Tree fell on Well Pump PVC pipe= Rust, dirt, chain saw shavings in spigot water

[JimSelena]

Thanks for this very informative forum.

I had a slight problem occur the other day; "slight" is probably not the right word. A tree I was cutting fell on the PVC pipe that sits about eight inches above the ground. The tree shattered the pipe into may pieces, some pieces fell into the shaft, and saw dust/shavings and dirt/sandy soil fell down the PVC pipe too. I was able to vacuum quite a bit of the PVC pieces and dirt out of the pipe, but I would estimate a gallon of dirt, small wood shavings, small PVC pieces fell into the pipe.

I dug a hole around the pipe, make a nice level cut (no cracks below this cut), and was able to connect a new 10 inch piece of 4 inch diameter pipe into the original pipe and glue together. Looks very nice now. I had to splice in longer wires (I soldered) in order to insert the new 10 inch PVC, and a new cap, and the pump works as advertised now. However, after five days, the house spigots are still clogging up, and when I turn on for first time in morning for shower in the master bedroom bathtub, sand, dirty water, and rust still come throughfor about 20 seconds until clear. When clearing the screens on the bathroom and kitchen spigots, small chain saw shavings and a few sand granules are evident.

Should I run water down the well pipe to flush out? Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks again for this very informative forum.

Jim and Selena.

 

[Reach4]

One possiblity is to use an air lift pump with a moderate compressor. Another is to have a local well person that has the big truck mounted compressor blow the casing clean. See https://terrylove.com/forums/index....dvice-please-borehole-supply-in-the-uk.61806/ and/or search for "air lift pump" clean well.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Valveman]

Just pump the well hard for a few hours and see if you can clean it up.

 

[JimSelena]

Just pump the well hard for a few hours and see if you can clean it up.

Should I run water down the well shaft first?

 

[JimSelena]

One possiblity is to use an air lift pump with a moderate compressor. Another is to have a local well person that has the big truck mounted compressor blow the casing clean. See https://terrylove.com/forums/index....dvice-please-borehole-supply-in-the-uk.61806/ and/or search for "air lift pump" clean well.

Thanks for the advice. Will try after I run the well for an hour or two.

 

[Valveman]

It won't hurt to wash down the well with a hose.

 

[JimSelena]

It won't hurt to wash down the well with a hose.

Thanks. I'll run for an hour down the pipe.

 

[Reach4]

Maybe this would be a good time to sanitize your well and plumbing after you pump most of the free debris out of your hose spigots. http://www.moravecwaterwells.com/index.php/maintainance/disinfection-and-testing is my favorite method, but most people get good improvement with a less intense method.

Maybe flush the water heater during sanitizing too.

 

[JimSelena]

It won't hurt to wash down the well with a hose.

Besides running water down the shaft and then purging, is there a section on this forum that explains how wells are built? It helps for me to visualize what kind of system I have. And how do I determine what kind of system was used for my well which is about 30 years old? Thanks

 

[JimSelena]

Maybe this would be a good time to sanitize your well and plumbing after you pump most of the free debris out of your hose spigots. http://www.moravecwaterwells.com/index.php/maintainance/disinfection-and-testing is my favorite method, but most people get good improvement with a less intense method.

Maybe flush the water heater during sanitizing too.

I think you have a very good point. I think the water heater has a ton of rust built up. Any ideas on how to determine just how much rust has accumulated in the water heater tank?

 

[JimSelena]

I think you have a very good point. I think the water heater has a ton of rust built up. Any ideas on how to determine just how much rust has accumulated in the water heater tank?

I think I have a combination of issues; the tree issue that has created debris, and the rust has built up as well.. The rust is really bad on the main level bathroom commode tank. The well pump was replaced two years ago.

 

[JimSelena]

I just checked the shaft again; still a few cracks about two feet down. Should I dig around the PVC and replace, or opt to call the well man at this point.

I'm flushing now, and water pressure is not too good, but there is sediment coming out. Thanks.

 

[JimSelena]

Maybe this would be a good time to sanitize your well and plumbing after you pump most of the free debris out of your hose spigots. http://www.moravecwaterwells.com/index.php/maintainance/disinfection-and-testing is my favorite method, but most people get good improvement with a less intense method.

Maybe flush the water heater during sanitizing too.

Well, when I run the water through the water spigot right at the well tank to the outside, the tank pressure drops to about 5 PSI and water trickles outside. Any ideas what that problem is?

 

[Valveman]

You probably got the screen on the pump and maybe even the first impeller clogged up.

 

[Smooky]

If there is a check valve at the well head and the spigot is before the check valve and the pressure valve is after the check valve the water will run a little and then stop usually. A couple pictures would help determine what you have.

 

[Reach4]

Calling the well company now would make sense in that you need water. The well company can do it right and quickly. I hope that the well guy does not hard sell a pump you don't need. I would avoid getting a "3 inch" pump myself, although many people have good results. Some well people can clean a well with compressed air to blow out debris and junk like a geyser. Not everybody is equipped to do that.

You mention rust, and yet you have a PVC well casing, and I hope drop pipe. Do you also have much clear iron that can turn to rust while in your plumbing, water heater, and I would get a water test (Kit60 http://www.karlabs.com/watertestkit/ ). Most wells benefit from a softener and many , including yours probably, benefit from a backwashing iron filter, and that filter will also serve as a filter for sediment and can remove sulfur and other things.

I would also get a cartridge filter, although it might have little to do. So the order of things would be pressure tank, backwashing filter, cartridge filter, softener. It would have been nice to have had a cartridge filter in place during this episode. It would have clogged, but replacing a cartridge is easy enough. Putting one in now would not be a bad ide, even if it has to be re-mounted after the backwashing iron+sulfur filter later. I am not a pro; I have one well.

 

[JimSelena]

Thanks for all the information. How do you determine how deep the well is?

 

[Smooky]

I use a mason line with a plumb bob. Just let the line go until you can tell the plumb bob is on the bottom. Mark the line at the top of the well, pull it up and measure the length.

 

[JimSelena]

Calling the well company now would make sense in that you need water. The well company can do it right and quickly. I hope that the well guy does not hard sell a pump you don't need. I would avoid getting a "3 inch" pump myself, although many people have good results. Some well people can clean a well with compressed air to blow out debris and junk like a geyser. Not everybody is equipped to do that.

You mention rust, and yet you have a PVC well casing, and I hope drop pipe. Do you also have much clear iron that can turn to rust while in your plumbing, water heater, and I would get a water test (Kit60 http://www.karlabs.com/watertestkit/ ). Most wells benefit from a softener and many , including yours probably, benefit from a backwashing iron filter, and that filter will also serve as a filter for sediment and can remove sulfur and other things.

I would also get a cartridge filter, although it might have little to do. So the order of things would be pressure tank, backwashing filter, cartridge filter, softener. It would have been nice to have had a cartridge filter in place during this episode. It would have clogged, but replacing a cartridge is easy enough. Putting one in now would not be a bad ide, even if it has to be re-mounted after the backwashing iron+sulfur filter later. I am not a pro; I have one well.

Thank you. What kind of water filter should I buy? And where would I buy? I've searched the internet, but didn't find anything simple. I don't need a elaborate system. I filter all drinking water. I tested the water, and it had a tad bit of iron more that average. I need a simple easy cartridge system I can install right after the water comes from the valve to open water to the home PVC pipe system. Thanks in advance.

 

[Reach4]

For sediment and rust flakes, the Pentek Big Blue 4.5 x 20 housings give good capacity at a reasonable price. You might put two in series. There are a lot of cartridges to choose from.

I suggest that you get your water test results before going further. You may well need more than a cartridge filter.