Wells

[Ronald Crum]

I would like to information on wells, the property we purchased in Pedasi has community water, but the service is expensive. The service includes water, sewer, trash and neighborhood security all in one contract. I have been told if I have a well installed, I then can negotiate the prices of the other services or opt out of the trash and security and sewer. So my questions are how safe is the well water in Pedasi? what would I have to do to maintain the water quality? such as Iron, Hardness, Lead, Bacterial issues? How do I know what the community water service company does to address those same issues, are these water companies regulated? do they have standards to meet to insure the quality of the water? I do not want to have a well installed if the water quality is in need of chemicals and filters. I do not want to have water that is hard on the water appliances and plumbing. I do not know if I would be saving any money with a well, If then I am replacing wash machines, plumbing fixtures, water heaters, clothing. And most important my families Health. Anybody have any thoughts or opinions on this issue? Thanks Ron

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hi Ron,
Thanks for visiting the Panama Insider forum.
I’m afraid this is an issue I don’t have any personal experience with and requires technical expertise beyond my ken as Panama editor. Pedasi being a small town may not have the experts you need to test the soil/well water. This undertaking will likely require quite a lot of patience and literally pounding the pavement in Panama. You would probably need to discuss with municipal authorities in the Pedasi region and ask if they have a person/list of persons authorized to do the required surveying or analysis. If you do not speak Spanish you’ll need to take a friend or hire someone to help you translate, as it’s likely the government/water people you’ll have to deal with do not speak English. I’m just guessing here…an educated guess after my ten years in Panama…a well is nice to have as a supplement to local service, but isn’t going to save you a lot of money when you factor in the time and expense of getting this done and then upkeep. I’m sure experts recommend treating/filtering your water, no matter where in the world you live. As for the quality of the water, my guess would be that it wouldn’t be any harder or easier on your clothes and appliances than the municipal water, which is fine. In Panama, rust due to humidity and salt content in the air is usually a bigger concern when it comes to washers, dryers, stoves, etc. Opting out of trash service might also be a headache. Pedasi is as a rule kept very clean, so you would need to ensure your trash isn’t piling up. You might try reaching out to expats living in Pedasi to get their take on all this. Here are some links to expats with blogs/websites you might reach out to:

http://www.expat.com/en/blog/central-america/panama/www.mcmoller.wordpress.com
http://www.luxuryrealestate.com/profiles/60317-tedd-tennis
https://www.facebook.com/smileys.restaurante
http://www.pedasihotel.com/
https://indacampo.wordpress.com/tag/pedasi/

Best,
IL Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch

[BOB SHAPLAND]

We moved to Pedasi in December of last year and are currently renting a home that is on well water. I can say that after the water dried up in our dog’s shiny metal water dish and left a mineral film that was VERY difficult to remove, we switched to bottled water for our drinking needs. I also know that wells here cost about $25/ft to drill (this information coming from those that have had it done). We are building and will have city water at that location, but I can’t speak to the quality of the water as of yet and also know that due to drought situations that availability can be an issue for some.

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Thanks so much for sharing your insight Bob. If you’re interested in potentially being interviewed about building a home/life in Pedasi, please let me know via jramesch@internationalliving.com. Any interviews would take place by phone after April 21 as I’ll be traveling before then, but if you’re interested let me know as soon as possible so we can plan ahead. No pressure if you’re not interested or too busy now!

Best,

Jessica

Jessica Ramesch
IL Panama Editor

[BOB SHAPLAND]

Jessica,
My apologies that I’m just now seeing this. We have only been here since the middle of December, so I’m sure there are others here that would be much more qualified to speak about building and living in Pedasi. We currently are renting in El Limon, only a 5-minute drive from Pedasi. Our house is being built on the road to Playa Arenal, half way between Pedasi and the beach so we can walk either way. There are some definite frustrations in living here, but we’re adapting and are quite happy overall. I’d be happy to talk to you if you still want to.

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hi Bob,

No worries at all and thanks for the reply! Yes I’d still love to interview you, perhaps we can schedule it for next month…then you’ll have been there about six months, which would tentatively work well for one of our “first year in” pieces. If you could please either email me at jramesch@internationalliving.com or post your email here so I can email you?

Thanks again!

Jessica
IL Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch

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