Private Wells & Cisterns
Well Maintenance & Water Testing
Contact Us
For more information
Call 905-546-2489 or
Email [email protected]
Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Well owners are responsible for the condition of their well and proper maintenance.
As your well ages, it may become damaged and allow harmful contaminants into your drinking water. Proper maintenance includes:
- ongoing observation of the state of the well, pump and other equipment
- keeping surface water or foreign materials from entering the well (e.g., making sure the well cap is securely in place)
- ensuring the minimum casing height, usually 40 cm, above the surface of the well is maintained
- preventing contamination of the well from things such as vehicles, manure, pet waste, pesticides, salt or fertilizer
- noticing changes in the appearance of the water such as colour, taste or odour, especially after a rainstorm or snow melt
- testing water quality at least three times a year
- ensuring your septic tank system works properly and is pumped regularly
- identifying abnormal sounds which could indicate wear on the well’s pump, waterlines, electrical cables and associated equipment
- verifying the pump’s efficiency – if the pump is continually running or losing pressure it may be a sign of a crack or hole in the waterlines
Read about best practices for maintenance of wells or pick up a copy of Best Practices for Well Maintenance at the Public Health Lab - 250 Fennell Avenue West, Hamilton.
Check the directory of licensed well contractors before you get work done on your well.
Public Health Ontario (PHO) offers free drinking water testing to individuals who rely on private drinking water systems such as wells or cisterns. Private water samples are tested to detect E. coli and total coliform bacteria, which are indicators of contamination.
To ensure your water is safe to drink, Hamilton Public Health Services recommends testing your private water supply at least three times each year. Approximately 28% of water samples from private residential wells and cisterns in Hamilton had unsafe levels of bacteria in 2023.
Please ensure sample submissions are from private drinking water sources such as wells, cisterns, or treated lake water. Water samples from untreated surface water, such as lakes, streams, and ponds, will not be accepted.
Testing kits are available for pick up at Municipal Service Centres and the additional locations below.
| TESTING KIT LOCATIONS | PICK-UP | DROP-OFF | AVAILABILITY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal Service Centre - 300 Wilson Street East, Ancaster | yes | yes | year-round |
| Copetown General Store - 2012 Governors Road, Copetown | yes | no | year-round |
| Municipal Service Centre - 60 Main Street, Dundas | yes | yes | year-round |
| Municipal Service Centre - 163 Dundas Street East, Waterdown | yes | yes | year-round |
| 97 General Store - 1817 Regional Road 97, Valens | yes | no | year-round |
| Carlisle Post Office - Centre Road, Carlisle, Ontario | yes | no | year-round |
| Rockton Berry Farm - 621 Highway 8, Rockton, Ontario | yes | no | year-round |
| Lynden Post Office - 94 Lynden Road, Lynden, Ontario | yes | no | year-round |
| Municipal Service Centre - 4280 Binbrook Road, Glanbrook, Ontario | yes | yes | year-round |
| Public Health Lab - 250 Fennell Avenue West, Hamilton | yes | yes | year-round |
| Hamilton City Hall - 71 Main Street West, Hamilton | yes | yes | year-round |
| Municipal Service Centre - 777 Highway 8, Stoney Creek, Ontario | yes | yes | year-round |
| Highland Country Markets - 432 Highland Road East, Stoney Creek | yes | no | year-round |
- Municipal Service Centres are open Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
- The Public Health Lab is open Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4 pm.
- Hours for additional locations vary.
Use the sample bottle provided by PHO to collect a water sample. Follow the instructions that come with the bottle closely for accurate results. Be sure to keep it refrigerated.
Visit www.publichealthontario.ca/WaterPortal to submit your information and sample details into an online, electronic form. Be sure to keep your barcode.
You may also complete the paper form provided in the test kit and indicate whether you prefer to pick up a hard copy of your results or have them mailed to you.
Be sure to drop off your sample as soon as possible.
Bring your water sample to one of the locations that accepts drop-off’s listed above within 48 hours of collecting the sample. Keep the water sample cool while you bring it in for testing. Sample freshness is essential for accurate test results.
Within two to four business days, you can access your online report by returning to the portal and entering your barcode and last name. You will be able to immediately access and download, save and/or print your full test report.
If you completed the paper form provided in the testing kit, you will either pick up your water test results or have them mailed to your home. You may also follow the instructions on the blue card enclosed with your testing kit to get your test results from the automated telephone system.
If you are uncertain how to interpret your test results, please call 905-546-2189 or email [email protected] to speak with a public health inspector.
How often to test well water
If you have not tested water from your private drinking water supply for over a year, we recommend you test it immediately:
- Follow instructions above for how to test your private drinking water supply. Take three water samples at least one week apart.
- If you have water treatment devices attached to your plumbing, you may choose to submit two drinking water samples: one from a tap used for drinking water and the other sample from a location prior to treatment. This helps determine the level of bacteria not only in your tap water, but also in your source water.
After the initial testing, we recommend you test your well at least three times during the year:
- immediately after the snow melts in spring
- in the middle of summer
- in the fall
The quality of your private water supply may vary throughout the year, especially during periods of heavy rain.
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