Throughout the United States, an estimated 23 million people rely on private wells for their daily water needs. This number may not even include the amount of people that utilize private springs. In contrast, around 291 million Americans are connected to some form of public water. There is a very sharp difference between these two, not just in the amount of people, but with regards to safety.
Community water systems (CWS), or any other system deemed a public water system (PWS), must meet safety standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which are then enforced by each state’s environmental departments. These standards ensure that water being sent to customers is safe to drink and use. Public water systems have rigorous testing requirements for contaminants based on water source, system size, or other reasons of concern. Each system relies on the expertise of a certified operator to ensure that these requirements are met. They do this by collecting samples, monitoring equipment, running water treatment plants, managing a distribution system, and being accountable for how good or bad the system is run.
Private well owners do not have this requirement, and that is where the importance of private well management rises.

Homeowners who use private water wells access a resource that is unseen. That resource is groundwater. Groundwater exists in the ground beneath our feet in a variety of ways and conditions. The areas where water is found are called aquifers. The water in these aquifers picks up characteristics of the unit it is in. For example, aquifers that are found in limestone rock will have various levels of hardness in the water that people use on the surface. This hardness can cause calcium deposition in the piping and appliances of a home.
There are two major types of aquifers: Confined and Unconfined. Confined aquifers are those aquifers that have defined layers that encapsulate the water and prevent it from moving in and out of the confining layers. These confining layers also protect the water from contamination. Unconfined aquifers are those that do not have confining layers, and water can flow into it freely, with its level changing throughout the year.
An example of an unconfined aquifer would be a shallow water table well. These shallow, unconfined wells are under the influence of surface water. This also means they are more susceptible to contamination. In areas where the wells are found in rock units, they can be influenced by the surface by the way in which water moves through the rock. Water and contamination can make their way from the surface into the water-bearing units below through fractures in the rock. Sources of contamination are in the world all around us. These contaminants can potentially enter well water, and without testing, there is no way of knowing what is really in a well’s water.
One important, and sometimes overlooked, aspect of doing private well assessments is the educational component. As previously mentioned, private wells are not required to be tested, and this can lead to overlooked contamination and health risks posed by a homeowner’s well. Each time that an assessment is performed, it is so important that the throughline of stewardship and responsibility is made.

This throughline is the idea that each well owner or spring owner is their household’s operator. Just as a PWS operator ensures safe drinking water is delivered to their customers, a private well owner should strive to ensure that the water they are consuming is safe for their family and anyone that enters their household. This is a vital comparison that can pose as a way to initiate the gears to turn in their minds and begin to see the importance of drinking water safety.
It is important to note any potential contamination sources when onsite. These sources of contamination can be near the well, but they can also be a mile away. Operators at a PWS have to worry about these contaminants that can cause harm without treatment, and it is this same responsibility of homeowners to have this mindset. Acquiring this mindset is a process and is put on by interest and care, and not regulatory necessity.
Each well is unique, as are its uses. Some homeowners utilize their well just for drinking water. Some use their wells for drinking water and other things such as gardening, irrigation, or watering livestock.
A recent well assessment conducted in Texas is one of these instances. In August of 2024, Robert Bottex contacted Communities Unlimited (CU) and was interested in our private well testing and assessment product as well as soil testing. William Thrasher, a Community Facilitator on CU’s Community Sustainability Team, then reached out to the organization’s Environmental Team to set up the well testing and soil collection. Robert utilizes his well for drinking water as well as watering crops and livestock. The concern for water quality — not just the water his household is consuming but also his crops — is top of mind.
Robert is a startup farmer in Carson County, located in the Texas Panhandle region in the northwestern part of the state. Carson County is part of the Amarillo metropolitan area. He was interested in soil testing and became interested in our water well testing. Robert has the goal of turning around 15 acres into a small farm. CU Environmental staff members, West Texas Coordinator Kurt Grant and Community Environmental Management Technician Andres Villarreal, conducted a site visit in early August 2024 to perform the well assessment and collect a soil sample from the property. Kurt and Andres assessed the well to verify its physical well-being. They also noted any potential contamination concerns in the vicinity of the well.
The water sample was sent to the lab with results arriving a few weeks later. The results of the assessments were positive. The well on the property is a prime example of a properly sealed wellhead that can thoroughly protect from above-ground contamination. Water tests were free of bacteria, and no contamination of concern was found. Soil tests proved positive as well.
This assessment proved as a great example of strategic blending within our organization and showed how our Community Sustainability and Environmental programs can work together to utilize our private well services. Following the assessments, Robert has been able to confidently plant crops without concern. He continues to work with William and the Community Sustainability team as he grows his production.

Throughout time, quality drinking water and adequate supply have been of vital importance for humanity. Any settlement or city, big or small, relied on water. Today, we still see its importance, not just in our country, but around the globe. For many Americans, a private water well is not just a means of drinking water, but it is also a means that they can provide sustenance for themselves and the community around them. Many private water wells are used for garden/crop irrigation. This results in filling a pantry with canned goods to enjoy over the next year or years ahead, the joy of growing beautiful flowers, or the ability to market what has been given.
Robert’s story is exactly that. As a people, we must not take for granted the luxury of having clean, safe drinking water. Water is essential to a strong community and, in this case, a self-sufficient home and farm. It also supports small businesses and strengthens economic development in rural areas. Stories like this remind us that there are people all around us looking for answers and security. In this case, it was peace of mind knowing that there is quality water for consumption and quality soil for crops. A seed of wonder can grow into so much knowledge and success. We just have to water it to find the answers.

This article was written by Brett Capps, Source Water Project Manager for Communities Unlimited’s Environmental Team, who leads our Personal Well Program. Contributions were also made by Kurt Grant, CU’s West Texas Coordinator, and William Thrasher, a Community Facilitator from our Community Sustainability Team.
Communities Unlimited’s Environmental Services Team brings decades of experience in water and wastewater management. As the southern affiliate of the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), we provide technical, managerial, and financial assistance to communities across Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.