The use of private well water poses a serious health risk. Businesses, particularly restaurants, schools and preschools, should definitely avoid using well water to prepare food, wash hands or utensils, as this puts staff, patrons and especially children at serious risk of contracting water-borne diseases.

The Water and Sewerage Corporation treats and monitors its water to ensure that international standards are met and that our water is safe to drink. That is our promise to you our customers.

Our responsibility doesn’t rest there, safe disposal of sewage is also our concern, and we recognize our duty to assist in monitoring and enforcing any laws that seek to protect our already fragile environment from further damage.

Question: Do you use water from a private well to:
• Wash your hands
• Bathe or brush your teeth
• Wash clothing or dishes
• Rinse fruits vegetable or other foods that can be eaten raw

If you answered yes, here are some facts you should know :
Most wells in New Providence contain pollutants including:
• Germs found in untreated sewage from cesspits. Septic tank and out houses
• Chemicals like laundry detergent and bathroom cleaners that are used in households and dumped down drains into septic tanks and soak-a-ways
• Lawn fertilizers, paints and solvents, engine oil, gasoline and engine coolants
• Substances produced by rotting garbage that eventually soak into soil
• Industrial or commercial waste such as commercial cleaners, manufacturing waste or by-products

Chlorine is an effective disinfectant that kills germs in water, provided that it is administered properly and in the right doses, however:
• Most chlorine treatment systems that are sold for home use don’t work continuously to disinfect water. The chlorine is added at intervals and the chlorine levels can be high just after the chlorine is added, then drop below effective levels at other times.
• Many contaminants are odorless and tasteless. Some chemical contaminants are present in such tiny amounts that only expensive and sophisticated equipment can detect them.
• An effective chlorine treatment will kill germs –but it can’t get rid of chemical pollution. Removing chemical contaminants can be time-consuming, expensive and sometimes impossible. The best solution is to get water from a non-polluted source.

Ground water contaminated with bacteria, chemicals, pesticides, gasoline or oil can cause serious health problems.
• You can get sick by drinking it or coming into contact with it. Illnesses can include diseases like Hepatitis A, gastroenteritis, nervous system disorders, liver kidney failure or cancer.

Water Saving Tips:
• Don’t wash or rinse dishes or clothing under running water Catch a sink full of water instead
• Use a sink full of water to rinse vegetables or prepare food
• Turn off water while brushing your teeth or shaving
• Don’t wash your car under a running hose or play with hoses and sprinklers on a hot day
• Invest in good quality fixtures and check regularly for even the smallest drips. Change washers regularly
• Take shorter showers and switch to a low flow showerhead
• Use you automatic washing machine or dishwasher only for full loads
• Water your lawn in the early mornings and only when it needs it. Plant drought tolerant trees and shrubs
• Use a rake or a broom instead of a hose to clear gutters, driveways and sidewalks of leaves and debris
• Don’t use a toilet as a trashcan to flush away tissues, cigarette butts, bits of paper
• To reduce the amount of water in the tank and used per flush, fill a few plastic soap or laundry bottles with water to weight them and put them in the toilet tank. Be careful not to put these bottles where they can jam the flushing mechanism and don’t’ reduce the volume of water so much that you end up flushing twice
• Identify the location of the main shut-off valve to your property and all the shut off valves in your house, show them to family members. You all need to know how to shut off the water supply to a burst heater, or to the house

For additional information, please contact us:
Tel: 302-5600 Customer Service 8:30 am - 5:00 pm M-F
Tel: 235-0505 Emergency Complaints
Tel: 325-4504 After 5:30 pm
Web: wsc.com.bs