system Recommendations for well

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patrick2269

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My results from water lab

Coliform: Absent
E.coli: Absent
Iron bacteria: Absent
sulfate bacteria: Absent
Calcium: 3.2 mg/L
Copper: 0.008 mg/L
Iron: 1.310 mg/L
Magnesium: 2.05 mg/L
Manganese: 0.016 mg/L
Silica: 18.6 mg/L
Sodium: 3 mg/L
Sulfate: 5.4 mg/L
Zinc: 0.912 mg/L
Hardness: 16 mg/L
PH: 5.2
TDS: 35 mg/L
Turbidity: 9.1 NTU

Well Info
Date:6/12/1999
280ft
casing 127FT
static 40
yield 5GPM

Pics
well1.jpgwell2.jpgwell3.jpg
 

LLigetfa

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Well Info
Date:6/12/1999
280ft
casing 127FT
static 40
yield 5GPM

Of concern is the 5 GPM recovery rate. You don't say what the bore hole/casing size is. Also, there is no mention of what pump you use.

As you draw down the well during backwash/regen, your GPM and pressure may drop.
 

Lifespeed

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In order to properly backwash an iron filter, not to mention serving the demands of your home, a storage tank and pressure supply pump for the house and water treatment are most likely a prerequisite. You need to be able to provide more like 10 GPM,

Once you have adequate flow you can backwash a manganese dioxide iron filter and address any other problems.
 

patrick2269

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casing size 6 5/8in
all i know about the pump is its 220V on a 30amp breaker
 

patrick2269

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LIfespeed I guess you are saying I need a new well because I don't have a place to put a storage tank
 

LLigetfa

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The well casing and bore hole act as storage. The system designer just needs to factor that in.

I'm surprised none of the water treatment pros have posted.
 

Lifespeed

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That would certainly be a heroic effort to address the problem. Absent other problems with your well I would not suggest that except as a last resort. However, looking at the photo of your water and plumbing, it appears that you really need to address your iron problem.

I don't know the exact layout and location of your well/plumbing/house so can't comment on the practicalities of installation. But the reality is that in order to successfully implement a low-maintenance backwashing iron filter you need more water flow, and a storage tank is by far the most realisitic way to accomplish this. It does not need to be huge - it could be as small as 200 gallons if size is a big issue.

I don't know what else to tell you. If you put enough constraints on what the solution looks like you will rule them all out.
 

Lifespeed

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The well casing and bore hole act as storage. The system designer just needs to factor that in.

I'm surprised none of the water treatment pros have posted.

I suppose if the existing well can provide 12+ GPM for 10 minutes to backwash the filter in the middle of the night that could work. Some testing would be in order to assure this is a valid assumption, especially in the summer if the water table fluctuates. I'm sure the OP does not want to end up with a setup that fails under some circumstances.
 

patrick2269

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That would certainly be a heroic effort to address the problem. Absent other problems with your well I would not suggest that except as a last resort. However, looking at the photo of your water and plumbing, it appears that you really need to address your iron problem.

I don't know the exact layout and location of your well/plumbing/house so can't comment on the practicalities of installation. But the reality is that in order to successfully implement a low-maintenance backwashing iron filter you need more water flow, and a storage tank is by far the most realisitic way to accomplish this. It does not need to be huge - it could be as small as 200 gallons if size is a big issue.

I don't know what else to tell you. If you put enough constraints on what the solution looks like you will rule them all out.

It's a mobile home so that's my space issue really no where to put stuff other that go outside
 

ditttohead

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This a perfect application to do some pilot testing. Something as simple as a backwashing sediment filter (micro-z, turbidex, nextsand, filter-ag+) and an iron removal sytem may work fine. A couple of test filters to simulate the media would be very inexpensive and simple to do. Are you interested in experimenting first, then installing the right equipment? Looking at your filters, your turbidity is off the charts. Your TDS and hardness are minimal.

Have you tried different micran ratings of sediment filter to see if they clear up the water? I would try a 10 micron sediment filter. If it clears it up, a simple backwashing system should do just fine.

Give us more information as to what you are currently doing and what the end results are.
 

patrick2269

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This a perfect application to do some pilot testing. Something as simple as a backwashing sediment filter (micro-z, turbidex, nextsand, filter-ag+) and an iron removal sytem may work fine. A couple of test filters to simulate the media would be very inexpensive and simple to do. Are you interested in experimenting first, then installing the right equipment? Looking at your filters, your turbidity is off the charts. Your TDS and hardness are minimal.

Have you tried different micran ratings of sediment filter to see if they clear up the water? I would try a 10 micron sediment filter. If it clears it up, a simple backwashing system should do just fine.

Give us more information as to what you are currently doing and what the end results are.


I have been trying a 2.5x10 1micron filters they last about a week, by 2 weeks water pressure drops. I have even had a few filters get crushed after 2 weeks. I guess from the water pressure trying to go in a full filter. i just added in also a 4.5x10 with a 5micron the water is much better in color. guess I might get 2 weeks with two filters but that can get expensive at $10 to $15 per filter every 2 weeks. I had a friend tell me today I could have a well casing problem as to why i am getting all this turbidity and sediment.
I sent my water results to watersystems.com they recommended i get a backwashing sediment filter, Acid Neutralizer Filter, and MangOX Iron Filter or Hydrogen Peroxide System but the info from lifespeed is my well wont be able to handle the backwashing needs of the filter systems
 

ditttohead

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If the 5 micron sediment filter is doing a good job then a properly designed backwashing filter should work for you.

A neutralizer and a iron removal system should also be done. I would recommend a different design, but the general idea is sound. PM sent.
 

patrick2269

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I had a well contractor come run a camera down the well. I have heavy iron buildup and its braking down the casing. Every time my pump turns on pulling all stuff of the walls causing my high Turbidity and the pieces of hard sediment are actually pieces of my casing breaking up. He said the water in the vanes is clear and he could put in a heavy duty PVC liner and that would clear up the water by not letting iron buildup on the steel walls and then fine tune my water with any needed filters.
 

ditttohead

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That is great to hear. Hopefully it will take care of the problem and very little filtration will be needed. With your permission, I may use your pictures in my training seminars.
 

patrick2269

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That is great to hear. Hopefully it will take care of the problem and very little filtration will be needed. With your permission, I may use your pictures in my training seminars.

You can, I can send more pictures if you want
 

Gary Slusser

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I had a well contractor come run a camera down the well. I have heavy iron buildup and its braking down the casing. Every time my pump turns on pulling all stuff of the walls causing my high Turbidity and the pieces of hard sediment are actually pieces of my casing breaking up. He said the water in the vanes is clear and he could put in a heavy duty PVC liner and that would clear up the water by not letting iron buildup on the steel walls and then fine tune my water with any needed filters.
You need to know more about the pump you have. What gpm and HP it is and, at what depth is it in the well.

The acidic water is what is causing the casing to deteriorate, not the rust build up from the iron content.

The driller should be able to use a well cleaning brush to clean the rust off the inside of the casing. And IMO he should have done that as soon as he started the camera inspection and saw the rust build up; cameras don't see through rust.

A PVC liner is usually 4" and allows just enough space for a standard 4" submersible pump by about a 16th inch around the pump; they are 3 7/8" OD. With your iron content rust build up in the PVC may make pulling the pump difficult in time.

That 5 gpm you mentioned is the volume of water that refills the well while or after you pump water out of it. For the static water level to fall, you have to be taking more than 5 gpm out.

A 6" casing/well holds 1.47 gal per foot of water above the inlet of the pump. A 1/2 HP 10-13 gpm pump set at 150' and operated at 40/60 psi would provide more than enough gpm to backwash most types of the filters you need. A larger HP 10-13 gpm pump could be set much deeper.

I would suggest a backwashed mixed bed acid neutralizing filter over any type solution feeder and its required retention tank. An AN filter will add about 10+ gpg of hardness. And then you'll probably want a softener.

The model number of your pump will tell us what HP and gpm it is. Some times that info is written on the underside of the well casing cap, or on a pump control box if you have one, or on the pressure tank. And there's always the receipt for the pump installation.
 

Lifespeed

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The acidic water is what is causing the casing to deteriorate, not the rust build up from the iron content.

Good point, I did not notice how acid the water is. That is pretty bad. Kind of surprising a well driller familiar with the area would put a steel casing in an acid well, isn't it?
 

patrick2269

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I was not home when he came out the girl friend was here. so he called me over the phone and that is about what I got from what he was trying to explain my problem and solution over the phone. I will ask if he got any info off the pump. I have only been in the house 2 years and the pressure tank and switch where replaced before i moved in so i have no info about the pump.
so I guess my next ?
Is a PVC liner a good idea?
with my casing being 127ft can the pump go down to 150ft? like you said set a larger pump deeper
 

patrick2269

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Good point, I did not notice how acid the water is. That is pretty bad. Kind of surprising a well driller familiar with the area would put a steel casing in an acid well, isn't it?

I don't know who drilled the well back in 99. but from my understanding from the guy i am talking to is that its a common problem and the county knows about it but does nothing to require the drillers to use anything different than steel. its really much up to the owner of the land to know about the problem and fix it or ask the driller to use a different material
 
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