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The hurricane has passed and it is time to get back to a normal life at home. But before you turn on the tap to grab a drink of water that came from your well, there is something you should do first. As a private well owner, the first thing that must be done after a hurricane and its flooding rains have passed is to have your well water tested for contaminants before you use it in your home. Many homeowners disregard this guideline and end up with major problems with water quality that can make their family sick. Here is a look at some of the reasons why you should have your well water tested after a hurricane. 

Large amounts of rainfall can bring agricultural runoff into your well. 

If there is agricultural property anywhere close to your own, it is of the utmost importance to have your well water quality tested after any instance of heavy rain. Farms commonly use agents on their crops that have no business being in your drinking water, such as:

• Crop fertilizing agents
• Pesticides for pest control
• Soil stabilizers 

When the heavy rain from a hurricane comes down, it can wash some of these components into your neighborhood and into your water well. Therefore, contact a water well service to have your water tested before consumption to be safe. 

Hurricanes can bring damage to septic systems and contamination to your well. 

Whether it is high levels of rainwater or wind that causes a tree to fall and rupture a septic tank, there are all kinds of opportunities in a hurricane that can cause damage to a home's septic system. Unfortunately, when this happens, much of that raw sewage seeps into the ground, and this can make its way into your water system. Raw sewage poses a particular bilogical threat because of the bacteria and organisms that can live in it. 

Heavy rain can drastically change the underlying water tables that feed your well. 

When a hurricane sweeps through a particular area, it can bring with it massive amounts of rainwater. All of this water does make its way into the ground or into nearby streams and waterways, but it can also disrupt the water tables beneath the ground. The change in water flow can also change where the water that feeds your well is flowing from, which can mean the water is contaminated when before it would have been perfectly safe.