Buying an Acreage with a Well and Septic in Alberta: What to Check

An acreage in the foothills gives you space, quiet and room for horses, a shop or a big garden. It also comes with two systems most city homes don't have: a private water well and a private septic system. Both work well when they're in good shape, and both can be expensive to fix if they aren't. Here's what we suggest checking before you buy an acreage in Water Valley, Cochrane, Mountain View County or Rocky View County.

1. The water well: quantity and quality

Quantity. Ask how the well performs and whether the seller has a recent flow or yield test. A test by a qualified water well contractor shows whether the well can keep up with your household, and with animals, a garden or a shop if you plan to have them.

Quality. Have the water tested for bacteria (total coliforms and E. coli) and for chemistry such as nitrates, hardness, iron and sodium. Alberta Health Services can tell you how to test private well water. If there's a water treatment system, ask what it treats and how it's maintained.

Records. Many wells are listed in the Alberta Water Well Information Database, which can show when a well was drilled, how deep it is and what the driller recorded. Ask the seller for any well reports, pump service records and past water tests.

Use. Water for one household generally doesn't need a licence. Other uses, such as watering larger numbers of livestock or irrigation, may need approval from the province, so check before you count on them.

2. The septic system

Ask what type of system the property has (for example a tank with a field, or a mound), how old it is and when the tank was last pumped. Ask for any permit records from the original installation.

A septic inspection by a qualified professional can show whether the tank and field are working as they should. Find out where the tank, field and well are on the property. Setbacks between them matter, and so does knowing where not to build or park heavy equipment.

3. Put it in your offer

Water and septic checks take time to book, so build them into your offer as conditions, along with financing, home inspection and insurance. That gives you time to test the water, inspect the septic and decide with the facts in hand.

4. Don't forget the rest of the land

• Check the county land use district and permits for the house, shop and outbuildings.
• Review the title for easements, utility rights-of-way and surface leases.
• Confirm road access, who maintains the road and how good the internet and cell service are.

Thinking about an acreage?

We help buyers and sellers with acreages and rural property across the foothills every day. See our buying and selling checklists for the full list, read about living in Mountain View County and Rocky View County, or call or text Adam at 403-969-6991.

This article is general information, not legal or technical advice. Talk to qualified professionals about any specific property.