Private wells have pros and cons.  When you buy a property in the Sequim area, you will either be on a public water system, a community water system, or your own private well.  

Private Wells in Sequim

If you have your own well, you control it and you know what goes into your water and what does not.  When you buy a home you will most likely want to have the well tested for water volume and quality (bacteria and nitrates).  If there is any indication of microscopic bacteria, you will have the well chlorinated, and that typically solves that problem.

Community Private Wells

In some areas on the Olympic Peninsula, two or more properties will share one or more private wells.  That’s fine if the water produces sufficient volume, and provided the parties have a written well maintenance agreement and they all get along.  There are a few subdivisions in the Sequim area that have large community water systems for hundreds of users. Any community well must comply with Washington State Department of Health standards, and must pass an annual test.

Private Wells vs. Public Water Systems

Sequim doesn’t have industrial pollution like some major metropolitan areas or industrial areas of the country.  Our source of water comes from the Olympic Mountains, and there is no industrial activity up there at all.  It is some of the purest water in the country.  We are lucky that our private wells are so good.

Public waters systems are typically chlorinated, but if that is always done, that can be a health hazard, so there are some health benefits to private wells.  In addition, the cost of using your private well is only the electric bill associated with running the pump, and that is a very small bill.  You’ll have maintenance, but even that is rare.  If the pump goes out, you’ll have to replace it, but that is a rare event too.  [Real more about The Safety of Private Wells.]

I would choose private wells over public water systems any day.

Last Updated on September 20, 2019 by Chuck Marunde