Water Treatment - WELL WATER
What is Well Water?
By Well Water we mean any groundwater which is supplied to a home from a well associated with that home. In any given locality where homes get their water from wells (such as in the Front Range foothills), the water in each well can differ dramatically, even when the homes are close to each other. Some wells are "deep" (typically over 100 feet deep), others are "shallow" (10-30 feet deep).These shallow wells are usually considered to be "under the influence" of surface water, thus they can be and often are contaminated with bacteria and possibly parasitic cysts.
The Issues With Well Water
| ISSUE | Description | Treatment Methods |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness | A water condition caused by the presence of certain minerals that cause scaling (white deposits) around sinks, faucets, tubs and tile. High levels of hardness cause shortened lifetimes for hot water heaters, increased soap consumption, and difficulty rinsing hair, dishes and clothes. | Softener |
| Iron and Manganese | Nuisance minerals that cause staining of fixtures, laundry and dishes. They also make the water taste bad. | Softener, chlorine feed system, ozone, iron filter |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | A dissolved gas that produces a rotten egg odor. It can be present in the well water itself or be produced by certain bacteria. | Chlorine feed system, ozone, some types of iron filters |
| Acidic ph | A fairly common cause of green or blue water staining. Acidic pH tends to cause corrosion and may shorten the expected lifetime of the entire plumbing system. | Soda ash feed system, calcite filter. |
| Bacterial Contamination | A potentially serious health concern.The presence of bacteria, especially "fecal coliforms", also suggests the possible presence of parasitic cysts like giardia and cryptosporidium. If you have a shallow well or a cistern or if your well has cross-connected with your septic system, you will most likely have contamination. | Ultraviolet, chlorine feed system |
| Radiological Contamination | Includes radon, uranium, radium and other elements. This class of contaminants is invisible, has insidious long-term health effects, and is discovered only by specific testing. | Varies, depending on the contaminant |
| Other Contaminants | Includes pesticides, nitrates, fluoride, arsenic, fertilizers, synthetic organic chemicals, and heavy metals depending on the aquifer that the well is reaching into. | Varies, depending on the contaminant |
Water Treatment Alternatives for Well Water
Households with well water face more alternatives than those with city water. Each well offers a different composition of water, with different treatment considerations and options. It is highly recommended that you have your water thoroughly tested. The test results will dictate what water treatment systems are required. Some well water only needs a good drinking water purification system such as a reverse osmosis system. Water from another well close by might need treatment with a chemical feed system, retention tank,granular carbon unit, water softener, and reverse osmosis system. Many different arrangements are used depending on the parameters that need to be treated.
Check out this link, Well Water Treatment Scenarios, which offers different well water scenarios and treatment choices.
Here is a list of the different units that might be needed: (Each of these would need to be sized according to the level of contaminants, size of the house, and size of the family.)
| Softener | Primarily to reduce hardness but can also remove iron in some situations. More information on Softeners. |
|---|---|
| Reverse Osmosis Unit | For drinking water when a softener is used and/or TDS is high. For more information on Reverse Osmosis. For information on products available: RO Products. |
| Ultraviolet Purifier | To disable bacteria, cysts, and viruses. For more information on Ultraviolet Systems, go to the UV Page. You can also go to R-Can's website and click on "Sterilight". |
| Granular Carbon Unit | Typically used in conjuction with a chemical feed system and can also remove limited amounts of radon. |
| Iron Filter | To remove iron and manganese. |
| Sediment Cartridge Filter | To remove high levels of sediment before other treatment. Often the first filter in a system. |
| Chemical Feed System | For various reasons. For example, a chlorine feed system can remove extremely high concentrations of iron beyond the capability of an iron filter. It could also feed soda ash for raising pH. |
| Radon Removal System | There are different types depending on the concentration of radon in the water. Aeration units are used for high levels of radon. For more information, go to NEEP's website. |
| Ozone System | Ozone can be used to remove iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide. It can either be fed into a water line or a system can be dropped into a cistern to treat the water before it is pumped into the house. More information on the cistern system can be found at Triple-O's site. |
