Well Care and Water Testing By Wellcare®

Most of the words of wisdom below come verbatem directly from an E-Newsletter sent to me by the Well Owners Network:

Remember regular well maintenance is an important part of keeping your drinking water clean and pure and your well operating at peak performance.

WELL INSPECTION

You should keep all well records (testing, maintenance, and repair) with your original well log. If you don't have a well log (also known as a water well record or drilling report), ask your well contractor for a copy or contact the wellcare® Hotline for assistance.

Inspect your well head several times a year. Check the condition of the well cap and casing to make sure all are in good repair, leaving no cracks or other entry points for potential pollutants. Keep debris, chemicals, and decorations away from your well head.

Have the well system, including the pump, tank, pipes and valves, and water flow inspected every 10 years by a licensed well contractor. If you have no
inspection record and cannot determine the age of the well, have it inspected immediately.

If you need assistance locating a well contractor in your area, contact the wellcare® Hotline at 1-888-395-1033 or view our wellcare® information sheet on Selecting a Well Contractor Click here!


WATER TESTING

At a minimum, your water should be tested every year for bacteria, the most common water quality problem. Other tests may be recommended, depending on where you live and what is located near your drinking water supply.

For example, if your well is in an area of intensive agricultural use, test for nitrates and pesticides commonly used in that region. If you have problems with taste, odor, staining or color of your water, then test levels of iron, manganese, sulfate, and tannins.

Testing more than once a year may be warranted in special situations:
• someone in your household is pregnant or nursing
• there are unexplained illnesses in the family
• your neighbors find a dangerous contaminant in their water
• you note a change in water taste, odor, color or clarity
• there is a spill of chemicals or fuels into or near your well
To get more information on local water testing recommendations and to obtain a list of state certified water testing laboratories in your area contact your local or state health department or the wellcare® Hotline at 1-888-395-1033. Keep a copy of your water test results with your well log.

If you have questions on your test results, contact the wellcare® Hotline or view our wellcare® information sheet on Understanding Drinking Water Test Results Click here!

WATER TREATMENT

You should always test your drinking water
before installing any water treatment device. The more you know about the quality of your water and what treatment may be needed, the more likely you will be to avoid unnecessary, costly or inappropriate equipment. If you already have a water treatment device you should test your treated water annually to make sure the device is working properly.

Always follow the inspection and maintenance schedule provided by your water treatment device manufacturer or water treatment professional. Treatment
systems must be properly maintained to ensure water quality. Create a treatment maintenance log and keep it with your well log.

For more information on drinking water treatment contact your local water treatment professional or view our wellcare® information sheets on

Drinking Water Treatments
Drinking Water Treatment Devices
Drinking Water Treatments & Costs


SEPTIC SYSTEMS

Don't forget your septic system! Your septic system, just like your water well system, needs a regularly scheduled maintenance program. Create a septic maintenance log and keep it with your well log.

Inspect your septic tank each year for capacity and leaks. Have your tank pumped out as needed, usually every three to five years. Frequency of pumping depends on demand which is based on the number of people in the household and the size of the tank. Repair the tank or drainfield system as needed to prevent leaks.

A poorly maintained wastewater treatment system poses a serious threat to the quality of your drinking water and can require expensive repairs. The cost of pumping a septic tank is far less than the expense of replacing one.

For more information on maintaining a septic system contact your septic service or to receive the kind of information provided here in this newsletter where you will find tips to help you through the maintenance process, contact the wellcare® Hotline at 1-888-395-1033. Wellcare® Well Owners Network members have access to the wellcare® Hotline, a free, friendly service that can answer your well and well water questions.

FHA TAKES ADDITIONAL STEPS

"Earlier this week, FHA announced that it is increasing FHA mortgage insurance premiums. Upfront premiums will be increasing by 0.75% on all loans. Annual premiums on loans less than $625,500 will increase by 0.10%. The increased premiums will affect all case numbers assigned on or after April 1, 2012. Annual premiums on loans exceeding $625,500 will increase by 0.10%, for all case numbers assigned on or after April 1, 2012 and by an additional 0.25% effective with case numbers assigned on or after June 1, 2012. An FHA mortgagee letter will be published soon with details.", shared by Kathleen Dartez with RE/MAX 100.

FOR RELEASE
Monday
February 27, 2012


FHA TAKES ADDITIONAL STEPS TO BOLSTER CAPITAL RESERVES
New premium structure will help protect FHA’s MMI fund

WASHINGTON – As part of ongoing efforts to encourage the return of private capital in the residential mortgage market and strengthen the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund, Acting FHA Commissioner Carol Galante today announced a new premium structure for FHA-insured single family mortgage loans. FHA will increase its annual mortgage insurance premium (MIP) by 0.10 percent for loans under $625,500 and by 0.35 percent for loans above that amount. Upfront premiums (UFMIP) will also increase by 0.75 percent.

These premium changes will impact new loans insured by FHA beginning in April and June of 2012. Details will soon be published in a Mortgagee Letter to FHA-approved lenders.

“After careful analysis of the market and the health of the MMI fund, we have determined that it is appropriate to increase mortgage insurance premiums in order to help protect our capital reserves and to continue encouraging the return of private capital to the housing market,” said Galante. “These modest increases are one of several measures we are taking towards meeting the Congressionally mandated two percent reserve threshold, while allowing FHA to remain a valuable option for low- to moderate-income borrowers.”

The Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 requires FHA to increase the annual MIP it collects by 0.10 percent. This change is effective for case numbers assigned on or after April 1, 2012. FHA is also exercising its statutory authority to add an additional 0.25 percent to mortgages exceeding $625,500. This change is effective for case numbers assigned on or after June 1, 2012.

The UFMIP will be increased from 1 percent to 1.75 percent of the base loan amount. This increase applies regardless of the amortization term or LTV ratio. FHA will continue to permit financing of this charge into the mortgage. This change is effective for case numbers assigned on or after April 1, 2012.

FHA estimates that the increase to the upfront premium will cost new borrowers an average of approximately $5 more per month. These marginal increases are affordable for nearly all homebuyers who would qualify for a new mortgage loan. Borrowers already in an FHA-insured mortgage, Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), and special loan programs outlined in FHA’s forthcoming Mortgagee Letter will not be impacted by the pricing changes announced today.

Taken together, these premium changes will enable FHA to increase revenues at a time that is critical to the ongoing stability of its Mutual Mortgage Insurance (MMI) Fund, contributing more than $1 billion to the Fund, based on current volume projections through Fiscal Year 2013.

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