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Overview. Use ordinary liquid laundry bleach to shock chlorinate the water system. Determine how much bleach to use, then pour the bleach down the well and circulate it through the whole water distribution system. Wait 6-12 hours for the chlorine to work, then flush the chlorinated water from your well and pipes.
Can you shock your own well?
Mix 2 quarts bleach in 10 gallons of water; pour into well. Connect a garden hose to a nearby faucet and wash down the inside of the well. Open each faucet and let the water run until a strong chlorine odor is detected, then turn it off and go to the next one.
How long does it take for water to clear after shocking a well?
It will usually take 4 to 8 hours to flush the well after a standard well chlorination. The water may become discolored during flushing because the chlorine may have loosened the hard water deposits in the plumbing. Caution: The chlorine must be completely flushed from plumbing system.
How much does it cost to shock a well?
To disinfect your well and eliminate the bacteria, you should chlorinate the well. You can hire a company that services wells to do the chlorinating. The cost ranges from $80 – $200.
How often should you shock your well?
Homeowners with private wells should have their well water tested every 3 to 5 years for some contaminants, including bacteria. If these tests turn up positive for bacteria, chlorinating the well may be a way to resolve the problem.
Can I put a chlorine tablet in my well?
the well has been flooded or exposed to bacterial contamination in another manner, such as a crack in the well cap. Chlorine granules, tablets and liquid chlorine in the form of household bleach can all be used to disinfect your well.
How much bleach does it take to shock a well?
4) Work out how much bleach will be needed: For every 50 gallons of water in the well use one quart of laundry bleach – (4 quarts in a gallon). Do not use excessive amounts of bleach – more is not more effective.
Why does my well water turn brown when I add bleach?
The brown is the iron in the water that has oxidized as a result of the chlorination. Normally, the iron in water is in ion form and does not display itself until it combines with oxygen and forms common rust which turns the water reddish-brown.
Should you pour bleach in a well?
Bleach should not be put into the well straight from the bottle. The general recommendation is to dilute the laundry bleach 1:100, (one gallon of bleach to 100 gallons or water; half a gallon of bleach to 50 gallons of water; a quart of bleach to 25 gallons of water.).
Is it safe to put bleach in well water?
You can disinfect your well with household chlorine bleach such as Clorox, Purex or a generic brand. The chlorine in the bleach kills bacteria. Note that it may take more than one chlorination for your well to return a satisfactory test.
Will bleach hurt a well pump?
WARNING. ► If your well has not been disinfected for many years, it may have considerable scale built up. Disinfecting with a strong chlorine solution can dislodge this scale and plug or damage your pump, and/or cause problems elsewhere in the plumbing system.
Should you shock a well every year?
When Should Shock Chlorination Be Used? Shock chlorination is recommended: upon completion of a new well or when an unused well is returned to service. if annual water test results indicate the presence of bacteria.
Do water filters remove coliform?
Biological contaminants such as coliform bacteria are most effectively eliminated through chlorine disinfection, filtration, ultraviolet irradiation, and ozonation. This can be accomplished with either a whole home filtration system, an under the sink solution, or a counter top system like the Berkey Water Filter.
What is a natural way to clean well water?
Liquid chlorine in the form of household bleach and food grade white vinegar can be used to disinfect your well. When chlorine is added to water the pH level will rise. Food grade white vinegar is used to lower the water’s pH level so the chlorine will work effectively.
How long after bleaching well can I shower?
Do not shower for at least 24 hours after shocking your well. Waiting for one or two days more, if possible, is much better. Chlorine levels in the well water will go down only after freshwater dilutes and replaces chlorinated water. This process can take 1-2 days.
How do you shock a well with bleach?
Overview. Use ordinary liquid laundry bleach to shock chlorinate the water system. Determine how much bleach to use, then pour the bleach down the well and circulate it through the whole water distribution system. Wait 6-12 hours for the chlorine to work, then flush the chlorinated water from your well and pipes.
How much bleach does it take to purify 300 gallons of water?
A general rule of thumb to shock chlorinate and disinfect a storage tank is to mix non-scented NSF-approved household bleach (5.25% chlorine) in the reservoir at the ratio of 1 gallon of bleach for every 1,000 gallons of water (i.e., 1 quart for every 250 gallons of water).
