Can you recover good water in a bad well

[george findlay]

Our salt levels are extremely high, and hardness (hardness 5820 mg/L, sodium 4150 mg/L, TDS 19,400). We have a whole house RO system that cannot deal with this brackish water, unless membranes are changed frequently, at $800 a pop. We also have a water softener that just get confused by all the salt....so service disconnected it. Prevailing wisdom is not to drill a new well as chances are we hit same water pocket. Shallow well not a possibility due to terrain. Town water out the question. The well is 300 ft deep, 50 above sea level…we are 500 ft from the ocean. The idea has come up to do a salination test of well at different levels that may, or may not, indicate fractures producing good/bad water, and depending on results try to isolate salt water by inserting a bladder/packer, then testing water above. If this water tests good and is of sufficient quantity, then the bladder is removed and well sealed up to that height. So that’s the theory, and a couple of well specialists…not in our area….seem to suggest it can work. However, a query posted to an academic (professor of hydrogeology/hydrology) did not encourage….

…Saltwater intrusion is a growing problem along coastal areas, aggravated by global climate change/sea level rise and increased use http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/2003/circ1262/ The well-packer process you propose would, in my opinion, only be a temporary solution, if it worked at all. The issue is likely the aquifer and not just your well….Saltwater intrusion has contaminated your well, and I see little hope of reclaiming it. I spoke with a colleague about your situation and we share the same opinion.

Any thoughts on this….i hesitate throwing money at expensive testing/engineering if this is not a proven system (ps someone said this is being done now in Pennsylvania fracking industry). Another hope…collecting rainwater and dumping into a cistern…we do have a v. large roof

 

[Craigpump]

What part of Ct are you in?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[george findlay]

What part of Ct are you in?

Mystic area

 

[Craigpump]

I did a large surface well down there (Old Lyme) years ago on the advise of the local sanitarian for the same reason. The surface well worked out great, used a shallow well jet pump, it was definitely low yield but had huge storage.

I think your hydrologist has a valid point about salt water intrusion. If you drilled deeper you would more than likely pick up more salt water, but since the water travel through fractures. Maybe you wouldn't...

I'd like to know what kind of packer system they're planning on using, there is no way to use a conventional frac packer and still get a pump in the well along with the 2" tubing. Running the packer in on 1" pipe, you might get an SQE to go down far enough to water testing.

 

[george findlay]

I did a large surface well down there (Old Lyme) years ago on the advise of the local sanitarian for the same reason. The surface well worked out great, used a shallow well jet pump, it was definitely low yield but had huge storage.

I think your hydrologist has a valid point about salt water intrusion. If you drilled deeper you would more than likely pick up more salt water, but since the water travel through fractures. Maybe you wouldn't...

I'd like to know what kind of packer system they're planning on using, there is no way to use a conventional frac packer and still get a pump in the well along with the 2" tubing. Running the packer in on 1" pipe, you might get an SQE to go down far enough to water testing.

Craigpump
I don't believe anyone is suggesting digging deeper...I will try to follow up on the packer system and get back to you...we would do the shallow well but have been told our terrain and ground (sloping ledge) is unsuitable. I think I will pursue the collection of rain water from roof idea. As we have a very large surface area of roof and a possibility to collect we could install a large cistern. I have no idea how much could be collected and whether it would be sufficient and of course in winter with freezing that would reduce supply.

 

[Craigpump]

1" of rain on a 2800 sq' of roof equals 1700 gallons of water.

How will you keep the water potable?

Freezing is a problem in here Ct!