals assessed. Using an assemblage of indicator organisms provides more information regarding source and timingof contamination than just testing for total coliform and fecalcoliform bacteria.