Trouble with the Well

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JBloggs

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Asking for Assistance Please
My parents are having issues with their well, they being city slickers know nothing about it and I suggested I ask the forum, perhaps someone here can identify this and offer a suggestion? They will be calling a well driller/fixture expert tomorrow, not today as it is a public holiday and they can hang til then.
This is what Mom wrote (and I will add that our soil is red here as we have high levels of Iron)
Mom Wrote "We run out of water --- dad goes down and changes the filter --- it only lasts a short time; before he has to do it again. Washed (tried) a load of clothes and the water is VERY DIRTY!!
The water faucet out by the well runs well (this is the faucet OUTSIDE), but dirty, of course. It amounts to NO Water!! Dad is going to change the filter SYSTEM tomorrow before we call a well guy.
We've never had this dirty water before -- and obviously it is fouling the filter system. Don't know if the well is in trouble or what.....THANKS<<<<< as we no NOTHING about a well"
 
I know nothing about wells but is there a place where they can go to the actual well and have a look? or maybe send down a small bucket old style and pull some water up? if it is clear then its a good sign if not I'd be worried. I also agree with inkeeper to go I would be on the phone ASAP you can't do without water.
 
I know nothing about wells but is there a place where they can go to the actual well and have a look? or maybe send down a small bucket old style and pull some water up? if it is clear then its a good sign if not I'd be worried. I also agree with inkeeper to go I would be on the phone ASAP you can't do without water..
I know nothing about wells but is there a place where they can go to the actual well and have a look? or maybe send down a small bucket old style and pull some water up? if it is clear then its a good sign if not I'd be worried. I also agree with inkeeper to go I would be on the phone ASAP you can't do without water.
Oh that is terrific! I will tell Mom what you said, you just made me smile!
"Lassie! What is it girl? Jimmy has fallen down the well, come quick?"
There is only a cap about 6 inches wide and the spigot over near the well, they aren't like Little House on The Prairie type with a bucket that goes down. They are super super deep, and might need to be DEEPER! We shall see aye.
teeth_smile.gif

PS Part of the problem is they are gone 6 mo's of the year and leave it stagnate, so the iron and minerals build up so me thinks this is most of the issue, but I know nothing about them either, so could be anything.
 
I know nothing about wells but is there a place where they can go to the actual well and have a look? or maybe send down a small bucket old style and pull some water up? if it is clear then its a good sign if not I'd be worried. I also agree with inkeeper to go I would be on the phone ASAP you can't do without water..
I know nothing about wells but is there a place where they can go to the actual well and have a look? or maybe send down a small bucket old style and pull some water up? if it is clear then its a good sign if not I'd be worried. I also agree with inkeeper to go I would be on the phone ASAP you can't do without water.
Oh that is terrific! I will tell Mom what you said, you just made me smile!
"Lassie! What is it girl? Jimmy has fallen down the well, come quick?"
There is only a cap about 6 inches wide and the spigot over near the well, they aren't like Little House on The Prairie type with a bucket that goes down. They are super super deep, and might need to be DEEPER! We shall see aye.
teeth_smile.gif

PS Part of the problem is they are gone 6 mo's of the year and leave it stagnate, so the iron and minerals build up so me thinks this is most of the issue, but I know nothing about them either, so could be anything.
.
I was guessing it wasn't little house on the prarie style but I didn't know if it was like a septic tank with a tight fitted cover or a manhole type thing. The stagnant ness is a problem do they have a neighbour who could pop round and run the taps now and again to prevent it happening in future?
 
Dad wondered if there is a way to turn OFF his well while he is gone. This is a good thing for them to get their water tested anyway, btwn you and I. There are dairy farms nearby, so always good to have a professional look at it.
I just googled and saw this right away:
Mineral incrustationMineral incrustation is a common problem in some shallow water table type aquifers where there is an abundance of dissolved minerals including calcium, magnesium and iron, as well as iron bacteria. When water is pumped from the well, changes in pressure and temperature occur. This creates ideal conditions for minerals to precipitate or settle out, causing scale formation on the casing, liner and screens. Although incrustation or scale formation occurs mostly in the screen or slotted casing, it can also affect the formation around the well. A combination of good preventive maintenance and good management practices can minimize the effect of incrustation. Management practices that reduce water pumping rates can reduce the effects of mineral incrustation. A strategy of reduced pumping rate with longer pumping intervals helps prevent incrustation of screens and perforated liners. BiofoulingInstalling and pumping a well increases the level of oxygen and nutrients in the well and in the surrounding aquifer. Bacteria, such as iron bacteria, may thrive under these conditions. They can form a gel-like slime or biofilm that captures chemicals, minerals and other particles such as sand, clays and silts. Minerals, such as iron, oxidize and get trapped in the biofilm. "Biofouling" occurs where biofilm accumulations are sufficient to reduce water flow. This can mean reduced well yield and water quality. Regular shock chlorination can reduce the buildup of biofilms
 
Have no clue what that means but it sounds iccky it reminds me of when I used to work at the Yorkshire Hotel all the worst rooms were on the back of the 3rd floor so they were used less than any other and many had saniflow toilets and if they weren't flushed regularly then the rooms used to stink of poo. So we used to have duties of going round and flushing all the toilets when we knew those rooms were comming back into use. I don't know why we let them really as we were always giving people refunds.
 
The well guy is your best bet. We have some VERY old water lines in our city water system (most are new, but funding has left some old). We sometimes get "dirty water". It has been tested and is safe (looks crappy) for use and the "dirty" is magnesium (safe). When they flush the hydrants (exercising the hydrants helps get rid of the "stuff" and keeps the hydrants working) the water is "brown" for a few hours as it stirs up and removes the silt.
 
My husband says it sounds like the water has been fouled. Nothing they can do about it but call in a professional. Has anyone nearby been drilling for a well? The problem is with the well if the water is dirty. Sorry to say but he says Not good news. :-(
 
First question, Shallow well or deep well (shallow -60')
2# Jet pump or submersible pump?
3# Is the well cased?
If it's not a cased well the walls might have collapsed.
If it's cased the well silted in and needs to be pumped out by a driller. Silting can be caused by the well being in a spring that is very active. If you have a submersible pump it will need to be changed too because the silt damages the impellers.
Some older shallow wells are blocked or tiled and can fill with silt overtime. Most shallow wells should be filled in and not used for drinking water. Most parts of the country require wells to be drilled and "deep" (60'+).
 
To turn off the well pump, go to the master panel and switch off the circuit to the well (assuming it is a deep well pump); otherwise unplug the pump! The well guys here say when a seasonal well is brought on line in the spring, to hook a garden hose to the pressure tank and let it run full on for at least an hour. They say that sediment can form around the point down in the ground, and the best way to clear the water is to pump it out. You don't want to clog your pipes with sediment.
We have sediment and iron at our house, but a whole house filter takes good care of the situation. Good Luck!
 
I agree with white pine but say this - Just turn off the pump and wait until tomorrow and call a Well guy. As K said they are your best friend. Our well guy told my DH - "Save your handy hands for other things and leave your well in my hands" Best advice we have ever had.... If you do not know what you are doing, you can create one H___ of a mess. Just ask my DH
embaressed_smile.gif
(no please don't)
 
If they are getting volume but the water is still dirty and if just yesterday, or days ago the water was fine, my bet would either be on a collapse or, another possibility I have run into in the past is that the water line has a crack or hole just above the submersible pump so when the pump runs, a portion of the water is pumped out through the crack and stirs up the silt in the well which then gets run through the pump and some of it goes off to the house while still more sprays out from the crack.
A well specialist would be able to pull the pump and line and diagnose the problem pretty easilly. That is a much easier fix than a well collapse.
 
Apparently they spoke to "RON." He runs the local convenience store and was also running for county supervisor so he knows everyone and has a guy who can come out today. He said this is casebook in this area of heavy iron and minerals they needed a much larger filter for all the silt (the well and house are about 6 yrs old) and this guy will come out and check it out for them.
Oh just got an email from Mom the "guy" is there right now. He is a well guy and a plumber apparently.
 
Apparently they spoke to "RON." He runs the local convenience store and was also running for county supervisor so he knows everyone and has a guy who can come out today. He said this is casebook in this area of heavy iron and minerals they needed a much larger filter for all the silt (the well and house are about 6 yrs old) and this guy will come out and check it out for them.
Oh just got an email from Mom the "guy" is there right now. He is a well guy and a plumber apparently..
HOpe that is all it is. For us...it would mean big trouble. 6 years old...that's not old at all.
 
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