Large House Filtration Sediment Systems - Do they work well?

[Skoby]

"Tom, we sleeve wells with 4" sch 40 pvc all the time here in western Ct, the 4" inside diameter leaves just enough room for a standard 4" pump (actual size is 3 7/8) to fit inside.


What I have done is to run my down hole camera into the well to determine where the water is coming in, could be the casing is leaking either at a joint or at the drive shoe, then I run enough 4" pvc in with a "jaswell packer" on the bottom to seal off the water coming in through the leaky casing or drive shoe. The advantage of the jaswell packer is that it can be moved further down the hole if you didn't get the bad water sealed the first time. Sometimes the pitless adapter has to be dug up in order to get the packer down through the casing."

https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/lining-a-well-casing.19822/

This member is fairly close to me but hasn't been online for a year and a half. I really need to get a camera down there.

 

[Skoby]

I'm not clear on what the "dirt" is. If it is an organic substance, that suggests surface water is getting in the well which could be from a failed casing or the seal between the casing and bedrock, assuming some of the 400 feet is bedrock. A well formation report could go a long way to end speculation. Would your county have a well report on file?

Up to this point I was assuming the sediment was mineral in nature coming into the well through fissures in rock or through a deep unstable aquifer.

Edit: More likely top soil than organic soil.
From the research I did today what I'm finding in my water looks to be "organic soil" also known as "humus silt" or laymen term "topsoil".
Topsoil is only appr 12" deep so it's strange that it's getting, or has gotten into, my well. It doesn't make sense to me but I'll pull the well cap off tomorrow and check for the obvious.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

From the research I did today what I'm finding in my water looks to be "organic soil" also known as "humus silt" or laymen term "topsoil".

Organic material will decompose when burned. Get the propane torch out, and see what that does to your pile of brown stuff.

I thought maybe your brown was partly clay that you peeled off of the filter media.

 

[Skoby]

Organic material will decompose when burned. Get the propane torch out, and see what that does to your pile of brown stuff.

I thought maybe your brown was partly clay that you peeled off of the filter media.

The little hairs burned, I tried that earlier. The other brown stuff turns to a brown powder if I rub it between my fingers. It's very fine which is why I called it silt but it could be clay also. Hard to tell.

If there's nothing noticeable under the well cap I bring the soil to the Geology Dept at the local college to see what they think but it's looking like top soil with the amount of humus I'm finding in it.

 

[Skoby]

Ouch.....not sure what to do

 

[ditttohead]

Decomposing animal?

 

[LLigetfa]

looks like some form of plant matter. Take a shop vac with a long hose and suck it out.

 

[Skoby]

Decomposing animal?

Mostly grass with spider webs and spider eggs.....

 

[Skoby]

looks like some form of plant matter. Take a shop vac with a long hose and suck it out.

I pulled it out by hand, the spider webs kept it together.......it looks like there's a bunch floating on the top of the water too. Also came across small animal hairs..... There's a bunch of crap in my well.

 

[Reach4]

That actually seems to be good news... a faulty well cap and conduit situation would be a lot easier to fix than a faulty well.

 

[Skoby]

That actually seems to be good news... a faulty well cap and conduit situation would be a lot easier to fix than a faulty well.

That's what I'm hoping. I'd really like to have the well cleaned out and then maybe I won't have to clear my 20 micron spin down filter every day. It gets clogged up with the organic material.

I see pitless shoe adapters are threaded on top. How come this one doesn't have threads? (It's covered in grass too). Is there a different tool for that type?

 

[Reach4]

see pitless shoe adapters are threaded on top. How come this one doesn't have threads? (It's covered in grass too). Is there a different tool for that type?

There are different types. You may have a 1 inch FNPT hole there that is just filled in with crap.

If you stick the vacuum wand down the hole, tape the pieces together with tape first. You don't want to drop vacuum cleaner pieces down the well.

 

[Skoby]

There are different types. You may have a 1 inch FNPT hole there that is just filled in with crap.

If you stick the vacuum wand down the hole, tape the pieces together with tape first. You don't want to drop vacuum cleaner pieces down the well.

Ok.....I'm going to sleep. I'm going to try finding a copy my well report in the morning. Once I have that I can start talking with some drillers. thanks everyone