Hello All,
I have some knowledge of water treatment but not as much as most of you, and what knowledge I have gained is from the 6 years of managing this system, from this forum and consulting Dittohead.
6 year old System:
Output to input: Softener (Fleck 5810 SXT 1.5 cu ft. 10x54), Katalox Light (Fleck 5810 2.0 cu ft. 12x52), Neutralizer (Fleck 5810 1.5 cu ft. 10x54). In front of the neutralizer is a 4x20 20 micron pleated filter and before that a 90 micron Atlas Hydra Spin Down in front of the pressure tank. All filters are clean/new.
We are experiencing close to drought like conditions - moderately dry near Annapolis, MD. We haven't had any appreciable snow in two winters and our rainy April/spring was dry. As such, our region is considered moderately dry. We are not expeiencing air in water lines or abnormal flow issues.
Since we warmed this spring, we have had to backwash our Atlas Spin Down more frequently. We've gone from once every 1.5 weeks to daily. Its has gotten so bad that we've collapsed an Atlas Hydra cartridge and are now backwashing after every shower, washing clothes, etc.. I suspected iron fouling or possibly iron bacteria. I dried some of a sample was able to pick it up the sediment with a magnet.
Had a well drill co. company come out, disconnect the pump from the house and flushed brown water for 30 minutes until clear and then continued flushing for another 1.5 hours. He thinks the well might clear up with flushing 2-3 hours a day for a week. He doesn't think this is low water table related and cautions against well redevelopment as it could blow out the well screen or enlarge any potential casement crack.
Well report from 2001: 21 years old, 237' deep, 117' from surface, 218' when pumping 15 gpm. PVC Screen .16 and PVC casement. Likely in the Aquia aquifer.
The iron continued so I shocked the well and let it 12 hours and then flushed it 2-3 hours full blast, resumed water use and then flushed again another 8 hours continuously. Still fouling the filter every time the pump cycles on. The sediment isn't reacting to a magnet but we are still clogging our Atlas Filter with same looking stuff. Water co. testing shows our iron is up from 2 to 3 ppm, ph is 7. Their recommendation is to redevelop the 21 year old well, replace the pump and polypipe as they are likely partially clogged from 21 years of use. They recommend the replacement pump be a constant pressure pump and do not install cycle stop valves that I have read about here.
Checked with neighbors to see if anyone is experiencing issues. Most have deeper wells and are likely on a different aquifer (Magothy) and report no changes. Also called county who says well pump replacement is reportedly higher but that could be due to age and not drought. Water treatment companies not seeing any drought related issues.
I am giving serious thought about having the well blown out/redeveloped but am terrified of the risk of well collapse and having wait 3-4 months for a new well to be drilled @ $15-30K.
Thoughts?
I have some knowledge of water treatment but not as much as most of you, and what knowledge I have gained is from the 6 years of managing this system, from this forum and consulting Dittohead.
6 year old System:
Output to input: Softener (Fleck 5810 SXT 1.5 cu ft. 10x54), Katalox Light (Fleck 5810 2.0 cu ft. 12x52), Neutralizer (Fleck 5810 1.5 cu ft. 10x54). In front of the neutralizer is a 4x20 20 micron pleated filter and before that a 90 micron Atlas Hydra Spin Down in front of the pressure tank. All filters are clean/new.
We are experiencing close to drought like conditions - moderately dry near Annapolis, MD. We haven't had any appreciable snow in two winters and our rainy April/spring was dry. As such, our region is considered moderately dry. We are not expeiencing air in water lines or abnormal flow issues.
Since we warmed this spring, we have had to backwash our Atlas Spin Down more frequently. We've gone from once every 1.5 weeks to daily. Its has gotten so bad that we've collapsed an Atlas Hydra cartridge and are now backwashing after every shower, washing clothes, etc.. I suspected iron fouling or possibly iron bacteria. I dried some of a sample was able to pick it up the sediment with a magnet.
Had a well drill co. company come out, disconnect the pump from the house and flushed brown water for 30 minutes until clear and then continued flushing for another 1.5 hours. He thinks the well might clear up with flushing 2-3 hours a day for a week. He doesn't think this is low water table related and cautions against well redevelopment as it could blow out the well screen or enlarge any potential casement crack.
Well report from 2001: 21 years old, 237' deep, 117' from surface, 218' when pumping 15 gpm. PVC Screen .16 and PVC casement. Likely in the Aquia aquifer.
The iron continued so I shocked the well and let it 12 hours and then flushed it 2-3 hours full blast, resumed water use and then flushed again another 8 hours continuously. Still fouling the filter every time the pump cycles on. The sediment isn't reacting to a magnet but we are still clogging our Atlas Filter with same looking stuff. Water co. testing shows our iron is up from 2 to 3 ppm, ph is 7. Their recommendation is to redevelop the 21 year old well, replace the pump and polypipe as they are likely partially clogged from 21 years of use. They recommend the replacement pump be a constant pressure pump and do not install cycle stop valves that I have read about here.
Checked with neighbors to see if anyone is experiencing issues. Most have deeper wells and are likely on a different aquifer (Magothy) and report no changes. Also called county who says well pump replacement is reportedly higher but that could be due to age and not drought. Water treatment companies not seeing any drought related issues.
I am giving serious thought about having the well blown out/redeveloped but am terrified of the risk of well collapse and having wait 3-4 months for a new well to be drilled @ $15-30K.
Thoughts?
