Wells are close to-if not at-the top of the list of potential household environmental hazards. How and where your well is situated is critical to the safety of the water you drink from it.

Your well should be located as far as possible from septic tanks, their field beds, fuel storage tanks, chemical storage tanks or even compost and manure piles.

Test your well every two years for bacteria, nitrates, and other trace minerals. Many county health departments conduct well tests for a minimal cost. Contact your county health department for further information on this subject.

Check your well frequently to make sure it is properly sealed along the casing to prevent surface contaminants from running down the casing and into the water supply. Completely seal unused wells.

Septic Tanks and Drain Fields Maintenance

In areas where there are no city sewers, septic tanks are used. It's important that any septic system/drain field be kept in working order. If your home includes a septic system, practice preventive maintenance. Replacement of the tank or field bed costs much more than general maintenance of the system.

• Check tank sludge every two years.
• Pump the tank when the sludge level is over one-third in volume
• Use water conservatively. Install water saving devices and run only full loads of laundry or dishes.
• Direct all surface water from the driveways and down spouts away from the drain field area.
• Keep all hair, grease, motor oils, and household chemicals away from drains and dispose of properly.
• Keep cars, excess dirt/soil, paving away from septic/drain field area.

Environmental Issues you should consider in Buying and Selling Property

Environmental issues are critical to buyer and seller alike in any real estate transaction. Most states assign strict liability to potentially responsible parties.

These parties may be defined as

• Current owners.
• Owners at the time of the contamination of land.
• Persons who arranged for the disposal, treatment, or transportation of hazardous substances.
• Persons who accepted the hazardous substances for transportation or deposit.

Many states have laws providing for recourse under an innocent purchaser defense. However, as environmental contamination becomes more commonly recognized, it is expected that a purchaser's ability to use this defense will become more difficult.

Liability for environmental damage may be mitigated or lessened by the following:

Buyers - check the history of the property. Learn what activities have taken place on a property you wish to purchase. The Home of your dreams may once have been a gas station where petroleum waste was common or it may have been constructed on or near a leaky landfill. A buyer can elect to have an inspection and accept the land as is including the acceptance of the soil, water, environmental or natural resource conditions.

Sellers - should disclose what you know. In most states sellers are required to disclose material defects in a transaction. If you have knowledge of an environmental contamination issue on a property, this material fact must be disclosed. This includes the disclosure of any limiting conditions use such as wetlands and sand dunes. Non-disclosure or knowing misrepresentation constitutes fraud. The vehicle for disclosure is a form supplied by your REALTOR and completely filled out by you at the time of listing your property for sale. For protection of both parties, the disclosure form should be signed by any potential purchaser prior to negotiation of an offer from that purchaser.

Buyers and Sellers - Consult a professional. A REALTOR can serve as a resource, but buyers and sellers should always consult with inspectors and environmental specialists to make full determination of the circumstances surrounding property conditions. Do not hesitate to hire licensed experts. A few hundred dollars spent up front for expert advice could save you thousands in the long term.