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Answers to Readers' Questions on Health:
Chlorinating Well
The following 37 comments and questions have been sent in. They are listed according to date.
List of first 10 items
- Health implications if well is super-chlorinated?
- How often should a well be chlorinated?
- How many times a year should I chlorinate my well?
- Doing plumbing and need to chlorinate the pipes
- I couldn't get a "bleach" smell
- How can I give my horses water?
- How does bacteria leak into a well?
- Adding bleach to a filtration system
- Can we use the well pump pipe?
- Over-chlorinated my well and now have a mess
Health implications if well is super-chlorinated?
Question
July 8, 2009
we here in Sierra Leone do chlorinate wells at the start of rainy seaon at this season run-off water contaminate the well as most wells are unprotected.
i would like to know what is the public health impication if well is super chlorinated?
joseph - Sierra Leone
17997
Answer
Too much chlorine in the water can make people and animals ill. Chlorinated water is a mild bleach and can even be toxic. Although you can kill bacteria by super-chlorinating the water, you also need to flush out the system to the point where there is only a slight smell or no smell of chlorine in the water.
It is a difficult trade-off between making the water safe from bacteria and keeping the amount of chlorinated water at a safe limit.
How often should a well be chlorinated?
Question
September 20, 2008
How often should a well be chlorinated? Our well company is telling us once a year but we feel that is too often.
lori - USA
16525
Answer
Many well companies suggest once a year, but I agree that it may be an overkill.
If your water start to cause rust stains when doing the wash or the water starts to get an odor, it is time to chlorinate to kill the iron bacteria. Also, if there has been a severe storm that caused flooding, the water may be contaminated and the well should be chlorinated.
We typically chlorinated every three years. But it also was a 300-feet deep well. A shallow well might need it more often.
How many times a year should I chlorinate my well?
Question
May 16, 2008
How many times a year should I chlorinate my well?.......Thank's
Terry - USA
15961
Answer
Unless there is some heavy storm that causes water to flow into your well or some other problem where you suspect bacteria in the well, you can get by with chlorinating once a year or less.
Some people start getting rust stains when they wash. That is a god sign the well needs chlorination. We chlorinated every two years with no problems.
Doing plumbing and need to chlorinate the pipes
Question
April 11, 2008
I work for the navy and we are doing some pluming and we have to do a chlorination on our pipes i wanted to know if we could use super shock for a pool on our pipes and if i can how much should i use in 5 gallons of water
Keefer - USA
15712
Answer
It is hard to tell how much chlorine to use. If you put in too much, all you are doing is wasting it. If the water in the pipes has a choline smell to it, you can leave it in for a number of hours to kill most of the bacteria.
Since systems vary so much, it is almost a trial and error method.
I hope that helps.
I couldn't get a "bleach" smell
Question
October 22, 2007
I tried to chlorinate my well after bypassing my water softner, but I couldn't get a "bleach" smell. what did I do wrong??
- USA
14620
Answer
If you put enough bleach into your well, you should get the smell. The best place to check is in the outside hose area, especially the one closest to the well inlet.
Sometimes you can barely smell the bleach smell in house faucets, but you should be able to smell it from your hose faucet. Also, running the water through your hose is usually the way to clean out the bleach from the system.
How can I give my horses water?
Question
March 23, 2007
I just chlorinated my well as a result of contamination from recent flooding. I was told my the people analyzing my water that letting the circulated bleach rest in all pipes for 12 to 24 hours. I have horses that will need water in about 20 hours from this treatment. Should I run a hose outside for a while before I fill their tub, or should I get water from another source till I know the chlorine is out?
Beverly - USA
13423
Answer
You could probably get by with 12 hours in your pipes. You can also run the water outside until the chlorine smell goes away and still leave the water in the inside pipes sit with the chlorine, so that you can water your horses. Usually, the outside water is almost directly from the well.
How does bacteria leak into a well?
Question
December 15, 2006
If bacteria is found in well water. How do one determine how bacteria is leaking into the well!
I sell Real Estate and have found bacteria in alot of well water samples.
Thanks,
Jane Yates
336-953-1297
Jane - USA
12633
Answer
Most wells should be chlorinated once a year, especially to rid them of iron bacteria as well as buildup of bacteria in the house pipes and water softener. Many people do not chlorinate their wells often, especially if they are planning on moving.
Other conditions that result in bacteria in a well include a well that is too shallow, cracked casings, and very heavy rainstorms.
If chlorination does not do the trick, then a well inspector will have to check to see if there are some serious problems with the well.
Adding bleach to a filtration system
Question
October 2, 2006
I have a filtration system after my well and prior to the house. THis system has charcoal filtration, but is also equipped to introduce chlorine though a UniDose pump whenever the well runs. I believe this is more for iron suspension than contaimination control.
Can you advise the bleach ratio used in the barrel with the pump for continuous chlorine introduaction?
Shannon - USA
12052
Answer
We have information for directly chlorinating a well but nothing about chlorinating a filtration system. The best thing to do is to check with the manufacturer or local well service company to find out how much chlorine to use or if it is even necessary.
Can we use the well pump pipe?
Question
September 17, 2006
We were wondering if it possible to put bleach in a well through the pump pipe. My mothers well head is under a porch floor, but the pump is in the basement. Any idea on this problem? Thanks in advance
Kathy - USA
11939
Answer
You really want to get the bleach into the water in the well. I don't think it will get there from the pump pipe, unless you can pour it in from above the well head. If the pipe has such an opening and you are sure the bleach is going down the well, it is possible. You also need to pour plenty of water at the same time.
Best wishes in chlorinating your well.
Over-chlorinated my well and now have a mess
Question
March 16, 2006
Hello, I over chlorinated my well, really over chlorinated my well. I put 3 gallons of liquid bleach and 4 lbs of chlorpack tablets....now I have a mess. How do I fix this?
I have been draining the well for days..but it is still a mess. The well is 250 feet deep....
HELP!
bob - USA
10482
Answer
I guess the mess is that the water is still highly chlorinated. Drain the well from the nearest outlet. A problem is that the water could kill the grass in the run-off area. The big thing is to get the water to the point where the bleach smell is not too great. A slightly bleachy smell is OK for many uses except cooking and drinking. Once you're at that point, just use bottled water until the smell goes away from normal usage.
Hope that helps you get things back to normal.
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