E. coli is a specific type of coliform bacteria that lives in the intestines of animals and people. Its presence in a well means fecal contamination has reached your drinking water — either from a nearby source (septic, agriculture, wildlife) or through a compromised well cap or grout seal.
Stop drinking the water and stop using it for cooking, brushing teeth, or making ice.
Boil water for at least one full minute if you must use it for cooking or drinking in the short term.
Do not shock-chlorinate a household plumbing system without knowing what you're doing — it can push contaminated water deeper into a treatment system.
Contact WellInsight so we can retest, help identify the source, and design a proper remediation plan.
A cracked or missing well cap that lets surface water in.
A failing septic system upgradient of the well.
Nearby livestock or wildlife activity, especially after heavy rain.
A shallow well or an older hand-dug well with an inadequate grout seal.
Real remediation is a sequence: identify and fix the source, shock-chlorinate the well and plumbing, then retest until two consecutive samples come back clean. In most cases we also recommend a UV disinfection system as a permanent barrier — it kills bacteria and viruses without chemicals and is essentially maintenance-free aside from an annual lamp change.
Not sure what your results mean or which treatment fits your home? Contact us at WellInsight for a plain-English walkthrough of your options.
Don't panic — and don't wait. Contact us and we'll walk you through the next steps and get you back to safe water.
