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Overview. Use ordinary liquid laundry bleach to shock chlorinate the water system. Determine how much bleach to use, then pour the bleach down the well and circulate it through the whole water distribution system. Wait 6-12 hours for the chlorine to work, then flush the chlorinated water from your well and pipes.
How long does it take for water to clear after shocking a well?
It will usually take 4 to 8 hours to flush the well after a standard well chlorination. The water may become discolored during flushing because the chlorine may have loosened the hard water deposits in the plumbing. Caution: The chlorine must be completely flushed from plumbing system.
How often should I shock my well water?
Homeowners with private wells should have their well water tested every 3 to 5 years for some contaminants, including bacteria. If these tests turn up positive for bacteria, chlorinating the well may be a way to resolve the problem.
How much does it cost to shock a well?
To disinfect your well and eliminate the bacteria, you should chlorinate the well. You can hire a company that services wells to do the chlorinating. The cost ranges from $80 – $200.
How can I naturally purify my well water?
Below are some common DIY water filtering methods you can use. Boiling. Heating water at a rolling boil for 1 minute makes it safe to drink. Tablets or drops. UV treatment. Activated charcoal. Travel-size sediment filters. DIY portable sediment filters. Fruit peel filters.
Can I pour bleach down my well?
Mix 2 quarts bleach in 10 gallons of water; pour into well. Connect a garden hose to a nearby faucet and wash down the inside of the well. Open each faucet and let the water run until a strong chlorine odor is detected, then turn it off and go to the next one. Pour it into the well without pumping.
Can you put too much chlorine in a well?
Avoid putting too much chlorine into the septic system, too much chlorine may kill the bacteria needed for septic decomposition. Reconnect any carbon filters (if the shock was due to unsatisfactory test results, replace with new carbon filters).
Can I put a chlorine tablet in my well?
the well has been flooded or exposed to bacterial contamination in another manner, such as a crack in the well cap. Chlorine granules, tablets and liquid chlorine in the form of household bleach can all be used to disinfect your well.
Why does my well water turn brown when I add bleach?
The brown is the iron in the water that has oxidized as a result of the chlorination. Normally, the iron in water is in ion form and does not display itself until it combines with oxygen and forms common rust which turns the water reddish-brown.
How much bleach is needed to shock a well?
4) Work out how much bleach will be needed: For every 50 gallons of water in the well use one quart of laundry bleach – (4 quarts in a gallon). Do not use excessive amounts of bleach – more is not more effective.
What happens when you shock a well?
To shock chlorinate, you add a concentrated chlorine solution to the water in the well casing (material that supports the sides of the well). Some of this water will move outside the well and into the aquifer. Then you flush the chlorinated water through the system and let it sit for a certain amount of time.
Will bleach hurt a well pump?
WARNING. ► If your well has not been disinfected for many years, it may have considerable scale built up. Disinfecting with a strong chlorine solution can dislodge this scale and plug or damage your pump, and/or cause problems elsewhere in the plumbing system.
Should you put Clorox in your well?
Disinfecting Your Water You can disinfect your well with household chlorine bleach such as Clorox, Purex or a generic brand. The chlorine in the bleach kills bacteria. Note that it may take more than one chlorination for your well to return a satisfactory test. To disinfect your well follow this procedure.
Do I need to boil well water?
Yes, boiling is the surest way to kill bacteria, viruses, and parasites in the well water. Keep the swirling boil going for at least one minute before you use the water. Store the boiled water in a clean, covered container in the fridge. Throw out the water after 72 hours (three days).
How do you purify deep well water?
Pour 3 pints of bleach into your well for every 100 gallons of water and add 3 extra pints to treat the household plumbing such as the pressure tank, hot water heater and pipes.
How do you fix contaminated well water?
On-site treatment processes like disinfection, distillation, and filtration may remove the contaminants found in your well water. However, depending on the contaminant, its concentration, and the condition of the well, you may need a new source of water or to drill a new well.
How do I purify my well?
This disinfection process treats only biological contaminants, not chemical or mineral contaminants. Flush the System. Chlorinate the well. Mix the bleach with the well water. Chlorinate the lines. Flush the chlorinated water out of the system.
How long after bleaching well can I shower?
Do not shower for at least 24 hours after shocking your well. Waiting for one or two days more, if possible, is much better. Chlorine levels in the well water will go down only after freshwater dilutes and replaces chlorinated water. This process can take 1-2 days.
Can you get sick from drinking well water?
Health Risks Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, cramps, nausea, headaches, fever, fatigue, and even death sometimes. Infants, children, elderly people, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to get sick or die from disease-causing microorganisms in drinking water.
