Water Tests – Does Your Agent Know?

La Pine is known for a lot of great outdoor activities and a beauty that many only dream of.  The town motto is “The Outdoors at Your Front Door.”

Most of the homes in La Pine have a domestic well for drinking water.  The water in La Pine tastes like water many people buy.  But with this water source comes a few items that an out of area REALTOR® would not know were necessary for each transaction.

Every time a home sells that is supplied water by a well the water must be tested for nitrates, ecoli, total coliform and arsenic .  The test is simple and can be done by a third party for less than $150 usually.

Many agents will suggest that the seller complete the test and take it to the lab or worse the REALTOR® will do the test themselves.  I highly recommend you not do this, hiring a third party that is neutral can save you a lot of head aches.

Ecoli and nitrates are both found in soil – if your well has a small cave in after the test it can appear that you pulled the water from a different source.  By having a neutral third party pull the water you have saved yourself the possibility of an issue.

Some lenders such as VA loans do require a flow test in addition to the State mandated tests.  It is very easy to have the same professional pull the water for the water test and do the flow test at the same time.

Many of the locals have their water tested every year or so, just to be sure of what they are drinking.