Contaminates such as iron and sand will clog pipelines. Well water with high iron content may have problems with iron bacteria forming a red, slimy mass that can clog well screens and require periodic treatment with chlorine. Some wells produce considerable amounts of sand. A sand separator should be installed at the beginning of a pipeline in such a case. Sand separators are available through suppliers of trickle irrigation equipment.
Sulfur waters are corrosive and have a bad odor.
Rural water is a reliable source but may be too costly for large livestock operations. However, consider connection to the rural source as a backup supply. Backflow prevention valves shall be used to prevent contamination of the rural water supply. In most cases, rural water districts require an air gap because backflow valves are not safe enough. Laboratories for water quality tests at the University of Missouri-Columbia Many commercial laboratories provide testing for water quality.