1. Always use licensed water well drillers and pump installers when a well is constructed, a pump is installed, or the system is serviced. An annual well maintenance check, including a bacterial test, is recommended. Any source of drinking water should be checked any time there is a change in taste, odor or appearance, or anytime a water supply system is serviced.
2. Keep hazardous chemicals, such as paint, fertilizer, pesticides and motor oil away from your well. Periodically check the well cover or well cap on top of the casing (well) to ensure it is in good repair.
3. Always maintain proper separation between your well and buildings, waste systems, or chemical storage facilities. Your professional contractor knows the rules. Don't allow back-siphonage. When mixing pesticides, fertilizers or other chemicals, don't put the hose inside the tank or container. When landscaping, keep the top of your well at least 16 inches above the ground. Slope the ground away from your well for proper drainage.
4. Take care in working or mowing around your well. A damaged casing or lid could jeopardize the sanitary protection of your well. Don't pile snow, leaves or other materials around your well. Keep your MOE well records in a safe place, it is a legal document. Be aware of changes in your well, the area around your well, or the water it provides.
5. When your well has come to the end of its serviceable life (usually more than 40 years), have your qualified water well contractor properly abandon your well after constructing your new system.

When well owners try to service their own wells, they usually fail to solve the problem or make it worse. Qualified professional water well system contractors use specialized equipment, materials, and techniques to keep well systems operational and water supplies safe.

Moreover, every time a well owner removes a well cap and attempts to service the well in some way, there's the potential to unwittingly introduce bacterial or other contamination into the well. There's also the potential for dropping objects (tools for instance) into the well, getting the pump stuck in an effort to replace it, or even electrocution when working with submersible pumps.

It's always best to contact a qualified licensed professional water well systems contractor to conduct any kind of service on your well.