Free template · updated November 3, 2026

Well water instructions for guests (template)

Guests on well water usually have one question: can we drink it? Then come the others: why does it smell a little like eggs, why is it brown after a storm, and why did it stop when the power went out?

This template answers them in order, with clear placeholders for your latest water test, any filter and what drinking water you provide. Don't guess on drinking safety; only say the water is safe if it's been tested.

The template

Replace anything in [brackets] with your own details.

About the water

This home gets its water from a private well, not the town supply.

Drinking water

[Choose one: The tap water was last tested on [Date] and is safe to drink. / The kitchen tap has a filter and is fine for drinking, cooking and brushing teeth. / Please don't drink the tap water. Bottled or jug water is at [Location] and you can refill it at [Place]].
For babies' formula, please use [Bottled water / boiled and cooled tap water, as you'd normally do].

What's normal

The water may taste or smell different from what you're used to: [e.g. a faint sulphur smell from the hot tap, which is harmless and fades if you run it].
You may hear the pump click on when you run a tap. That's normal.

Saving water

The well can run low with lots of use. Shorter showers and spreading out laundry and dishwasher loads help a lot.
[Drought or summer note, e.g. in dry spells, please skip washing cars or watering anything].

If the power goes out

The well pump needs electricity, so taps will stop working during a power cut.
Drinking water for emergencies: [Location]. Water for flushing: [Location, e.g. the blue barrel by the back door; pour a bucket into the toilet bowl to flush].

If something goes wrong

Brown, cloudy or gritty water: run the cold tap in the bathtub for a few minutes. If it doesn't clear, please don't drink it and text us.
Low pressure or no water with the power on: please don't touch the pump or tank; text [Host name] at [Host phone].
A sudden change in taste, colour or smell: please stop drinking it and let us know.

Tips

Test your well water regularly and only tell guests it's drinkable if a recent test says so.
Leave bottled or jug water for drinking even if the water is safe; guests often prefer it.
Explain the power-cut effect; many guests don't know a well pump needs electricity.
Describe any harmless smell or colour up front so guests don't worry.
Store emergency drinking and flushing water if you lose power often.

Put it on one guest page instead of a binder

Keegix turns your welcome book into one link and a QR sign by the door. Upload the binder you already have and AI drafts the page in about a minute, or paste this template in. Free forever for one property.

Upload my binder, free See a sample guest page

Questions

Is well water safe for Airbnb guests to drink?

Only if it's been tested and meets drinking water standards where you are. If you're unsure, provide bottled water and say so clearly.

Why does well water smell like rotten eggs?

A sulphur smell often comes from hydrogen sulphide in the groundwater or the water heater. It's common, but test the water if it's new or getting worse.

Why is there no water when the power goes out?

Most wells use an electric pump. Without power the pump stops, so taps run dry until the power comes back unless there's a generator.

More free templates

All house manual instructions · Every free template

Free to use

Copy it, change it, print it, use it with any platform. Sharing it with a host group, on a blog or in a forum? A link back to this page helps other hosts find the latest version:

https://keegix.com/house-manual/well-water/