Generally, water testing is done only if there is sufficient reason to suspect that contamination is present. The following symptoms or conditions could also indicate natural problems. Any sudden changes in taste, color, or odor may indicate a problem. If you suspect that there might be a problem with the quality of your water supply, have the water tested. The use of detergents, fertilizers, pesticides, or fuels does not automatically cause contamination.
Misuse is the problem.
Ground water contamination from domestic land use is most commonly associated with septic disposal systems or improper storage, use, or disposal of household and lawn chemicals. It is important to carefully follow the directions on labels, heed all warnings, and properly dispose of hazardous substances. The use of farm fertilizers, pesticides, and animal-waste lagoons has caused some contamination of shallow aquifers, but when agricultural chemicals are used and stored properly, it is rare for them to reach ground water supplies in amounts that cause problems. In many cases of contamination involving wells located near agricultural land, contamination can be traced to spills that occurred during the preparation, mixing, or handling of chemicals before application or from infiltration of rinse water used to clean application equipment or tanks. All chemicals should be stored safely and far from water sources.