Summary for iron bacteria in well water Discussion
Iron bacteria in well water is the central issue in this thread, where Mary Kaplan describes an irrigation well that once produced 800+ gpm but dropped to 380 gpm after years of disuse and a seized pump caused by iron bacteria buildup. In response, eBay explains that galvanic corrosion can occur when dissimilar metals are in conductive contact, so multiple metals should not be left in metallic contact in the well. Dr. Thomas H. Cook adds practical treatment experience from his own well: repeated bleach treatments reduced iron bacteria scale and slime, and he describes how he introduced a bleach-and-water mix down the well so it could move into the aquifer. He also notes that an acid treatment using hydrochloric acid and glycolic acid would be applied the same way, but cautions that the effectiveness of sulfamic acid granules may depend on the well structure and how quickly the aquifer can carry the treatment away.
Q. We seem to have a unique situation or at least one in which we are having problems finding qualified solutions to the problem at hand. We have an irrigation well which has been tested to pump 1000+ gpm and had produced consistently 800 gpm. The well was not used for 10 years due to the farm land being mistakenly enrolled in the government CRP program. At the time we wanted to start irrigating it was determined the pump was seized up due to the build up of “iron bacteria”, the pump was pulled, the well was frozen and cleaned, a new shaft and renovated pump installed only to find we have 380 gpm now. We are trying to find a way to eliminate the electrolysis within the well which seems to have helped the bacteria grow. Any help or suggestions on this situation would be greatly appreciated! Thank-you
Mary Kaplan
electrician – Spangle, Washington, USA
September 25, 2008
A. Hi Mary
Galvanic Corrosion is caused by dissimilar metals in contact and in a conductive solution — which allows a circuit where the nobler of the two metals steals electron from the other metal it is in contact with, which causes atoms of that other metal to become positively charged ions and dissolve into the solution. Don’t let multiple metals be in metallic (conductive) contact with each other.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey
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Q. My private water well was having delivery issues and the well development company recommended using a chemical, NuWell NW-100,
(contains sulfamic acid) to clean iron deposits from the underground veins to the well. My water naturally contains a lot of iron which is filtered via a home filtration system.
The acid treatment is done but the water is oddly colored, light yellow, and a bit foamy still. I continue to run water through the system to dilute the chemical but 2,000+ gallons later my PH balance is 4.7 4 gallons of pelletized chemical treatment were added to my 245′ well.
Any projections on amount of water it will take to dilute this chemical to a non-detectable or “safe” level? At this time I am not watering for fear this acidic solution will kill plants/grass. Can I safely wash dishes, shower and most importantly when can this water again be consumed?
Patricia Dube
Customer – Hayden, ID, USA
August 7, 2009
Ms.
My well is 200 ft deep with the water producing area at 100 ft to 140 ft. I have treated this well about 5 times in the last five years with bleach (sodium oxychloride). This has reduced the iron bacteria scale and slime. The pump installer has a connection to use an acid treatment which is mainly hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid) and glucolic acid (used for skin peals).
When using the bleach 6%, I mixed it with 350 gallons of water from town. Then through a 2 inch line I dropped it down the well quickly so that the bleach/water mix went into the well and came within 6 inches of the top. This pushes the water/bleach out through the slots in the well pipe into the pea gravel and into the aquifer. When I decide to do this with HCl and glucolic acid I will do it the same way.
I do not know how long before your granules will take to dissolve out and I do not know the structure of you well. My will is 6 inches diameter with a 1 foot diameter layer of pea gravel around this pipe. The last 60 feet of well is in shale (little circulation). The pump is mounted at 150 ft. with a dynamic level of 100ft. The aquifer has substantial horizontal flow so the 17 gallons of bleach that I put down the well (with 350 gallons of town water) is swept away within 2 days (without pumping the water out). I suspect the problem in getting the sulfamic acid out may be that it is in granules or the horizontal movement of the water is the aquafer is slow.
Regards, Dr. Thomas H. Cook, Hot Springs, South Dakota, USA
Dr. Thomas H. Cook
Galvanizing Consultant – Hot Springs, South Dakota, USA