Our water has developed a bad smell. We contacted a well company and they said that we need the well clorinated and acid treated. It will cost about $700 (only $150 to just clorinate it). I'm wondering is this what I really need. The well is a 4"well, 175 feet deep, & 30 years old. It is the original pump. Would I be better off replacing the pump and screen rather than having it acid treated? Any idea what replacing the pump would cost?
No idea.
Some suggestions follow
Chlorine will deal with biological contamination, and most new wells in most areas of the country now require chlorination when the drilling permit is issued. It is a continuing process so the chlorine supply must be topped off every few months (granular but not the swimming pool kind) The acid wash kills any bacteria inside the pump.
However, the bad smell COULD be from Hydrogen Sulfide (rotten eggs smell), and this also makes the water taste bad. Acid wash will not help this problem as it is in your water source.
Water softeners with a KDF media filter added on will block hydrogen sulfide, lead, iron and more, stuff that a traditional water softener does not offer.
The new Fleck 5600 series softeners offer this as an option for an additonal $175 on top of the price of a new system. Prices start near $500 for the smallest units.
Hi, First you'd try, shock the well with clorine. Lots of info. on the net. I shock my well out at our cabin twice a year.
GOOGLE: well + shock + treat
Bear in mind that this could be overkill for your well, especially if there isn't any coliform bacteria present.
There is a danger that the treatment will so disturb the well that the pump inlet will get clogged.
As suggested, it may be iron bacteria. One solution I've used on my own well is a small chlorinator pump injecting solution right before the bladder tank. This has completely eliminated a bad iron bacteria-caused oror for the past 5 years.
Jim (NOT a well expert...)
One solution I've
How much did this cost you? That said that this would be an option also... but it was very expensive ($2000). Is it something I could put in myself?
THANKS,
Don't tell anyone , but I built this myself. I bought a used chemical feed pump (Peristaltic) on eBay. It pumps a few drops of solution out of a Gallon jug and into the bladder tank inlet. There is a stainless check valve to handle the corrosion.
The pump must be able to build pressure greater than the bladder water pressure.
Many ways to control it, but I chose a timer to allow the feed pump to run for a few seconds each time the well pump comes on.
Jim
"JimmyDahGeek@DON'T_SPAM_ME_gmail.com" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@f6g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
A gallon of Clorox bleach may work wonders for you.Put it in before you go to bed.Then in the morning run the faucet that is first in line closest to the well until you don't smell the bleach.If it does not work you are only out the cost of the bleach.We had a mouse find his way into out shallow well one time...it took 2 gallons of bleach and tried our best to run the well dry....then all was good as new.
MAKE SURE YOU GET PLAIN BLEACH - NO ADDITIVES. No color-safe or fancy smells...
Since the OP appears to have no experience, I highly recommend reading and following the directions in the PDF file in the URL below before shocking the well. It is a publication of the Georgia Extension Service and explains the procedure step by step.
Later, Mike (substitute strickland in the obvious location to reply directly)
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