I posted about water heaters a while back and brought up the topic of our well water. I’ve contacted the best plumber in our town and not received what I think is good advice. I live in rural Kansas and people here put up with a lot. The plumber is just a reflection of that.
He suggested I chlorinate the well by hand every three weeks, three times, to reduce the algae content, and then follow up every two months. This should work but I’m not sure I want to spend this much time on this.
It could be done with a well chlorinator and a filter to protect our watersoftener as you suggested.
Can I get the equipment and install it myself? I’m willing to learn about this.
I haven’t gone to the well owner sites you suggested. I’ll do that first.
Replies
Are you sure your problem is "algae"? Algae are photosynthetic and need sunlight. Sounds more like bacteria or fungi to me.
I think it was iron bacteria, aka... iron algae that he was referring to in his intial post........or at least that was a part of the discussion line.
Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.
Yes, you can likely install the components yourself. If you can safely and appropriately accomplish the wiring to drive the chlorinator and are familiar with installing plumbing pipe, it shouldn't be a big brain teaser or difficult.
Can't remember the exact info you included regarding your problem and water contents/problems/conditions. If you can find and post the link to the initial thread would be a big help.
Now I'm gonna say this lest I should forget at a later date.........when wiring up the chlorinator........DO NOT hook up to the well controller box if you have one, as the source of power for the chlorinator. The voltage from the motor capacitors inside there will fry your chlorinator. Rather hook up to the load-side terminals of the pressure switch which is "upstream"/prior to the well pump controller.
The suggested periodic introduction of some chlorine tablets isn't going to wipe out or control the growth or prescence of iron algae. Been there, done that. Waste of time and energy. Lots of folks around here have tried that, too. Same result. Hell, I dumped some pellets in every single morning for over a year and couldn't control it that way, either. It requires a constant adequate level of chlorine 24/7/365.
I'm not sure how to do that link thing. I'll try tonight.
david,
I found the initial thread back and reviewed what was discussed.
By the way......posting the thread link isn't tough at all. Look for the thread number in the upper corner of the message box, place your cursor on it and right click, choose "copy link location"(I'm using Netscape so your choices may vary a bit). Then just right click inside your current message box and choose paste. Despairo will do the rest when you post.
And yes, you can acquire the equipment, but you'll likely have to acquire it through a plumbing supply house. Some manufacturers of the equipment (few) will sell direct to Joe 6-pack, some plumbing houses will sell direct to Joe 6-pack, but some will only sell to licensed plumbers. So if you can't find one that will sell direct to you, you'll be forced to purchase through a local plumber.
Can you sweat pipe, wire and innovate with things constructural? The latter may come in handy when it comes time to mount your chlorinator over the well casing.
Here's a link you may find helpful. As you'll see, successful water treatment is contingent on numerous factors.
http://www.goodwaterco.com/e-comprob.phtml
Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.
Edited 10/28/2003 8:16:41 PM ET by GOLDHILLER
how about a water sample to the state extension service.
That most definitely would be the appropriate thing to do if one doesn't already know what's in there. I think I recommended this to David during the initial exchange and that Goodwater link above emphasizes it also. Successful attempts at treatment means you need to know what your quarry is, what is contained in the water that will aid you in your efforts and what may interfere.
Sometimes the local well-drilling outfit can tell you what's in the water in your immediate area and the average concentration of it because they've tested so many of the wells. Then again, I've seen some components, like arsenic that can vary dramatically in wells that sit as close as 1/8 mile to one another. One well I know of contains 78PPB of aresenic in the raw water while that neighboring well contains only 5.7 PPB. Guess which guy was happy and which one wasn't.
For less than $80 around here you can usually test for those elements of the most concern; Ph, iron, bacteria, fecal coliforms, nitrates, sulphur, heavy metals including arsenic, etc. The results of the test will guide you to the appropriate approach and treatment equipment.
We used to be able to take a water sample from a private well into the water treatment facility of the county seat and they'd run a very comprehensive battery of tests on it for no charge. Unfortunately, not anymore.
Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.
I'm your typical jack of all trades and master of none kind of guy.
I can get the parts through a plumbing supply house. I've bought two pressure assist toilets from them.
i
I had the same problem when I first drilled my well. The iron bacteria was so high it registered off the scale. To begin with, plumbers are not normally very highly educated or trained professionals, they are tradesmen. They simply install the pipes and stuff. I happen to be a hydrogeologist and my fiance also happens to be a water quality technician, so I can say I speak with some degree of confidence when I tell you to pour several gallons of bleach down your well; pump out several hundered gallons (first push in the by-pass valve on your "softener"); and get yourself a good UV light! I also would recommend you get rid of any cheap salt "softener" system and invest in a Rainsoft unit. They make the best equipment and have the best service on the market. I know, I tested several dozen manufacturers systems for a client with a major contamination problem. They had to remediate nearly 10,000 home owners water supplies across several states and the homeowners and EPA were adamant that whatever was used had to be the ultimate best. The company actually made sure their water was better than what they ever had before the contamination occured.
PS: Your plumber did have enough sense to realize the capabilities of chlorine in the well, but your problem may clear up after the first "shock" you pour in. It is very much along the same idea of "shocking" a swimming pool or hot tub.
It's my understanding that the black algae just retreats into the nooks and crannies of the well and also has a jell that it forms in order to protect itself. I did shock it a couple of times to have it come back again. I believe that it is a chronic condition that needs to be managed.
What does the UV light do? I've heard of them being used but am not sure what for.
I've invested in large capacity water softener already. It's doing it's job I think. I get soap bubbles pretty easily in the sink and such. The softener doesn't take care of the black algae.
UV light kills the bacteria,viruses, algae and fungi. It is standard equipment in disinfecting home or commercial water supplies. As for your purchase of a large "softener" system - well that was exactly as I mentioned. Whoever sold you that system just took a lot of your money for very litle return that truly doesn't soften your water. If they were truly a water quality company they would have properly tested your well water and installed the right equipment to do the job. The most important piece of equipment that anyone should have on a water supply is a disinfecting apparatus (i.e. UV light or chlorinator), then either a Pressed-carbon block filter and/or reverse-osmosis filtration for your main drinking water supply.. These will filter all cysts in the water that chlorine or UV will not kill as well as eliminating any and all chemical contaminants that may possibly find their way into your drinking water supply (like chlorine!!!). There is only one way to be assured that the drinking water is safe and pure and that is to treat and purify it at the point of use. By the way, you get what you pay for. There are three things you can do with money; waste it; spend it; or invest it. Buying an el cheapo product is a waste, spending on a mediocre system is something you do over and over again. Investing in a lifetime warranted system the likes of which only Rainsoft carries is the only smart way to go. It's like buying the most necessary household appliance only once in your lifetime. I know, I wasted my money on other junk too. Never again, though.
If this stuff is what I think it is, we have a sulfurous smelling black slime that sometimes infects filters and waterheaters around here, you can add hydrogen peroxide to the tank to kill it. Stuff doesn't like oxygen.
The way I do it, at least until I found I could pour it into the whole house water filter where the water comes into the house and leave a hot water tap dripping overnight, is to remove the anode from the top of the water heater and pour in a quart of peroxide. About once a year I have to repeat the treatment. I hear this stuff, the spores, are common to wells in this area.
I hear potassium permagnate, now a controlled chemical because you can make bombs out of it, also works well but it can stain and is more hazardous to handle as it is a strong oxidizer. Keep it away from oils, greese and other hydrocarbons. A quart of generic peroxide is about $2 and will teat a 40 or 50 gallon tank. Cheap and effective it seems the way to go. On the other hand a permagnate solution, just pink, is an effective cure for athletes foot even if it can, if used too strong, stain the flesh.