**This page on the Virginia Department of Health’s Private Well Program’s website** is a first-rate source of answers to common questions about well ownership.

Many homeowners in Wintergreen rely on wells for water. It’s not unusual. (In Virginia, about 1.6 million people rely on water from private wells.)

Two municipal-type water utilities serve Wintergreen, which regularly test and treat water to remove contaminants to meet state regulations. Private water supplies, such as wells, are completely the responsibility of the owner, however.

The YouTube video here titled “What to Know When Buying a Home with a Well and Septic System in Virginia” outlines important components of water wells and recommendations for testing water quality, and if needed, remediating problems. Basic septic system function, care and maintenance is also covered. The video was produced by the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Household Water Quality Program.

The Virginia Household Water Quality Program offers annual well water testing. In Nelson County, call 434-263-7180 for details. This annual testing done by state labs is not free and the number of test kits available are limited.

Also, a Virginia commercial lab in Mechanicsville offers water testing; the sampling kits can be had at any time for the asking at Wintergreen Hardware in Nellysford.

Testing well water can help homeowners decide if they should consider some type of in-house water-treatment process such as water filtration, disinfection, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet technology, or some other type of treatment. Most professional plumbers can advise you on the types of systems that can be installed in your home.