PB Blaster in well water won't go away!

[mark mcdo]

Hey guys, long time reader, first time poster. This forum has helped me many times over the years.
I recently replaced my well pump and the snappy pitless was badly corroded, I think due to improper chlorinating. It would not budge so we ended up spraying pb blaster, thru a short pipe onto and all over the pitless. I had used some the first day and the guy helping me used more a couple days later. I would estimate about 3-4 ounces total. I assumed I could run it through afterwards in short time. I was wrong.
It has been two weeks and the smell goes away and comes back and is now, after two weeks and several hours of running water through the smell is stronger than ever. I have put bleach in and it ran through within a few hours as usual.
The well is a 4 inch casing; drilled to 130 feet, static level at 25 feet. The 1/2 hp, 10 gpm pump is at 70 feet.
I have no money for any professional well cleaning service. I was quoted 850 for a "well rehabilitation", I think with an air pump, but that is not an option for me right now.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Reach4]

Run the water longer and at higher volume. Run it to the ditch etc (not the septic) with two hoses if you can.

Keep monitoring and shut it off if the well runs out of water. If it runs out of water, shut the pump off for an hour and do it again. And again.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[VAWellDriller]

The problem is your well probably doesn't draw down....so you have a column of relatively stagnant water above the pump with blaster in it. You have 2 choices.
#1 raise the pump to the static or slightly below and run it to waste....slowly lowering and raising it in that column of water. You can probably only easily do this if the pump is set on poly pipe.
#2 recirculate the water with a garden hose......put water back in the top of the well with a hose and it will push the blaster down to the pump. You would need to intermittently waste water during this process. So you might put it back in the well for 5 minutes and then to waste for 5 minutes. This will dilute to contamination a little more with every cycle. This is probably the best way for you to do it yourself and it should work just fine. It probably goes without saying but dont ever put chemicals in a well. We see bad snappys all the time....they sick. The best option is to dig them up.

 

[mark mcdo]

Thanks Reach4 and VAWell.
VA, I think you are spot on that my well doesnt draw down. I ran the water full blast all day today. I measured with string and nut and the water would draw down 6 feet or so when running full blast, but would not go much past that, even after 3+ hours nonstop, at the full 10 gpm. When I pulled the string up the Blaster was ALL over the nut. I guess the oil based Blaster is mostly just sitting at the top.
I will try your #2 recirculation plan later this weekend. Thank you guys so much, I will post again later.
Btw we did end up digging down and beating and prying the old snappy. I guess 28 years of having bleach dumped onto it was too much.

 

[Valveman]

I would put a hose in the well and stir it up like VA says. But I would add a little Dawn dish washing soap. It will help break down the petroleum. Don't add too much or it will suds up so much the pump will lose prime.

 

[Reach4]

https://www.autozone.com/greases-an...-laster-11-oz-penetrating-catalyst/515413_0_0 says "Recommended Cleaning Method: Soap and water"

I had messaged thoughts about soap to Mark. I suggested tincture of green soap USP as being for sure non-toxic, but that is expensive stuff. Dawn SDS doesn't look hazardous once diluted. https://www.pg.com/productsafety/sds/SDS_2016/Ultra_Dawn_Original.pdf

Sudsing would be a bonus in that it would act as an indicator as to whether you had flushed enough.

When I had a well pit and well seal, I put liquid laundry detergent on the bottom of my pit to clean it, and then used a broom as a scrub brush. I also took efforts to seal the seal better. When suds appeared in my drinking water, I looked in the pit, and saw there was water standing right to the level of my well seal. I was suddenly sufficiently motivated to follow the suggestions to get my casing extended and a pitless installed. No more half-fast measures. And I switched to drinking bottled water.

I called a respected well family company that people I know have respect for. Plus they had done the more recent work on my system before I owned it. I put in a utility pump, with float switch, in the pit temporarily, feeding a hose. A company member came out and was helpful, and gave a money number verbally... budgetary estimate I think, but we did not pin that down. But there was also a significant lead time. I called some others, and one came out. We came to an agreement, and work started the next day. Impressive work. Big (for yard work) excavator.

I sanitized, and resumed drinking the well water after a few weeks.

The suds were fortunate. It got me convinced to do what needed to be done.

 

[mark mcdo]

Thanks Reach and everyone. I guess I will use one hose into well with a little (couple drops?) Dawn, as I think most of the Blaster is on top. I guess I should not 'flood' the top with too much water as I dont want to force the Blaster into the well screen? So I will use only one hose, maybe with a tee and one branch to ditch? I will start this hopefully tomorrow...
Once I feel good that I got the Blaster out, then I will attempt Reach4's sanitizing plan.

 

[Boycedrilling]

You could try to bail most of the PB blaster off the top of the water with a disposable bailer

https://envirosupply.net/shop/baile...MI-Z7b1eWD3gIVhcBkCh18KwI3EAQYASABEgKvP_D_BwE

I have seen Irrigation wells that the lineshaft Oiler has malfunctioned. After the pump was pulled. We would bail more than 3-4 feet of dripper oil out of the well . There’s wells that I video, that video cable comes back out just slimy with dripper oil.

Another idea is to take a couple of oil absorbent pads and lower them on string down to the oil. An oil absorbent pad will not soak up water, just oil.

After that I would pump the well with contious partial recirculation. And yes, dishwashing soap will help break up the oil. Try not to use one with any more perfume than possible.

 

[Boycedrilling]

https://alconox.com/liquinox/

This is your best cleaning solution, instead of some home brew.

I’ve got a case of it st my shop. It’s what we use to decontaminate equipment on resource protection wells.