Here in the North Country, there are plenty of waterfront properties available. However, these homes and properties can have different instances of where their water comes from. For most waterfront properties, there is a shore well which is different from a normal inland well. A shore well draws on the surface water of the nearest body of water, in this case Lake Ontario. It is important to have some sort of filtration system in place such as a covered stone-filled trench. The trench drains the water into a storage tank so more water is available at once. The soil around the well only provides minimal filtration so water tests should be done to check the quality and sanitation of the water.
If you buy a property with a shore well, a certification of the flow rate will be very helpful to know. The flow rate is the rate at which water can be taken from the well without lowering supply that may be available to your household. This information can usually be found out form the seller of the home, or from neighbors with similar situations. Your potential neighbors can let you know how dependable the well systems are in that area. It is important to gain information from these outside sources because the water levels of Lake Ontario fluctuate so often throughout the year. Fairly low levels can leave some wells completely dry, which is crucial to know before purchasing a property where this might occur.
However, other issues often occur with shore wells that you as a buyer should be made aware of. The water quality cannot be checked just once, but must be checked quite frequently because contamination is so common. Water testing kits can be bought and you may perform the tests yourself instead of hiring professionals. Sterilizing equipment may need to be used such as an ultraviolet light to eliminate contaminants, mainly bacteria. Of course, there are other water options available, but shore wells are most common in the North Country. Please speak to your BridgeView agent about these water options today!