WATER QUALITY MONITORING OF PROPOSED NEW WELLS / SOURCES OF SUPPLY
APPLICABLE REGULATIONS: Sections 19-13-B102(e), 19-13-B37 and 19-13-B51l of the Public Health Code (PHC),
as well as Sections 16-262m(b) and 25-33(b) of the Connecticut General Statutes (CGS) all indicate that
approval must be obtained from the DPH for any proposed new source of supply. Please refer to Public Health
Code Section 19-13-B101 which identifies the monitoring test required for new wells.
WATER QUALITY STANDARDS FOR PRIVATE WELLS
(REF. CT DPH PRIVATE WELL PROGRAM, PUBLICATION NO. 23: PRIVATE DRINKING WATER
STANDARDS, TABLE 1)
A. Bacteriological |
Standard: |
Total Coliform Bacteria |
Absent/Zero (0) per 100 ml |
Fecal Coliform or Escherichia coli |
Absent/Zero (0) per 100 ml |
B. Physical |
Standard: |
Color |
<15 C.P.U. |
Odor |
<2 Odor Threshold Number |
Turbidity |
<5 NTU |
pH |
6.4 – 10.0 S.U. |
C. Inorganic Chemicals (IOC) |
MCL or as noted (mg/l): |
Iron |
0.3 mg/l SMCL |
Hardness |
150 mg/l |
Nitrate-N |
10.0 mg/l MCL |
Nitrite-N |
1 mg/l MCL |
Chloride |
250 mg/l MCL |
Sodium |
28 mg/l notification level |
Manganese |
0.05 mg/l SMCL |
Sulfate |
250 mg/l SMCL |
Lead |
0.015 mg/l AL |
Fluoride |
4.0 mg/ |
Copper |
1.0 SMCL |
Arsenic |
0.01 mg/l |
Abbreviations:
MCL = maximum contaminant level
SMCL = secondary maximum contaminant level
AL = action level
mg/l = milligrams per liter = ppm
For a complete listing of CT DPH Standards reference the CT Department of Public Health Code section 19-13-B102(e) “Public
Drinking Water Quality Standards”.
Note: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not regulate private wells. Private well owners are responsible
for the quality of their own drinking water. Homeowners with private wells are generally not required to test their drinking water.
However, they can use the public drinking water standards as guidelines to ensure drinking water quality.