Is well water safe to drink?
For many homeowners in and around Houston, well water feels like the natural choice because it’s fresh, independent, and free from city utilities. But if your home relies on a private well, it’s important to remember one thing: well water safety isn’t guaranteed just because it looks or tastes clean.
Unlike city water, which is treated and tested regularly, private wells are your responsibility.
What’s in your water can change quietly over time.
Why Well Water Isn’t Automatically “Pure”
Groundwater can absorb substances from the soil, rocks, and surface runoff around it. Even deep wells can be affected by contaminants that seep into aquifers.
In the Greater Houston area, the most common issues found in well water include:
Iron and manganese: Cause orange or brown staining, metallic taste, and clogged plumbing.
Sulfur: Creates a “rotten egg” odor from hydrogen sulfide gas.
Bacteria and coliform: Indicate possible contamination from animal waste or septic systems.
Nitrates: Enter groundwater from fertilizers and pose risks for infants and pregnant women.
Hardness: High calcium and magnesium content that damages appliances and dries out skin.
Arsenic and other trace metals: Naturally occurring elements that can reach unsafe levels in some wells.
Many of these contaminants are invisible, tasteless, and odorless which is why testing is so important.
How Often Should You Test Your Well Water?
The EPA recommends testing private wells at least once a year for bacteria, nitrates, and other common contaminants like arsenic.
You should also test immediately if you notice:
Changes in taste, color, or odor
Frequent plumbing or appliance issues
Family health symptoms like stomach discomfort or skin irritation
Flooding, construction, or drilling activity near your property
Because Houston’s water table and soil composition vary widely, even neighbors can have completely different well water conditions.
How to Make Well Water Safe to Drink
If your test results show contaminants, don’t panic, this is very common.
The right water treatment system can make your well water cleaner and safer than bottled water!
Common solutions include:
Whole-Home Filtration Systems
Water Softeners
Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) Systems
A professional can test, diagnose, and design the best combination for your specific water conditions.
Why Environmental ProTech
At Environmental ProTech, we’ve been testing and treating Houston well water for over 30 years. We understand local water chemistry, common well problems, and how to build long-term solutions, not just quick fixes.
Here’s what sets us apart:
In-home water testing for immediate results
Certified lab testing options for advanced diagnostics
Custom-designed systems tailored to your well’s chemistry
Expert installation and lifetime support from Houston’s trusted water team
We treat every well as if it were our own, because your family deserves to know exactly what’s in your water.
And be able to drink, bathe, and live confidently with the water you use and consume every day.
What customers are saying…
PS. We have over 30 years experience in bringing clean water to the Houston Homeowners. Our reviews speak for themselves! If you want clean drinking water from your faucet, contact us at 281-495-4420 to schedule your free water test today.